Caveolin-1 expression sensitizes fibroblastic and epithelial cells to apoptotic stimulation

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2001 Apr;280(4):C823-35. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.2001.280.4.C823.

Abstract

The potential role of caveolin-1 in apoptosis remains controversial. Here, we investigate whether caveolin-1 expression is proapoptotic or antiapoptotic using a well-defined antisense approach. We show that NIH/3T3 cells harboring antisense caveolin-1 are resistant to staurosporine-induced apoptosis, as assessed using cell morphology, DNA content, caspase 3 activation, and focal adhesion kinase cleavage. Importantly, sensitivity to apoptosis is recovered when caveolin-1 levels are restored. Conversely, recombinant stable expression of caveolin-1 in T24 bladder carcinoma cells sensitizes these cells to caspase 3 activation. Consistent with the observations using NIH/3T3 cells, downregulation of caveolin-1 in T24 cells substantially diminishes caspase 3-like activity. Loss of sensitivity to apoptotic stimulation is recovered by inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway using LY-294002, suggesting a possible mechanism for the sensitizing effect of caveolin-1. Thus our results suggest that caveolin-1 may act as a coupling or sensitizing factor in signaling apoptotic cell death in both fibroblastic (NIH/3T3) and epithelial (T24) cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Caveolin 1
  • Caveolins / genetics*
  • Chromones / pharmacology
  • DNA, Antisense
  • Down-Regulation / physiology
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology*
  • Epithelial Cells / enzymology
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Gene Expression / physiology
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Morpholines / pharmacology
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Staurosporine / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / enzymology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Substances

  • CAV1 protein, human
  • Cav1 protein, mouse
  • Caveolin 1
  • Caveolins
  • Chromones
  • DNA, Antisense
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Morpholines
  • 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • PTK2 protein, human
  • Ptk2 protein, mouse
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Casp3 protein, mouse
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases
  • Staurosporine