Arsenic trioxide inhibits the growth of A498 renal cell carcinoma cells via cell cycle arrest or apoptosis

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-291X(02)02831-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Previously, we showed that arsenic trioxide potently inhibited the growth of myeloma cells and head and neck cancer cells. Here, we demonstrate that arsenic trioxide inhibited the proliferation of all the renal cell carcinoma cell lines (ACHN, A498, Caki-2, Cos-7, and Renca) except only one cell line (Caki-1) with IC50 of about 2.5–10 μM. Arsenic trioxide induced a G1 or a G2-M phase arrest in these cells. When we examined the effects of this drug on A498 cells, arsenic trioxide (2.5 μM) decreased the levels of CDK2, CDK6, cyclin D1, cyclin E, and cyclin A proteins. Although p21 protein was not increased by arsenic trioxide, this drug markedly enhanced the binding of p21 with CDK2. In addition, the activities of CDK2- and CDK6-associated kinase were reduced in association with hypophosphorylation of Rb protein. Arsenic trioxide (10 μM) also induced apoptosis in A498 cells. Apoptotic process of A498 cells was associated with the changes of Bcl-XL, caspase-9, caspase-3, and caspase-7 proteins as well as mitochondria transmembrane potential (Δψm) loss. Taken together, these results demonstrate that arsenic trioxide inhibits the growth of renal cell carcinoma cells via cell cycle arrest or apoptosis.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Cell lines and culture. Renal cell carcinoma cell lines used in this study were ACHN, A498, Caki-1, Caki-2, Cos-7, and Renca. These cells were maintained according to the recommendation of the American Type Culture Collection. Cells were grown at 37 °C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air.

Reagent. Arsenic trioxide was purchased from Sigma Chemical (St. Louis, MO). Arsenic trioxide was dissolved in 1.65 M NaOH at 5×10−2 M as a stock solution. The maximum concentration of NaOH in culture had no

Effect of arsenic trioxide on growth inhibition in renal cell carcinoma cell lines

We examined the effect of arsenic trioxide on the cell proliferation of renal cell carcinoma cell lines using MTT assay. Dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth was observed in all the cell lines but Caki-1 cells with IC50 of about 2.5–10 μM following the treatment of arsenic trioxide for 72 h (Fig. 1). The susceptibility to arsenic trioxide in renal cell carcinoma cells is lower than that in leukemia and myeloma cell lines [2], [3], [4] and is similar to that in solid tumors such as

References (31)

  • A Barchowsky et al.

    Low levels of arsenic trioxide stimulate proliferative signals in primary vascular cells without activating stress effector pathways

    Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.

    (1999)
  • S.L Soignet et al.

    Complete remission after treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with arsenic trioxide

    N. Engl. J. Med.

    (1998)
  • W Shao et al.

    Arsenic trioxide as an inducer of apoptosis and loss of PML/RARα protein in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst.

    (1998)
  • W.H Park et al.

    Arsenic trioxide-mediated growth inhibition in MC/CAR myeloma cells via cell cycle arrest in association with induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21, and apoptosis

    Cancer Res.

    (2000)
  • W Zhang et al.

    The induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by arsenic trioxide in lymphoid neoplasms

    Leukemia

    (1998)
  • Cited by (108)

    • Mechanism for arsenic-induced toxic effects

      2023, Handbook of Arsenic Toxicology
    • Different mechanisms of arsenic related signaling in cellular proliferation, apoptosis and neo-plastic transformation

      2021, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
      Citation Excerpt :

      When arsenic breaks DNA strands, p53 accumulation occurs as a sequel of p53 activation by the enhanced levels of mdm2 (murine double minute-2) and p21. It ensures the cell-cycle arrest at G2M phase (Park et al., 2003). In arsenic related induction process, assessment of phosphorylation in serine 15 site of p53 showed that this site is specific for phosphorylation by ATM which is a member of PI3 kinase-allied protein kinase (Yih and Lee, 2000).

    • Counteracting arsenic toxicity: Curcumin to the rescue?

      2020, Journal of Hazardous Materials
      Citation Excerpt :

      As can damage the DNA and triggers the cell arrest at G or G/M phase (Chen and Shi, 2002; Hossain et al., 2000). Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) can attenuate the steady-state levels of CDK/cyclin complexes, such as CDK2, CDK6, cyclins A, D1 and E, in different tumor cells (Park et al., 2000, 2003). As2O3 can arrest the cell cycle by the suppression of cdc2-associated kinase and CDK2/6-associated kinases in compliance with the reduction of cdc25B/C phosphatases and the Rb protein hypophosphorylation, respectively (Park et al., 2000, 2003).

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text