Cyclooxygenase 2 rescues LNCaP prostate cancer cells from sanguinarine-induced apoptosis by a mechanism involving inhibition of nitric oxide synthase activity.

Abstract

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), an inducible enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid, is elevated in human prostate tumor samples. The aim of this study was to investigate whether expression of Cox-2 is effective against prostate cancer cell apoptosis triggered by sanguinarine, the quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloid with antineoplastic properties. Sanguinarine effectively induced apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer epithelial cells as assessed by caspase-3 activation assay, Annexin V staining assay, or by visual analysis for the apoptotic morphology changes. Sanguinarine-mediated apoptosis was associated with the increase of nitric oxide (NO) formation in prostate cancer cells as assessed by measurements of nitrites with Sievers nitric oxide analyzer as well as flow cytometry analysis using NO fluorescent sensor. Activation of NO synthase (NOS) activity was crucial for sanguinarine-induced cell death because NOS inhibitor L-NMMA efficiently protected cells from apoptosis. Adenovirus-mediated transfer of Cox-2 into LNCaP cells inhibited sanguinarine-induced apoptosis and prevented an increase in NO production. Surprisingly, NO donors failed to induce apoptosis in LNCaP cells, suggesting that constitutive NO generation is not sufficient for triggering apoptosis in these cells. Besides NO generation, NOS is also capable of producing superoxide radicals. Sanguinarine-induced production of superoxide radicals, and the addition of MnTBAP, a scavenger of superoxide radicals, efficiently inhibited sanguinarine-mediated apoptosis. These results suggest that Cox-2 expression rescues prostate cancer cells from sanguinarine-induced apoptosis by a mechanism involving inhibition of NOS activity, and that coadministration of Cox-2 inhibitors with sanguinarine may be developed as a strategy for the management of prostate cancer.

• Authors: Jacob Huh, Andrejs Liepins, Jacek Zielonka, Christopher Andrekopoulos, Balaraman Kalyanaraman, Andrey Sorokin
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 66 Issue 7 Pg. 3726-36 (Apr 01 2006) ISSN: 0008-5472 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16585199 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Alkaloids
• Benzophenanthridines
• Isoquinolines
• Peroxynitrous Acid
• omega-N-Methylarginine
• Nitric Oxide
• sanguinarine
• Nitric Oxide Synthase
• Cyclooxygenase 2

Topics

• Adenoviridae (genetics)
• Alkaloids (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects, physiology)
• Benzophenanthridines
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cyclooxygenase 2 (biosynthesis, genetics, metabolism)
• Epithelial Cells (drug effects, metabolism)
• Gene Transfer Techniques
• Humans
• Isoquinolines
• Male
• Nitric Oxide (biosynthesis)
• Nitric Oxide Synthase (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Peroxynitrous Acid (metabolism)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy, enzymology, genetics, pathology)
• omega-N-Methylarginine (pharmacology)