Involvement of Ca2+ ion and reactive oxygen species as a mediator in pradimicin-induced apoptosis

Pradimicin (PRM) induces apoptosis in mammalian cells which had been incuba ted with 1-deoxymannojirimycin (DMJ). Flow cytometric analysis revealed tha t PRM preferentially induced apoptosis to the cells of the G1 phase. Two po ssible mediators in this apoptotic cascade were identified. Exposure of DMJ -treated cells to PRM resulted in a rapid (similar to 5 seconds) and slow ( similar to 30 minutes) elevation of the intracellular calcium level. Reacti ve oxygen species (ROS) were proved to be involved in this system by the fa ct that the apoptosis was completely inhibited by treating the cells with a ROS scavenger, N-acetylcysteine in prior to the PRM stimulation.