Title: Inhibition of apoptosis by pentachlorophenol in v-myc-transfected rat liver epithelial cells: relation to down-regulation of gap junctional intercellular communication.

Authors: Sai, K; Kang, K S; Hirose, A; Hasegawa, R; Trosko, J E; Inoue, T

Published In Cancer Lett, (2001 Nov 28)

Abstract: Pentachlorophenol (PCP), a promoter of murine hepatocarcinogenesis, inhibits gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in rat liver epithelial cells in vitro. To test the hypothesis that both inhibition of GJIC and apoptosis contribute to tumor promotion, we investigated the effect of PCP on both GJIC and serum deprivation-induced apoptosis in v-myc-transfected rat liver epithelial cells. The results showed that PCP inhibited apoptosis, as measured by the TUNEL assay and DNA ladder formation. Inhibition of apoptosis was associated with a decrease in GJIC. The study demonstrated that PCP has a potential for inhibiting apoptosis and GJIC, supporting the hypothesis.

PubMed ID: 11597791

MeSH Terms: Animals; Apoptosis*; Blotting, Western; Cell Communication; Cell Line; Cell Nucleus/metabolism; Culture Media, Serum-Free; DNA/metabolism; Down-Regulation*; Epithelial Cells/pathology*; Gap Junctions; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Liver/cytology*; Mice; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Oncogene Protein p55(v-myc)/metabolism*; Pentachlorophenol/pharmacology*; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism; Rats; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Time Factors; Transfection; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism