Inhibition of the CaM-kinases augments cell death in response to oxygen radicals and oxygen radical inducing cancer therapies in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Cancer Biol Ther. 2006 Aug;5(8):1022-30. doi: 10.4161/cbt.5.8.2910. Epub 2006 Aug 18.

Abstract

Many cancer treatments induce cell death through lethal oxidative stress. Oxidative stress also induces the activation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaM-Ks), CaM-KII and CaM-KIV. In turn, the CaM-Ks are known to induce the activation of antiapoptotic signaling pathways, such as Akt, ERK, and NF-kappaB in many different cell types. The aim of this study was to determine the role of CaM-Kinases in resistance to hydrogen peroxide and three oxidative stress-inducing cancer therapies in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We found that oxidative stress induced CaM-Kinase activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and that CaM-K inhibition increased hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. When MCF-7 cells were treated with doxorubicin, ionizing radiation, or photodynamic therapy in the presence of a CaM-K inhibitor a greater level of cell killing was observed than when cells were treated with doxorubicin, ionizing radiation, or photodynamic therapy alone. In support of this finding, CaM-K inhibition increased hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, as determined by increased number of apoptotic cells, DNA fragmentation, and PARP cleavage. Pharmacological and molecular inhibition indicated that CaM-KII was participating in hydrogen peroxide-induced ERK phosphorylation in breast cancer cells indicating a potential mechanism by which this sensitization occurs. This is the first time that CaM-K inhibition is reported to sensitize cancer cells to reactive oxygen intermediate inducing cancer treatments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 1
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Immunoblotting
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Oxidants / pharmacology
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Photochemotherapy
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Radiation, Ionizing
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Oxidants
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Doxorubicin
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • CAMK1 protein, human
  • CAMK4 protein, human
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 1
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3