Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Mitotic arrest-associated apoptosis induced by sodium arsenite in A375 melanoma cells is BUBR1-dependent

Journal Article · · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
;  [1]
  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Environmental Genomics and Integrative Biology, Center for Genetics and Molecular Medicine and Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, 570 S. Preston St. Suite 221, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States)
A375 human malignant melanoma cells undergo mitotic arrest-associated apoptosis when treated with pharmacological concentrations of sodium arsenite, a chemotherapeutic for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Our previous studies indicated that decreased arsenite sensitivity correlated with reduced mitotic spindle checkpoint function and reduced expression of the checkpoint protein BUBR1. In the current study, arsenite induced securin and cyclin B stabilization, BUBR1 phosphorylation, and spindle checkpoint activation. Arsenite also increased activating cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) Thr{sup 161} phosphorylation but decreased inhibitory Tyr15 phosphorylation. Mitotic arrest resulted in apoptosis as indicated by colocalization of mitotic phospho-Histone H3 with active caspase 3. Apoptosis was associated with BCL-2 Ser70 phosphorylation. Inhibition of CDK1 with roscovitine in arsenite-treated mitotic cells inhibited spindle checkpoint maintenance as inferred from reduced BUBR1 phosphorylation, reduced cyclin B expression, and diminution of mitotic index. Roscovitine also reduced BCL-2 Ser70 phosphorylation and protected against apoptosis, suggesting mitotic arrest caused by hyperactivation of CDK1 directly or indirectly leads to BCL-2 phosphorylation and apoptosis. In addition, suppression of BUBR1 with siRNA prevented arsenite-induced mitotic arrest and apoptosis. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of arsenic's chemotherapeutic action and indicate a functional spindle checkpoint may be required for arsenic-sensitivity.
OSTI ID:
21140927
Journal Information:
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal Name: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 231; ISSN TXAPA9; ISSN 0041-008X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Sensitivity to sodium arsenite in human melanoma cells depends upon susceptibility to arsenite-induced mitotic arrest
Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology · OSTI ID:21140859

Inhibition of mitotic-specific histone phophorylation by sodium arsenite
Conference · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · OSTI ID:10188112

Sodium arsenite induces chromosome endoreduplication and inhibits protein phosphatase activity in human fibroblasts
Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis · OSTI ID:86423