姜黄素联合肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体对前列腺癌细胞的抑制作用

目的:探讨姜黄素(curcumin,Cur)联合肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体(TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand,TRAIL)对前列腺癌细胞的抑制作用。方法:CCK-8法测定Cur、TRAIL及Cur联合TRAIL作用于PC-3细胞后的细胞生存率,流式细胞技术测定细胞周期及凋亡率,光学显微镜下观察细胞形态,Western blot检测凋亡蛋白caspase-3表达水平的变化。结果:与对照组比较,Cur联合TRAIL组能显著抑制PC-3细胞增殖(P<0.05),呈时间依赖性,且使PC-3细胞阻滞于G2/M期比例明显增多(P<0.05)。镜下可见联合应用Cur和TRAIL处理的PC-3细胞凋亡形态改变明显,凋亡率较对照组高(P<0.05),凋亡蛋白caspase-3表达也增强。结论:Cur与TRAIL联用可明显增强PC-3细胞抑制效果和诱导凋亡作用,其凋亡作用机制可能与其上调caspase-3表达有关。     

可溶性肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体诱导肝癌细胞凋亡的研究

方法 采用原位杂交方法检测肝癌组织、肝癌细胞株以及正常肝组织中TRAILR的表达。采用不同浓度TRAIL蛋白处理肝癌细胞株Hep2和SMMC7721,应用流式细胞仪和原位末端标记,观察经药物处理前后该细胞株的凋亡发生率。结果 60例肝癌组织及20例正常肝组织均表达死亡受体DR5和DR4,但肝癌组织DR表达量显著强于正常肝组织。54例(90．0％)肝癌组织不表达诱捕受体DcR1,25例(41．7％)肝癌组织不表达DcR2,而20例正常肝组织均表达DcR。肝癌组织中DR的高表达及DcR的低表达,不同于正常肝组织中DR的低表达及DcR的高表达,两者间差异有显著性。两种肝癌细胞株中均可检测到DR5、DR4、DcR2的表达,但DcR1表达缺失。肝癌组织中DR的表达与肿瘤的分化、肿瘤分期有关,低分化的肿瘤DR表达减少(P＜0．01),Ⅲ、Ⅳ期肿瘤DR表达显著低于I、Ⅱ期(P＜0．05)。DR表达与患者的性别、年龄、HBsAg阳性与否、AFP水平、肿瘤大小以及是否转移无关。经TRAIL(100ng/ml)处理24h,肝癌细胞凋亡发生率约10％,而Jurkat细胞凋亡率达70％以上,胆管癌细胞QBC939凋亡发生率约50％。结论 肝细胞肝癌普遍存在TRAILR的表达,并存在受体类型的表达差异。但单一的TRAIL治疗只能有限的诱导肝癌细胞HepG2、SMMC7721发生凋亡,HCC对TRAIL诱导的凋亡存在耐药现象。     

喷他脒增强K562细胞对肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体诱导凋亡敏感性

背景与目的：肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体（TRAIL）是一种理想的抗肿瘤药物，但许多肿瘤细胞常对TRAIL。诱导凋亡耐受。本研究探讨了喷他脒增强白血病K562细胞对TRAIL。诱导凋亡敏感性方法：利用光镜彤态学和Annexin V FITC／PI双标记凋亡细胞的流式细胞仪（FACS）测定两种方法观察喷他脒预处胛K562细胞并继用TRAIL后凋亡的发生，应用蛋白印迹方法观察此过程中半胱氯酸一天冬氨酸蛋白酶（Caspase）-3，-8和聚ADP核糖聚合酶（PARP）等3种蛋白的蛋白剪切与X连锁凋亡抑制蛋白（XIAP）蛋白表达的改变，结果：在10μg／ml喷他脒作用K562细胞20h，K562细胞未发生凋亡，继用200ng／ml TRAIL。作用4h后，光镜和Annexin V FITC／PI双标记流式细胞仪方法均观察到细胞发生明显凋亡，井出现了Caspase-3，-8和PARP蛋白剪切．两者单独作用则无明显细胞凋亡发生．另外，喷他脒明显降低了XlAP表达结论：喷他眯联合TRAIL可能成为肿瘤治疗的一种新策略。     

