Abstract
Smac, second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases, promotes apoptosis via activation of caspases. Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) negatively regulates another mitochondrial protein, cytochrome c, during apoptosis; however, the role of Hsp27 in modulating Smac release is unknown. Here we show that Hsp27 is overexpressed in both dexamethasone (Dex)-resistant multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines (MM.1R, U266, RPMI-8226) and primary patient cells. Blocking Hsp27 by an antisense (AS) strategy restores the apoptotic response to Dex in Dex-resistant MM cells by triggering the release of mitochondrial protein Smac, followed by activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Moreover, AS-Hsp27 overcomes interleukin-6 (IL-6)-mediated protection against Dex-induced apoptosis. These data demonstrate that Hsp27 inhibits the release of Smac, and thereby confers Dex resistance in MM cells.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 3379-3386 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Blood |
Volume | 102 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01 Nov 2003 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Caspase 3
- Caspase 9
- Caspases/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Dexamethasone/pharmacology
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins
- Heat-Shock Proteins/physiology
- Humans
- Immunomagnetic Separation
- Interleukin-6/pharmacology
- Molecular Chaperones
- Multiple Myeloma/metabolism
- Neoplasm Proteins/physiology
- Oligonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology
- Tumor Cells, Cultured