Synthetic Smac/DIABLO peptides enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents by binding XIAP and cIAP1 in situ

J Biol Chem. 2002 Nov 15;277(46):44236-43. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M207578200. Epub 2002 Sep 5.

Abstract

Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) interact with and inhibit caspases-3, -7, and -9. This interaction can be inhibited by Smac/DIABLO, a polypeptide released from mitochondria upon initiation of the apoptotic signaling process. Here we demonstrate that the first 4-8 N-terminal amino acids of Smac/DIABLO fused to the Drosophila antennapaedia penetratin sequence, a carrier peptide, enhance the induction of apoptosis and long term antiproliferative effects of diverse antineoplastic agents including paclitaxel, etoposide, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), and doxorubicin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Similar effects were observed in additional breast cancer and immortalized cholangiocyte cell lines. Further analysis demonstrated that the Smac-penetratin fusion peptide crossed the cellular membrane, bound XIAP and cIAP1, displaced caspase-3 from cytoplasmic aggregates, and enhanced drug-induced caspase action in situ. These studies demonstrate that inhibition of IAP proteins can modulate the efficacy of antineoplastic agents.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Camptothecin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Camptothecin / pharmacology
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspase 7
  • Caspase 9
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Etoposide / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Irinotecan
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Paclitaxel / pharmacology
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • DIABLO protein, human
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
  • XIAP protein, human
  • Etoposide
  • Irinotecan
  • Doxorubicin
  • BIRC2 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • CASP7 protein, human
  • CASP9 protein, human
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspase 7
  • Caspase 9
  • Caspases
  • Paclitaxel
  • Camptothecin