TY - JOUR
T1 - Activation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase is required for apoptosis triggered by glutathione disulfide in neuroblastoma cells
AU - Filomeni, Giuseppe
AU - Aquilano, Katia
AU - Civitareale, Patrizia
AU - Rotilio, Giuseppe
AU - Ciriolo, Maria R.
PY - 2005/8/1
Y1 - 2005/8/1
N2 - Changes in intracellular redox status are crucial events that trigger downstream proliferation or death responses through activation of specific signaling pathways. Moreover, cell responses to oxidative challenge may depend on the pattern of redox-sensitive molecular factors. The stress-activated protein kinases c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38 MAPK) are implicated in different forms of apoptotic neuronal cell death. Here, we investigated the effects, on neuroblastoma cells, of the prooxidant molecule GSSG, which we previously demonstrated to be an efficient proapoptotic compound able to activate the p38MAPK death pathway in promonocytic cells. We found that neuroblastoma cells are not prone to GSSG-induced apoptosis, although the treatment slightly induced growth arrest through the accumulation of p53 and its downstream target gene, p21. However, GSSG treatment became cytotoxic when cells were previously depleted of intracellular GSH content. Under this condition, apoptosis was triggered by an increased production of superoxide that led to a specific activation of the JNK-dependent pathway. The involvement of superoxide and JNK was demonstrated by cell death inhibition in experiments carried out in the presence of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase or with specific inhibitors of JNK activity. Our data give support to the studies that indicate preferential requirements for the involvement of stress-activated kinases in apoptotic neuronal cells.
AB - Changes in intracellular redox status are crucial events that trigger downstream proliferation or death responses through activation of specific signaling pathways. Moreover, cell responses to oxidative challenge may depend on the pattern of redox-sensitive molecular factors. The stress-activated protein kinases c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38 MAPK) are implicated in different forms of apoptotic neuronal cell death. Here, we investigated the effects, on neuroblastoma cells, of the prooxidant molecule GSSG, which we previously demonstrated to be an efficient proapoptotic compound able to activate the p38MAPK death pathway in promonocytic cells. We found that neuroblastoma cells are not prone to GSSG-induced apoptosis, although the treatment slightly induced growth arrest through the accumulation of p53 and its downstream target gene, p21. However, GSSG treatment became cytotoxic when cells were previously depleted of intracellular GSH content. Under this condition, apoptosis was triggered by an increased production of superoxide that led to a specific activation of the JNK-dependent pathway. The involvement of superoxide and JNK was demonstrated by cell death inhibition in experiments carried out in the presence of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase or with specific inhibitors of JNK activity. Our data give support to the studies that indicate preferential requirements for the involvement of stress-activated kinases in apoptotic neuronal cells.
KW - Apoptosis
KW - Glutathione
KW - MAP kinase pathway
KW - Neuroblastoma
KW - Oxidative stress
KW - ROS
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21344445674&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=21344445674&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2005.03.022
DO - 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2005.03.022
M3 - Article
C2 - 15993333
AN - SCOPUS:21344445674
VL - 39
SP - 345
EP - 354
JO - Free Radical Biology and Medicine
JF - Free Radical Biology and Medicine
SN - 0891-5849
IS - 3
ER -