Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL suppresses p-fluorophenylalanine-induced apoptosis through blocking mitochondria-dependent caspase cascade in human Jurkat T cells

$\rho$-Fluorophenylalanine (FPA), a phenylalanine analog, is able to induce apoptotic cell death of human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells. To better understand the mechanism by which FPA induces apoptotic cell death, the effect of ectopic expression of antiapoptotic proteins, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, on FPA-induced apoptosis was investigated by employing lurkat T cells transfected with Bcl-2 gene (JT/Bcl-2) or Bcl-xL gene (1/Bcl-xL) and Jurkat T cells transfected with vector (JT/Neo or J/Neo). When Jurkat T cells, JT/Neo or J/Neo, were exposed to FPA at concentrations ranging from 0.63 to 5.0 mM, the cell viability determined by MTT assay declined in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, apoptotic DNA fragmentation along with several apoptotic events such as caspase-8 activation, Bid cleavage, mitochondrial cytochrome c release, caspase-9 activation, caspase-3 activation, and degradation of PARP was induced. However, the FPA-induced cytotoxic effect, activation of caspase-8, and cleavage of Bid were significantly abrogated by ectopic expression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL. At the same time, there was marked reduction in the level of cytochrome c release from mitorhondria, caspase-9 activation, caspase-3 activation, and degradation of PARP. These results indicate that caspase-8 activation, Bid cleavage, and mitochondrial cytochrome c release with subsequent activation of the caspase cascade are negatively regulated by Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL, and are thus required for FPA-induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells

Jurkat T 세포에 있어서 ρ-fluorophenylalanine에 의해 유도되는 세포자살의 Bcl-2 및 Bcl-xL에 의한 저해 기전

Phenylalanine의 구조유사체인 p-fluotophenylalanine (FPA)은 인체 급성백혈병세포주인 Jurkat T 세포의 세포자살을 유도한다. FPA에 의한 세포자살에 미치는 Bcl-2 또는 Bcl-xL의 영향을 조사하기 위해, Bcl-2 또는 Bcl-xL을 stable transfection하거나 empty vectors만을 Transfection한 Jurkat 세포를 이용하여 FPA의 세포독성과 FPA에 의한 세포내 세포자살 신호전달경로를 비교 분석하였다. Jurkt T 세포에 0.63∼3.0 mLf의 FPA를 처리하였을 때 세포의 생육도는 농도에 비례하여 감소하였다. 또한 세포자살관련 DNA fragmentation, caspase-8 activatoin, Bid cleavage, mitochondria로 부터의 cytochrome c 방출, caspase-9 및 -3 activation, PARP degradation 등이 유도되었다. 한편, FPA에 의해 유도되는 이러한 일련의 생화학적 현상들은 Bcl-2 또는 Bcl-xL의 overexpression에 의해 현저히 저해되었다. 이상의 결과들은 caspase-8 activation, Bid cleavage, mitochondnal cytochrome c 방출에 의해 활성화되는 casuase cascade 등의 현상이, Bcl-2 또는 Bcl-xL에 의해 억제됨을 나타내며 FPA에 의해 유도되는 세포자살에 필요한 과정임을 시사한다.