乳腺癌细胞对肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体耐受的分子机制

0引言 肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor,TNF)是淋巴细胞分泌的一种能诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的细胞因子,但是由于TNF对正常细胞也有同样的细胞毒性,因而限制了TNF的临床应用.1996年Pitti等[1]研究发现另外一种能特异性诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的TNF家族成员,这个成员就是肿瘤坏死因子相关的凋亡诱导配体(TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand,TRAIL),由于TRAIL具有很强的诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡能力而对大部分正常细胞毒性非常低,因而使用TRAIL进行肿瘤治疗引起广泛的关注.     

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体对人骨肉瘤的作用

目的研究肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体（TRAIL）对人骨肉瘤的作用,以及此作用与TRAIL受体（TRAILR）在人骨肉瘤中表达的相关性。方法应用原位杂交、Western blot方法检测人骨肉瘤细胞系MG-63及新鲜骨肉瘤组织块中TRAILR的表达;将在大肠杆菌中表达的TRAIL纯化后用于MG-63及新鲜骨肉瘤组织块,同法处理人白血病细胞株Jurkat作为阳性对照。MTT法检测细胞毒作用;流式细胞术检测凋亡,光镜下观察形态学变化,计数细胞,绘制生长曲线,测定细胞倍增时间。结果人骨肉瘤中死亡受体DR4、DR5呈高表达而诱惑受体DcR1、DcR2呈低表达,但TRAIL抑制人骨肉瘤细胞增殖而不能诱导其凋亡,MG-63在TRAIL作用下变肥大且呈编织排列。结论人骨肉瘤细胞对TRAIL耐受与其诱惑受体表达无关,TRAIL能改变体外培养的人骨肉瘤细胞形态及增殖动力学。     

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体及其受体与肝癌

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体(TRAIL)及受体能在肝癌细胞中特异性地表达,并通过死亡受体特异性地诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡;TRAIL联合放疗、化疗能有效地克服肿瘤细胞的TRAIL耐受,促进肿瘤细胞凋亡,同时TRAIL的基因治疗在抗肿瘤临床治疗上已得到广泛的应用.     

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体对非小细胞肺癌细胞凋亡诱导的基础研究

目的:观察肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体对非小细胞肺癌小鼠模型肿瘤细胞凋亡诱导的作用。方法:30只小鼠接种浓度为5×106/ml非小细胞肺癌细胞Tc-1。荷瘤小鼠随机分为6组（空白对照组和5种浓度rhTRAIL实验组）。空白对照组每天注射一次灭菌生理盐水,实验组每天注射浓度不同的rhTRAIL溶液,各组均连续注射15d。每2d测量小鼠肿瘤长短直径,计算肿瘤体积。取小鼠脾脏细胞培养,测量培养液上清TNF-α浓度。结果:rhTRAIL给药组小鼠肿瘤体积明显低于空白对照组（P<0.05）,随着rhTRAIL浓度的增加,肿瘤体积相应减小;小鼠的Tc-1细胞凋亡率随着rhTRAIL浓度增高,其凋亡率逐渐升高;rhTRAIL给药组小鼠的TNF-α浓度均明显高于空白对照组,组间差异具有显著性（P<0.05）。结论:rhTRAIL能有效增强非小细胞肺癌小鼠体内的细胞因子分泌,诱导荷瘤小鼠的肿瘤细胞凋亡,表明rhTRAIL对非小细胞肺癌小鼠的肿瘤细胞具有一定的抑制作用。     

肿瘤坏死因子相关的凋亡诱导配体对胰腺癌细胞抗肿瘤作用的研究

Objective To investigate the antitumor effect of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)gene transfection mediated by adenovirus into human pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1, and the mechanisms involved in this effect. Methods TRAIL gene was transfected into pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1 by an adenovirus vector (Ad-TRAIL).Level of TRAIL mRNA expression was determined using RT-PCR, and TRAIL protein synthesis was evaluated with Western blot. Cell-growth activities were determined by MTT assay. The bystander effect was observed by co-culturing the Panc-1cells with the transfected TRAIL gene at different ratios. Apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells was detected by flow cytometry.Procaspase-8 and procaspase-3 were determined by Western blot. Results The stable overexpression of TRAIL was detected in Panc-1 cells transfected by Ad-TRAIL. Ad-TRAIL significantly inhibited of cell viability of Panc-1 cells. Furthermore,co-culture of cancer cells transfected with TRAIL with that nontransfected resulted in the cell death of both cells by bystander effect. Moreover, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in the Ad-TRAIL-treatment group compared to the control groups (P ＜ 0.01). And there was a diminished amount of procaspase-8 and procaspase-3 after infection with Ad-TRAIL. Conclusion The overexpression of TRAIL gene in Panc-1 cells by Ad-TRAIL exerts its antitumor effects, and themechanisms involved in this effect may be proapoptosis and bystander effect.     

肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体受体在肝细胞肝癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

目的　探讨TRAILR在肝细胞肝癌 (hepatocellularcarcinoma ,HCC)中的表达及其临床意义。方法　采用原位杂交方法检测了 6 0例肝癌组织、两种肝癌细胞株以及 2 0例正常肝组织中TRAILR的表达 ,并结合临床资料进行分析。结果　 6 0例肝癌组织及 2 0例正常肝组织均表达死亡受体DR5和DR4,但肝癌组织DR表达量显著强于正常肝组织DR表达量。 5 4例肝癌组织不表达诱捕受体DcR1( 90 % ) ,2 5例肝癌组织不表达DcR2 ( 41.7% ) ,而 2 0例正常肝组织均表达DcR。肝癌组织中DR的高表达及DcR的低表达不同于正常肝组织中DR的低表达及DcR的高表达 ,两者间有显著差异性。两种肝癌细胞株中均检测到DR5、DR4、DcR2的表达 ,但DcR1表达缺失。HCC组织中DR的表达与肿瘤的分化、肿瘤分级有关 ,低分化的肿瘤DR表达减少 (P <0 .0 1) ,Ⅲ /Ⅳ期肿瘤DR的表达显著低于Ⅰ/Ⅱ级DR表达 (P <0 .0 5 )。DR的表达与病人的性别、年龄、HBsAg阳性与否、AFP水平、肿瘤的大小以及是否转移无关。肿瘤细胞耐药株DR表达降低。结论　HCC普遍存在TRAILR的表达 ,并存在受体类型的表达差异。DcR1的表达大多缺失有利于TRAIL治疗HCC。     

Cysteine 230 modulates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand activity

Biologically active tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) protein is known to form a homotrimer in solution. Unexpectedly, the recombinant active human TRAIL protein purified from bacteria produced two bands (a Mr 21,000 monomer derived from the disruption of the trimer in SDS gels and a Mr 42,000 dimer) on nonreducing SDS gels. The treatment of this TRAIL protein with DTT, a reducing agent, abolished formation of the Mr 42,000 band, suggesting that the Mr 42,000 band was the result of intermolecular disulfide bridge formation. Inspection of the amino acid sequence of human TRAIL protein identified a unique cysteine residue at position 230, and subsequent site-directed mutagenesis revealed that this amino acid residue is responsible for the appearance of the Mr 42,000 dimer. The binding analysis using the TRAIL protein and a TRAIL receptor (death receptor 5) revealed that both the dimer and the trimer bind to death receptor 5 with similar affinity. Interestingly, mutation of cysteine 230 to glycine completely abolished the apoptotic activity of TRAIL protein. The disruption of the dimer in the mixture of TRAIL dimer and trimer increased the apoptotic activity slightly, suggesting that the dimer has less apoptotic activity than the trimer. Therefore, our data indicate that cysteine 230 is not only required for TRAIL function but also modulates the apoptotic activity of TRAIL by forming an intermolecular disulfide bridge.     

