Downregulation of Bcl-2 sensitises interferon-resistant renal cancer cells to Fas. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Interferon alpha (IFNalpha) is used to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) despite limited clinical benefit. IFNalpha can induce Fas receptor-mediated apoptosis by direct activation of pro-caspase-8 followed by activation of caspase-3. Alternative, indirect activation of caspase-3 via mitochondrial release of cytochrome c can occur and may explain the rescue from Fas-activated cell death by the antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family. In this study, we examined G3139, a novel antisense compound targeting Bcl-2, in combination with IFNalpha. Human RCC lines (SK-RC-44 and SK-RC-07) were treated with IFNalpha, G3139 or a combination of the two. Fas-mediated cytotoxicity was induced by anti-Fas mAb, CH11. An analysis of Bcl-2, Fas and the cleavage of PARP was performed. IFNalpha induced Fas and Bcl-2 in SK-RC-44 and SK-RC-07. IFNalpha sensitised SK-RC-44 to anti-Fas and induced PARP cleavage confirming that IFNalpha has a cytotoxic effect on RCC lines by induction of the Fas antigen. Cytotoxicity was not evident in SK-RC-07 cells treated with IFNalpha. G3139 induced a specific downregulation of Bcl-2 in SK-RC-07 cells, which were then sensitised to anti-Fas after treatment with IFNalpha. Taken together, these results suggest that Fas-dependent pathways as well as alternative pathways, which can be inhibited by Bcl-2, exist in renal cell carcinoma. G3139 in combination with IFNalpha is a potential therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

publication date

  • July 5, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Apoptosis
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Kidney Neoplasms
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Thionucleotides
  • fas Receptor

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2364752

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 3343003878

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1038/sj.bjc.6601895

PubMed ID

  • 15188008

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 91

issue

  • 1