DEOXYCHOLIC-ACID AND SCFA-INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN THE HUMAN TUMOR CELL-LINE HT-29 AND POSSIBLE MECHANISMS

Short chain fatty acids (propionate and butyrate) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) are able to induce apoptosis in HT-29 colonic tumor cell line, but DCA induces a much higher level of apoptosis than butyrate and pro pionate. Mixtures of DCA with butyrate or propionate enhance the effec t of the single components. Apoptosis is not affected by the PKC, PTK or de novo mRNA and protein synthesis inhibitors, so that the involvem ent of these enzymes and processes is ruled out. In contrast, DCA-indu ced apoptosis is directly related to [Ca2+](i) concentration as demons trated by the apoptosis inhibition caused by [Ca2+](i) chelator BAPTA/ AM. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.