K. Hossain et al., Arsenite induces apoptosis of murine T lymphocytes through membrane raft-linked signaling for activation of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase, J IMMUNOL, 165(8), 2000, pp. 4290-4297
Because of its dual roles in acute toxicity and in therapeutic application
in cancer treatment, arsenic has recently attracted a renewed attention. In
this study, we report NaAsO2-induced signal cascades from the cell surface
to the nucleus of murine thymic T lymphocytes that involve membrane rafts
as an initial signal transducer. NaAsO2 induced apoptosis through fragmenta
tion of DNA, activation of caspase, and reciprocal regulation of Bcl-2/Bax
with the concomitant reduction of membrane potential. We demonstrated that
NaAsO2-induced caspase activation is dependent on curcumin-sensitive c-Jun
amino-terminal kinase and barely dependent on SB203580-sensitive p38 kinase
or PD98059-sensitive extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Additionally,
staurosporine, which severely inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated
protein (MAP) family kinases and c-Jun, partially blocked the NaAsO2-media
ted signal for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) degradation Potentially a
s the initial cell, surface event for intracellular signaling, NaAsO2 induc
ed aggregation of GPI-anchored protein Thy-1 and superoxide production. Thi
s Thy-1 aggregation and subsequent activation of MAP family kinase and c-Ju
n and the degradation of PARP induced by NaAsO2 were all inhibited by DTT,
suggesting the requirement of interaction between arsenic and protein sulfh
ydryl groups for those effects. beta cyclodextrin, which sequestrates chole
sterol from the membrane rafts, inhibited NaAsO2-induced activation of prot
ein tyrosine kinases and MAP family kinases, degradation of PARP, and produ
ction of superoxide, In addition, beta cyclodextrin dispersed NaAsO2-induce
d Thy-1 clustering, These results suggest that a membrane raft integrity-de
pendent cell surface event is a prerequisite for NaAsO2-induced protein tyr
osine kinase/c-Jun amino-terminal kinase activation, superoxide production,
and downstream caspase activation.