Norcantharidin induces melanoma cell apoptosis through activation of TR3 dependent pathway.

Abstract

Norcantharidin (NCTD) has been reported to induce tumor cell apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanism behinds its antitumor effect remains elusive. We have previously shown that TR3 expression is significantly decreased in metastatic melanomas and involved in melanoma cell apoptosis. In this study, we showed that NCTD inhibited melanoma cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a dose related manner. NCTD induced translocation of TR3 from nucleus to mitochondria where it co-localized with Bcl-2 in melanoma cells. NCTD also increased cytochome c release from mitochondria to the cytoplasm. These changes were accompanied by increased expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 along with decreased expression of Bcl2 and NF-κB2. The effects of NCTD were inhibited by knockdown of TR3 expression using TR3 specific shRNA in melanoma cells. Furthermore, NCTD significantly decreased tumor volume and improved survival of Tyr::CreER; BRAF(Ca/+); Pten(lox/lox) transgenic mice. Our data indicates that NCTD inhibits melanoma growth by inducing tumor cell apoptosis via activation of a TR3 dependent pathway. These results suggest that NCTD is a potential therapeutic agent for melanoma.

• Authors: Shujing Liu, Hong Yu, Suresh M Kumar, James S Martin, Zhanyong Bing, Weiqi Sheng, Marcus Bosenberg, Xiaowei Xu
• Journal: Cancer biology & therapy (Cancer Biol Ther) Vol. 12 Issue 11 Pg. 1005-14 (Dec 01 2011) ISSN: 1555-8576 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22123174 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
• Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• norcantharidin

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects, genetics)
• Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic (pharmacology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation
• Humans
• Melanoma (genetics, metabolism, mortality)
• Mice
• Mice, Transgenic
• Mitochondria (metabolism)
• Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1 (genetics, metabolism)
• Protein Binding (drug effects)
• Protein Transport (drug effects)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (metabolism)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays