Activation of mitochondrial ERK protects cancer cells from death through inhibition of the permeability transition.

ABSTRACT: We studied human cancer cell models in which we detected constitutive activation of ERK. A fraction of active ERK was found to be located in mitochondria in RWPE-2 cells, obtained by v-Ki-Ras transformation of the epithelial prostate RWPE-1 cell line; in metastatic prostate cancer DU145 cells; and in osteosarcoma SAOS-2 cells. All these tumor cells displayed marked resistance to death caused by apoptotic stimuli like arachidonic acid and the BH3 mimetic EM20-25, which cause cell death through the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP). PTP desensitization and the ensuing resistance to cell death induced by arachidonic acid or EM20-25 could be ablated by inhibiting ERK with the drug PD98059 or with a selective ERK activation inhibitor peptide. ERK inhibition enhanced glycogen synt

SUBMITTER: Rasola A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2818893 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature