The Induction of Prostaglandin E2 Production, Interleukin-6 Production, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Cytotoxicity in Primary Oral Keratinocytes and KB Cancer Cells by Areca Nut Ingredients Is Differentially Regulated by MEK/ERK Activation

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry 2004-12, Vol.279 (49), p.50676-50683
• Main Authors: Chang, Mei-Chi, Wu, Hui-Lin, Lee, Jang-Jaer, Lee, Po-Hsuen, Chang, Hsiao-Hwa, Hahn, Liang-Jiunn, Lin, Bor-Ru, Chen, Yi-Jane, Jeng, Jiiang-Huei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Areca - metabolism; Arecoline - metabolism; Blotting, Western; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Cyclooxygenase 2; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Flow Cytometry; G1 Phase; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Isoenzymes - metabolism; KB Cells; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Kinetics; MAP Kinase Kinase 1 - metabolism; Membrane Proteins; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 - metabolism; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 - metabolism; Mouth - metabolism; Mouth Neoplasms - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Plant Extracts - metabolism; Plant Structures - metabolism; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - biosynthesis; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Time Factors; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M404465200

There are about 200–600 million betel quid (BQ) chewers in the world. BQ chewing is one of the major risk factor of hepatocarcinoma, oropharyngeal, and esophagus cancers in Taiwan, India, and Southeast Asian countries. Thus, the precise molecular mechanisms deserve investigation. We used cultured primary keratinocytes and KB cells, RT-PCR, flow cytometry, Western blotting, and ELISA to evaluate whether alterations in early gene expression is crucial in the carcinogenic processes of BQ. We observed the induction of c-Fos mRNA expression in human gingival keratinocyte (GK) and KB carcinoma cells by areca nut (AN) extract and arecoline. A maximal increment in c-fos gene expression was shown at about 30 min after challenge. AN extract (100–800 μg/ml) and arecoline (0.1–0.8 mm) also stimulated ERK1/ERK2 phosphorylation with a maximal stimulation at 5–10 min of exposure. Pretreatment by U0126 (30 μm), a MEK inhibitor, markedly inhibited the c-Fos, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and IL-6 mRNA expression of the KB epithelial cells. In addition, U0126 and PD98059 (50 μm) also decreased AN extract- and arecoline-associated PGE2 and IL-6 production in GK and KB cells. However, U0126 by itself arrested the cells in G0/G1 phase, but was not able to prevent AN- and arecoline-induced cell death or apoptosis. In contrast, U0126 enhanced the AN-induced apoptosis of KB cells. AN ingredients thus play a significant role in the pathogenesis of oropharyngeal cancer by activation of MEK1/ERK/c-Fos pathway, which promotes keratinocyte inflammation, cell survival, and affects cell cycle progression.