PEP8-TAT2, a membrane-permeable peptide, inhibits cyclin-Cdk2 activity in HeLa cells

Cancer Lett. 2004 Sep 30;213(2):223-30. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2004.03.034.

Abstract

Here we show that the PEP8-TAT2 peptide is effectively transduced into HeLa cells and that it inhibits cellular cyclin-Cdk2 activity. Like the PEP8 peptide, the PEP8-TAT2 peptide inhibits Cdk2 activity in vitro with an IC50 value of 5 nM, as determined by an immuno-complex kinase assay. It also inhibits DNA synthesis in and proliferation of cultured HeLa cells by arresting cell cycle at the G1/S transition. Further, the PEP8-TAT2 peptide inhibits cell death-associated Cdk2 activity and thereby prevents apoptotic progression in paclitaxel-treated cells. We propose that this inhibitor peptide is an effective agent to suppress the proliferation of human cancer cells, as well as apoptotic progression, by blocking cellular cyclin-dependent Cdk kinase activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems / chemistry*
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Biological Assay
  • CDC2-CDC28 Kinases / pharmacology*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects*
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Membrane
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2
  • DNA / biosynthesis
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Paclitaxel / pharmacology
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacokinetics
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology*
  • Permeability
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / chemistry*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins

Substances

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Carrier Proteins
  • PEP8 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • TAT2 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • DNA
  • CDC2-CDC28 Kinases
  • CDK2 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2
  • Paclitaxel