A new, unexpected action of olomoucine, a CDK inhibitor, on normal human cells: Up-regulation of CLIMP-63, a cytoskeleton-linking membrane protein

Roscovitine differentially affects asynchronously growing and synchronized human MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Roscovitine (ROSC), a selective blocker of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) efficiently inhibits proliferation of exponentially growing human MCF-7 breast cancer cells by induction of cell cycle arrest and p53-mediated apoptosis. ROSC blocks MCF-7 cells in G(2) phase in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. However, ROSC exerts a much weaker antiproliferative effect on human diploid fibroblasts. Therefore, in this study we questioned whether and to what extent the antiproliferative effect of ROSC depends on the cell cycle status of cancer cells exposed to the drug. We investigated the action of ROSC on asynchronous, exponentially growing, and on synchronized human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. MCF-7 cells were arrested in G(1) phase after serum withdrawal and in S phase by hydroxyurea. After serum refeeding, synchronized cells started to reenter the active cell cycle after 12 h. Exposure of G(1)-synchronized cells to ROSC prolonged the cell cycle arrest and was accompanied by a decrease in S-phase cells after 24 h. A similar but weaker trend occurred after ROSC administration, to cells released from G(1) arrest for 4 h. ROSC diminished the frequency of S-phase cells. Exposure of MCF-7 cells released from G(1) arrest to ROSC for 24 h resulted in an increase of the G(1)-cell population by 20%. Exposure to ROSC of MCF-7 cells released from S-phase block increased the ratio of S-phase cells. These results indicate that the cell cycle status of cancer cells prior to the onset of therapy determines the outcome of treatment.

Outcome of treatment of human HeLa cervical cancer cells with roscovitine strongly depends on the dosage and cell cycle status prior to the treatment

Exposure of asynchronously growing human HeLa cervical carcinoma cells to roscovitine (ROSC), a selective cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) inhibitor, arrests their progression at the transition between G(2)/M and/or induces apoptosis. The outcome depends on the ROSC concentration. At higher dose ROSC represses HPV-encoded E7 oncoprotein and initiates caspase-dependent apoptosis. Inhibition of the site-specific phosphorylation of survivin and Bad, occurring at high-dose ROSC treatment, precedes the onset of apoptosis and seems to be a prerequisite for cell death. Considering the fact that in HeLa cells the G(1)/S restriction checkpoint is abolished by E7, we addressed the question whether the inhibition of CDKs by pharmacological inhibitors in synchronized cells would be able to block the cell-cycle in G(1) phase. For this purpose, we attempted to synchronize cells by serum withdrawal or by blocking of the mitotic apparatus using nocodazole. Unlike human MCF-7 cells, HeLa cells do not undergo G(1) block after serum starvation, but respond with a slight increase of the ratio of G(1) population. Exposure of G(1)-enriched HeLa cells to ROSC after re-feeding does not block their cell-cycle progression at G(1)-phase, but increases the ratio of S- and G(2)-phase, thereby mimicking the effect on asynchronously growing cells. A quite different impact is observed after treatment of HeLa cells released from mitotic block. ROSC prevents their cell cycle progression and cells transiently accumulate in G(1)-phase. These results show that inhibition of CDKs by ROSC in cells lacking the G(1)/S restriction checkpoint has different outcomes depending on the cell-cycle status prior to the onset of treatment.

Roscovitine up-regulates p53 protein and induces apoptosis in human HeLaS(3) cervix carcinoma cells

Exposure of human HeLaS(3) cervix carcinoma cells to high doses of conventional cytostatic drugs, e.g. cisplatin (CP) strongly inhibits their proliferation. However, most cytostatic agents are genotoxic and may generate a secondary malignancy. Therefore, therapeutic strategy using alternative, not cytotoxic drugs would be beneficial. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) by pharmacological inhibitors became recently a promising therapeutic option. Roscovitine (ROSC), a selective CDK inhibitor, efficiently targets human malignant cells. ROSC induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. ROSC also activates p53 protein. Activation of p53 tumor suppressor protein is essential for induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Considering the fact that in HeLaS(3) cells wt p53 is inactivated by the action of HPV-encoded E6 oncoprotein, we addressed the question whether ROSC would be able to reactivate p53 protein in them. Their exposure to ROSC for 24 h induced cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M and reduced the number of viable cells. Unlike CP, ROSC in the used doses did not induce DNA damage and was not directly cytotoxic. Despite lack of detectable DNA lesions, ROSC activated wt p53 protein. The increase of p53 levels was attributable to the ROSC-mediated protein stabilization. Further analyses revealed that ROSC induced site-specific phosphorylation of p53 protein at Ser46. After longer exposure, ROSC induced apoptosis in HeLaS(3) cells. These results indicate that therapy of HeLaS(3) cells by ROSC could offer an advantage over that by CP due to its increased selectivity and markedly reduced risk of generation of a secondary cancer.

The androgen and progesterone receptors regulate distinct gene networks and cellular functions in decidualizing endometrium

Progesterone is indispensable for differentiation of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) into decidual cells, a process that critically controls embryo implantation. We now show an important role for androgen receptor (AR) signaling in this differentiation process. Decreased posttranslational modification of the AR by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-1 in decidualizing cells accounted for increased responsiveness to androgen. By combining small interfering RNA technology with genome-wide expression profiling, we found that AR and progesterone receptor (PR) regulate the expression of distinct decidual gene networks. Ingenuity pathway analysis implicated a preponderance of AR-induced genes in cytoskeletal organization and cell motility, whereas analysis of AR-repressed genes suggested involvement in cell cycle regulation. Functionally, AR depletion prevented differentiation-dependent stress fiber formation and promoted motility and proliferation of decidualizing cells. In comparison, PR depletion perturbed the expression of many more genes, underscoring the importance of this nuclear receptor in diverse cellular functions. However, several PR-dependent genes encode for signaling intermediates, and knockdown of PR, but not AR, compromised activation of WNT/beta-catenin, TGFbeta/SMAD, and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways in decidualizing cells. Thus, the nonredundant function of the AR in decidualizing HESCs, centered on cytoskeletal organization and cell cycle regulation, implies an important role for androgens in modulating fetal-maternal interactions. Moreover, we show that PR regulates HESC differentiation, at least in part, by reprogramming growth factor and cytokine signal transduction.