Targeting the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand path in neuroblastoma

The identification of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily member TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) a few years ago generated considerable enthusiasm for it as a potential cancer therapeutic agent. This is because TRAIL shows potent apoptosis inducing activity in a wide spectrum of transformed cell lines but not in cell lines derived from normal tissue origin. As the details in the signal transduction pathway of TRAIL-induced apoptosis are clarified, various defects of TRAIL pathway have been identified in TRAIL resistant cancer cells. Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children and those with a poor prognosis require more sensitive therapies. Unlike other cancer cells, most neuroblastoma cell lines are resistant to TRAIL induced apoptosis and the resistance correlates with caspase 8 deficiency, which is attributed to the methylation of the gene. Interferon (IFN)-gamma induces caspase 8 expression in most neuroblastoma cell lines regardless of the methylation status but fails to sensitize most NB to TRAIL. Further analysis indicates a TRAIL receptor deficiency contributes to TRAIL resistance in NB. Multiple lesions suggest that this path may play an important role in tumorigenesis and/ or evasion from therapies. Furthermore it indicates that the clinical application of TRAIL in NB will require a multi-modality approach. Important questions remain unanswered: How does IFN-gamma induce caspase 8 and why is the induction heterogeneous? How to stimulate the caspase 8 induction in cells that fail to respond to IFN-gamma? How to target other TRAIL pathway lesions with the clinically feasible approaches?     

Targeted expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand TRAIL in skin protects mice against chemical carcinogenesis

Background  

Gene ablation studies have revealed that tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL, Apo2L, TNFSF10) plays a crucial role in tumor surveillance, as TRAIL-deficient mice exhibit an increased sensitivity to different types of tumorigenesis. In contrast, possible tumor-protective effect of increased levels of endogenous TRAIL expression in vivo has not been assessed yet. Such models will provide important information about the efficacy of TRAIL-based therapies and potential toxicity in specific tissues.     

High expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand is associated with favorable ovarian cancer survival.

PURPOSE: The molecular determinants of survival in ovarian cancer are poorly understood. Using expression microarrays, we recently found that high expression of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) gene is associated with prolonged survival in advanced ovarian cancer. TRAIL has also been shown to synergize with chemotherapeutic agents to induce apoptosis in ovarian cancer cell lines. We therefore sought to confirm the association between TRAIL expression and survival in a larger group of women with ovarian cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: TRAIL expression was measured using quantitative real-time PCR in 120 epithelial ovarian cancers (11 stage I/II, 109 stage III/IV) and 8 normal ovarian surface epithelial samples. RESULTS: Ovarian cancers demonstrated 10-fold higher mean TRAIL expression than normal ovarian epithelial samples (P < 0.001). Among ovarian cancers, high TRAIL expression was associated with prolonged survival and was 2.2-fold higher in cancers from patients who lived more than 5 years compared with patients who died within 1 year (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: TRAIL expression is higher in ovarian cancers relative to normal ovarian epithelium. High TRAIL expression is associated with favorable ovarian cancer survival, which may be attributable to increased chemosensitivity of cancers that express the most TRAIL. The use of TRAIL to enhance sensitivity of ovarian cancers to therapy represents an appealing molecular therapeutic strategy worthy of further investigation.     

TRAIL促人甲状腺癌细胞凋亡中一氧化氮作用的探讨

目的:探讨一氧化氮(NO)在肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡诱导配体(TRAIL)诱导人甲状腺癌细胞凋亡中的作用。方法:S-亚硝基化生物素转化法、一氧化氮合酶(NOS)活性及NO产物测定法检测各组细胞3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶(GAPDH)S-亚硝基化与NO产物关系;蛋白质印迹法检测各组细胞及细胞核中GAPDH蛋白表达;台盼蓝染色、DNA裂解分析、Caspase-3活性测定法检测各组FRO细胞凋亡。结果:20ng/mLTRAIL处理FRO细胞0～24h,可见NOS活性及作为NO氧化产物的硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐水平呈时间依赖性增加,于4h开始显著增高,P=0.008;12h达高峰。iNOS抑制剂L-NAME抑制TRAIL诱导的GAPDHS-亚硝基化及其随后的细胞核转位,但不影响TRAIL诱导的GAPDH表达。L-NAME显著抑制TRAIL诱导的人甲状腺癌细胞凋亡和Caspase-3活性,P值均<0.001。结论:NO介导的GAPDHS-亚硝基化修饰和随后的细胞核转位可能参与了TRAIL诱导的人甲状腺癌细胞凋亡。     

