Anti-apoptotic hPEBP4 silencing promotes TRAIL-induced apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells by activating ERK and JNK pathways

Int J Mol Med. 2006 Sep;18(3):505-10.

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in a variety of tumor cell lines but not typically in normal or nontransformed cells, which makes TRAIL a desirable therapeutic agent to fight cancer. Human phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (hPEBP4) is a recently identified anti-apoptotic molecule and has been shown to be highly expressed in breast and ovarian cancer cells. We demonstrate that silencing of hPEBP4 in CaoV-3 ovarian cancer cells potentiates TRAIL-induced apoptosis. We found that endogenous hPEBP4 interacts with Raf-1 and MEK1 in TRAIL-treated CaoV-3 cells by co-immunoprecipitation analysis. Simultaneously, silencing of hPEBP4 in CaoV-3 cells enhances TRAIL-induced ERK and JNK activation. Moreover, the inhibitors of MEK1 or JNK can reduce hPEBP4-silence-induced TRAIL sensitivity. Therefore, silencing of hPEBP4 in CaoV-3 ovarian cancer promotes TRAIL-induced apoptosis, and the increased MAPK activation is required for the apoptosis sensitization. All these data indicate that silencing of hPEBP4, an important potential target, may be a promising approach for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / pharmacology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / metabolism*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / pharmacology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / metabolism
  • RNA Interference*
  • Signal Transduction
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / physiology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • TNFSF10 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • enhancer-binding protein AP-4
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • MAP2K1 protein, human