Vitamin E δ-tocotrienol sensitizes human pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis through proteasome-mediated down-regulation of c-FLIPs

Autor: Rony A. Francois, Anying Zhang, Kazim Husain, Chen Wang, Sean Hutchinson, Michael Kongnyuy, Surinder K. Batra, Domenico Coppola, Said M. Sebti, Mokenge P. Malafa
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Cancer Cell International, Vol 19, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2019)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0876-0
Popis: Abstract Background Vitamin E δ-tocotrienol (VEDT), a vitamin E compound isolated from sources such as palm fruit and annatto beans, has been reported to have cancer chemopreventive and therapeutic effects. Methods We report a novel function of VEDT in augmenting tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand- (TRAIL-) induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The effects of VEDT were shown by its ability to trigger caspase-8-dependent apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Results When combined with TRAIL, VEDT significantly augmented TRAIL-induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. VEDT decreased cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) levels without consistently modulating the expression of decoy death receptors 1, 2, 3 or death receptors 4 and 5. Enforced expression of c-FLIP substantially attenuated VEDT/TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Thus, c-FLIP reduction plays an important part in mediating VEDT/TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Moreover, VEDT increased c-FLIP ubiquitination and degradation but did not affect its transcription, suggesting that VEDT decreases c-FLIP levels through promoting its degradation. Of note, degradation of c-FLIP and enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells were observed only with the anticancer bioactive vitamin E compounds δ-, γ-, and β-tocotrienol but not with the anticancer inactive vitamin E compounds α-tocotrienol and α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol. Conclusions c-FLIP degradation is a key event for death receptor-induced apoptosis by anticancer bioactive vitamin E compounds in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, VEDT augmented TRAIL inhibition of pancreatic tumor growth and induction of apoptosis in vivo. Combination therapy with TRAIL agonists and bioactive vitamin E compounds may offer a novel strategy for pancreatic cancer intervention.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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