Mcl-1 mediates tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand resistance in human cholangiocarcinoma cells

Cholangiocarcinomas are usually fatal neoplasms originating from bile duct epithelia. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for cancer therapy, including cholangiocarcinoma. However, many cholangiocarcinoma cells are resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Thus, our aim was to examine the intracellular mechanisms responsible for TRAIL resistance in human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Three TRAIL-resistant human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines were identified. All of the cell lines expressed TRAIL receptor 1/death receptor 4 (TRAIL-R1/DR4) and TRAIL-R2/DR5. Expression of TRAIL decoy receptors and the antiapoptotic cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) was inconsistent across the cell lines. Of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins profiled (Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and Mcl-1), Mcl-1 was uniquely overexpressed by the cell lines. When small-interfering-RNA (siRNA) technology was used to knock down expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and Mcl-1, only the Mcl-1-siRNA sensitized the cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. In a cell line stably transfected with Mcl-1-small-hairpin-RNA (Mcl-1-shRNA), Mcl-1 depletion sensitized cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis despite Bcl-2 expression. TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in the stably transfected cells was associated with mitochondrial depolarization, Bax activation, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and caspase activation. Finally, flavopiridol, an anticancer drug that rapidly down-regulates Mcl-1, also sensitized cells to TRAIL cytotoxicity. In conclusion, these studies not only demonstrate that Mcl-1 mediates TRAIL resistance in cholangiocarcinoma cells by blocking the mitochondrial pathway of cell death but also identify two strategies for circumventing this resistance.     

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand alters mitochondrial membrane lipids

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to have selective antitumor activity. TRAIL induces ubiquitous pathways of cell death in which caspase activation is mediated either directly or via the release of apoptogenic factors from mitochondria; however, the precise components of the mitochondrial signaling pathway have not been well defined. Notably, mitochondria constitute an important target in overcoming resistance to TRAIL in many types of tumors. Bid is considered to be fundamental in engaging mitochondria during death receptor-mediated apoptosis, but this action is dependent on mitochondrial lipids. Here, we report that TRAIL signaling induces an alteration in mitochondrial membrane lipids, particularly cardiolipin. This occurs independently of caspase activation and primes mitochondrial membranes to the proapoptotic action of Bid. We unveil a link between TRAIL signaling and alteration of membrane lipid homeostasis that occurs in parallel to apical caspase activation but does not take over the mode of cell death because of the concurrent activation of caspase-8. In particular, TRAIL-induced alteration of mitochondrial lipids follows an imbalance in the cellular homeostasis of phosphatidylcholine, which results in an elevation in diacylglycerol (DAG). Elevated DAG in turn activates the delta isoform of phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine protein kinase C, which then accelerates the cleavage of caspase-8. We also show that preservation of phosphatidylcholine homeostasis by inhibition of lipid-degrading enzymes almost completely impedes the activation of pro-caspase-9 while scarcely changing the activation of caspase-8.     

Role of antiapoptotic proteins in tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and cisplatin-augmented apoptosis.

