Yr. Chen et al., Down-regulation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphatase M3/6 and activation of JNK by hydrogen peroxide and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, ONCOGENE, 20(3), 2001, pp. 367-374
Oxidative stress activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Howev
er, the exact mechanisms by which reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate JN
K are unclear. We found that the ability of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to ind
uce JNK activation varied in different cell types. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbam
ate (PDTC), a presumed antioxidant, induced JNK activation on its own and e
nhanced JNK activation by H2O2 in many cell types, including Jurkat, HEK293
, and LNCaP and Tsu-Prl prostate cancer cells. The activation of JNK by PDT
C, in the presence or absence of exogenous H2O2, was dependent on its chela
ting ability to metal ions, most likely copper ions, Despite the strong JNK
-activating ability, H2O2 plus PDTC did not induce significant activation o
f the upstream kinases, SEK1/MKK4 and MKK7. However, the JNK inactivation r
ate was slower in cells treated with H2O2 pins PDTC compared with the rate
in cells treated with ultraviolet C CUV-C), Treatment of H2O2 pins PDTC sig
nificantly decreased the expression levels of a JNK phosphatase, M3/6 (also
named hVH-5), but not the levels of other phosphatases (PP2A and PP4), In
contrast, UV-C irradiation did not cause the down-regulation of M3/6, These
results suggest that JNK activation by H2O2 plus PDTC resulted from the do
wn-regulation of JNK phosphatases. Our data also reveal a necessity to care
fully evaluate the pharmacological and biochemical properties of PDTC.