Exp Mol Med.  2002 Jul;34(3):243-249.

Sox-4 is a positive regulator of Hep3B and HepG2 cells' apoptosis induced by prostaglandin (PG)A2 and 12-PGJ2.

• Ahn SG
• Kim HS
• Jeong SW
• Kim BE
• Rhim HS
• Shim JY
• Kim JW
• Lee JH
• Kim IK

Abstract

We reported earlier that expression of Sox-4 was found to be elevated during prostaglandin (PG) A2 and delta(12)-PGJ(12) induced apoptosis in human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells. In this study, the role of Sox-4 was examined using human Hep3B and HepG2 cell lines. Sox-4 induction by several apoptotic inducer such as A23187 (Ca(2+) ionophore) and etoposide (topoisomerase II inhibitor) and Sox-4 transfection into the cells were able to induce apoptosis as observed by the cellular DNA fragmentation. Antisense oligonucleotide of Sox-4 inhibited the induction of Sox-4 expression and blocked the formation of DNA fragmentation by PGA(2) and delta(12)-PGJ(12) in Hep3B and HepG2 cells. Sox-4-induced apoptosis was accompanied with caspase-1 activation indicating that caspase cascade was involved in this apoptotic pathway. These results indicate that Sox-4 is involved in Hep3B and HepG2 cells apoptosis as an important apoptotic mediator.

Keyword

Sox-4; PGA2; delta(12)-PGJ2; apoptosis

MeSH Terms

Apoptosis/*drug effects
Blotting, Western
Calcimycin/pharmacology
Caspase 1/antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism
Etoposide/pharmacology
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
High Mobility Group Proteins/genetics/*metabolism
Human
Liver Neoplasms/enzymology/metabolism/pathology
Oligopeptides/pharmacology
Prostaglandin D2/*analogs & derivatives/*pharmacology
Prostaglandins A/*pharmacology
Trans-Activators/genetics/*metabolism
Transfection
Tumor Cells, Cultured