PURPOSE AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of combined treatment with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and cisplatin in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. HNSCC-6 cells were treated with 0.1-1 micro g/ml TRAIL and/or 1-10 micro g/ml cisplatin for 24 h. RESULTS: TRAIL alone or cisplatin alone caused minimal cytotoxicity. The combination of TRAIL and cisplatin synergistically enhanced apoptotic death, caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation, as well as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. However, the total cellular levels and the surface expression of TRAIL receptor proteins, such as death receptors 4 and 5 and decoy receptors 2 and 1, were not significantly changed by treatment with TRAIL and cisplatin. Interestingly, the level of the short form of Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein (FLIP(S)) but not the long form of Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme-inhibitory protein was reduced through cleavage. Benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone a caspase-3 inhibitor, blocked the cleavage of FLIP(S) and caspase-3 activation. Overexpression of FLIP(S) protected cells from apoptotic death and FLIP(S) cleavage during treatment with TRAIL in combination with cisplatin. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that caspase-3 is responsible for FLIP(S) cleavage, and the cleavage of FLIP(S) is one of facilitating factors for TRAIL-induced apoptotic death.     

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand retains its apoptosis-inducing capacity on Bcl-2- or Bcl-xL-overexpressing chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor family and has recently been shown to exert tumoricidal activity in vivo in the absence of any observable toxicity. The signaling pathways triggered by TRAIL stimulation and the mechanisms involved in resistance against TRAIL-mediated apoptosis are still poorly defined. We show here that TRAIL-induced apoptosis involves late dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi(m)) and cytochrome c release. These events follow activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 and induction of DNA fragmentation. In addition, caspase-8-deficient cells are resistant against TRAIL-induced apoptosis, and inhibition of caspase-8 but not caspase-9 prevents mitochondrial permeability transition and apoptosis. In contrast, various Bcl-2- or Bcl-xL-overexpressing tumor cell lines are sensitive to TRAIL-induced apoptosis; however, they show a delay in TRAIL-induced mitochondrial permeability transition compared with control transfectants. This indicates that TRAIL-induced apoptosis depends on caspase-8 activation rather than on the disruption of mitochondrial integrity. Because most chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of malignancies lead to apoptosis primarily by engagement of the mitochondrial proapoptotic machinery, we tested whether drug-resistant tumor cells retain sensitivity for TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Tumor cells overexpressing Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL become resistant to apoptosis induced by the chemotherapeutic drug etoposide. However, these cells are not protected or are only marginally protected against TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Thus, TRAIL may still kill tumors that have acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs by overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. These data will influence future treatment strategies involving TRAIL.     

Regulation of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand sensitivity in primary and transformed human keratinocytes

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to exert potent cytotoxic activity against many tumor cell lines but not against normal cells. It has been hypothesized that this difference in TRAIL sensitivity between normal and transformed cells might be due to the expression of the non-death-inducing TRAIL receptors (TRAIL-R) TRAIL-R3 and TRAIL-R4, presumably by competition for limited amounts of TRAIL. To assess the regulation of resistance versus sensitivity to TRAIL in primary as well as transformed keratinocytes, we examined TRAIL sensitivity, TRAIL receptor expression, and intracellular signaling events induced by TRAIL. Although TRAIL induced apoptosis in primary as well as transformed keratinocytes, a marked difference in sensitivity could be observed with primary keratinocytes (PK) being 5-fold less sensitive to TRAIL than transformed keratinocytes (TK). Yet both cell types exhibited similar TRAIL receptor surface expression, suggesting that expression of TRAIL-R3 and TRAIL-R4 may not be the main regulator of sensitivity to TRAIL. Biochemical analysis of the signaling events induced by TRAIL revealed that PK could be sensitized for TRAIL and, similarly, for TRAIL-R1- and TRAIL-R2-specific apoptosis by pretreatment of the cells with cycloheximide (CHX). This sensitization concomitantly resulted in processing of caspase-8, which did not occur in TRAIL-resistant PK. These data indicate that an early block of TRAIL-induced apoptosis was present in PK compared with TK or PK treated with CHX. Interestingly, cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (cFLIP) levels, high in PK and low in TK and several other squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, decreased rapidly after treatment of PK with CHX, correlating with the increase in TRAIL sensitivity and caspase-8 processing. Furthermore, ectopic expression of cFLIP long (cFLIP(L)) in TK by transfection with a cFLIP(L) expression vector resulted in resistance to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis of these cells. Thus, our results demonstrate that TRAIL sensitivity in PK is primarily regulated at the intracellular level rather than at the receptor level.