α-TEA cooperates with chemotherapeutic agents to induce apoptosis of p53 mutant, triple-negative human breast cancer cells via activating p73.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Successful treatment of p53 mutant, triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) remains a daunting challenge. Doxorubicin (DOXO) and cisplatin (CDDP) are standard-of-care treatments for TNBC, but eventually fail due to acquired drug resistance and toxicity. New treatments for overcoming drug resistance and toxicity in p53 mutant, TNBC are therefore badly needed. Unlike p53, p73 - a member of the p53 family - is usually not mutated in cancers and has been shown to regulate p53-mediated apoptotic signaling in p53-deficient cancers. Therefore, identification of anticancer agents that can activate p73 in p53-deficient cancers may provide a chemotherapeutic approach for treatment of p53 mutant cancers. Here we report on the reconstitution of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway in a p53-independent manner via p73 with combination treatments of α-TEA, a small bioactive lipid, plus DOXO or CDDP.

METHODS:

p53 mutant, TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231, BT-20 and MDA-MB-468 were used to evaluate the anticancer effect of chemotherapeutic drugs and α-TEA using annexin V (FITC)/PI staining, western blot analyses, RT-PCR and siRNA knockdown techniques.

RESULTS:

Combination treatments of α-TEA plus DOXO or CDDP act cooperatively to induce apoptosis, caspase-8 and caspase-9 cleavage, p73, phospho-c-Ab1 and phospho-JNK protein expression, and increase expression of p53 downstream mediators; namely, death receptor-5, CD95/APO-1 (Fas), Bax and Noxa, as well as Yap nuclear translocation - plus reduce expression of Bcl-2. Knockdown of p73, c-Abl, JNK or Yap using siRNAs shows that p73 plays a critical role in combination treatment-enhanced apoptosis and the expression of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic mediators, and that c-Abl, JNK and Yap are upstream mediators of p73 in combination treatment responses.

CONCLUSIONS:

Data show that α-TEA in combination with DOXO or CDDP synergistically enhances apoptosis in TNBC via targeting p53-mediated genes in a p73-dependent manner, and that p73 responses are downstream of c-Abl, JNK and Yap.

• Authors: Richa Tiwary, Weiping Yu, Bob G Sanders, Kimberly Kline
• Journal: Breast cancer research : BCR (Breast Cancer Res) Vol. 13 Issue 1 Pg. R1 (Jan 07 2011) ISSN: 1465-542X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21214929 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Cell Cycle Proteins
• DNA-Binding Proteins
• Nuclear Proteins
• Receptors, Estrogen
• Receptors, Progesterone
• TP73 protein, human
• Transcription Factors
• Tumor Protein p73
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins
• YY1AP1 protein, human
• Doxorubicin
• Receptor, ErbB-2
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-abl
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• MAP Kinase Kinase 4
• 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2R-(4R,8R,12-trimethyltridecyl)chroman-6-yloxy acetic acid
• Cisplatin
• Tocopherols

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Breast Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism)
• Cell Cycle Proteins
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Nucleus (metabolism)
• Cisplatin (pharmacology)
• DNA-Binding Proteins (metabolism)
• Doxorubicin (pharmacology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• Humans
• MAP Kinase Kinase 4 (metabolism)
• Nuclear Proteins (metabolism)
• Phosphorylation (drug effects)
• Protein Transport
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-abl (metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (metabolism)
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (genetics)
• Receptors, Estrogen (genetics)
• Receptors, Progesterone (genetics)
• Tocopherols (pharmacology)
• Transcription Factors (metabolism)
• Tumor Protein p73
• Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 (genetics)
• Tumor Suppressor Proteins (metabolism)
• Up-Regulation (drug effects)