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Mechanisms of N-acetylcysteine-driven enhancement of MK886-induced apoptosis

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Abstract

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), besides being a precursor of glutathione, has an array of other effects including an ability to scavenge free radicals, modulate gene expression and signal transduction pathways, and regulate cell survival and apoptosis. At concentrations lower than 20 mmol/L, NAC is nontoxic to cultured cells and can protect against apoptosis induced by a number of agents. A few recent reports, however, have indicated that NAC can also increase apoptosis. MK886, a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) inhibitor, induces apoptosis in many cell lines by an unknown mechanism that is independent of FLAP and lipoxygenase activity but is possibly related to effects on kinases such as Akt. In Jurkat T lymphocytes, NAC pretreatment (10 mmol/L) enhanced MK886-induced apoptosis by 2.4-fold. Following NAC-MK886 treatment, there was a significant increase in caspase-3 activity, and a decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential compared to MK886 alone. However, the extent of cytochrome c release was comparable between MK886 alone and MK886-NAC treatments. The enhancement of MK886-induced apoptosis by 10 mmol/L NAC appears to be partly related to a decrease in pH caused by this concentration of NAC, because an acidic environment favors activation of effector caspases and triggering of mitochondrial apoptosis. However, because neutralized NAC also enhanced apoptosis (1.6-fold), a direct role for NAC in augmenting the apoptotic pathways initiated by MK886 is suggested.

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Abbreviations

DEVD:

aspartylglutamylalanylaspartic acid

DiOC6:

3,3′-dihexyloxocarbocyanine iodide

DMSO:

dimethyl sulfoxide

DTT:

dithiothreitol

FCCP:

carbonyl cyanidep-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone

FLAP:

5-lipoxygenase activating protein

LOX:

lipoxygenase

NAC:

N-acetylcysteine

PI:

propidium iodide

pNA:

p-nitroaniline

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Author notes

  1. James P. Kehrer

    Present address: College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

    V. S. Deshpande & James P. Kehrer

  2. College of Pharmacy, 1 University Station, A1915, UT Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    V. S. Deshpande

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  1. V. S. Deshpande
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  2. James P. Kehrer
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Correspondence to V. S. Deshpande.

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Deshpande, V.S., Kehrer, J.P. Mechanisms of N-acetylcysteine-driven enhancement of MK886-induced apoptosis. Cell Biol Toxicol 22, 303–311 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-006-0072-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-006-0072-6

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