Induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress response by the indole-3-carbinol cyclic tetrameric derivative CTet in human breast cancer cell lines.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Indole-3-carbinol and its metabolic products are considered promising chemopreventive and anticancer agents. Previously we have shown that the indole-3-carbinol cyclic tetrameric derivative CTet induces autophagy and inhibits cell proliferation via inhibition of Akt activity and overexpression of p21/CDKN1A and GADD45A, in both estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and triple negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. In the present study, we further characterize the autophagic response and investigate the mechanism through which CTet regulates these events.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

Analysis of gene expression microarray data and subsequent confirmation by quantitative real-time PCR, showed that CTet is able to induce up-regulation of key signaling molecules involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response (e.g. DDIT3/CHOP, CHAC1, ATF3, HSPA5/BiP/GRP78, CEBPB, ASNS) and autophagy (e.g. MAP1LC3B), in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Moreover, the monitoring of Xbp-1 splicing confirmed the activation of IRE1/Xbp-1 ER stress response branch after CTet treatment. The role of autophagic processes (known to be induced by ER stress) was investigated further through ATG5 gene silencing and pharmacological inhibition of AVOs formation. CTet was shown to induce an autophagy-related cell death. Moreover, CTet-treated cells stained with Hoechst/PI revealed the presence of necrotic processes without evidence of apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:

The ER stress response was identified as the main upstream molecular mechanism through which CTet acts in both hormone-responsive and triple-negative breast cancer cells. Because of its important role in cancer development, ER stress is a potential target in cancer therapy. The abiltiy of CTet to induce ER stress response and subsequently activate a death program in tumor cells confirms this molecule as a promising anticancer agent.

• Authors: Luca Galluzzi, Mauro De Santi, Rita Crinelli, Cinzia De Marco, Nadia Zaffaroni, Andrea Duranti, Giorgio Brandi, Mauro Magnani
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 7 Issue 8 Pg. e43249 ( 2012) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22905241 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• 5,6,11,12,17,18,23,24-octahydrocyclododeca(1,2-b-4,5-b'-7,8-''-10,11-b''')tetraindole
• Antineoplastic Agents
• DNA-Binding Proteins
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
• HSPA5 protein, human
• Indoles
• Macrolides
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors
• Transcription Factors
• X-Box Binding Protein 1
• XBP1 protein, human
• bafilomycin A
• indole-3-carbinol
• Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis
• Autophagy
• Breast Neoplasms (metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation
• DNA-Binding Proteins (metabolism)
• Endoplasmic Reticulum (metabolism)
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Gene Silencing
• Humans
• Indoles (pharmacology)
• Macrolides (pharmacology)
• Necrosis
• Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
• Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex (metabolism)
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors
• Transcription Factors (metabolism)
• X-Box Binding Protein 1