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Carcinogenesis Advance Access published online on January 16, 2004
Carcinogenesis, doi:10.1093/carcin/bgh063
© 2004 by Oxford University Press
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© 2004 Oxford University Press

MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CANCER PREVENTION

The chemopreventive agent phenethyl isothiocyanate sensitizes cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis

Juliet M. Pullar 1*, Susan J. Thomson 1, Monica J. King 1, Christopher I. Turnbull 1, Robyn G. Midwinter 1, and Mark B. Hampton 1

1 Free Radical Research Group, Department of Pathology, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand

* Corresponding author. E-mail: juliet.pullar{at}chmeds.ac.nz.

Received 12 October 2003 ; revised 10 December 2003 ; accepted 12 December 2003

Abstract

The chemopreventive properties of the isothiocyanates have been attributed to their ability to inhibit phase I enzymes that activate pro-carcinogens, induce phase II protective enzymes, and trigger apoptosis in transformed cells. In this study we provide evidence for a new mechanism of chemoprevention, wherein sub-lethal doses of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) sensitize cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis. The phenomenon was observed in the Fas-resistant T24 bladder carcinoma cell line, and in Jurkat T cells overexpressing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Caspase-3-like activity was increased up to twenty-fold of that observed with either PEITC or anti-Fas antibody alone. While PEITC activated ERK, JNK and p38, inhibitors of these MAP kinases did not block apoptosis. PEITC transiently depleted cellular glutathione, providing a putative mechanism for sensitizing the cells to apoptosis. However, lowering glutathione with buthionine sulfoximine did not mimic the effect of PEITC. Instead, we propose that PEITC promotes apoptosis by directly modifying intracellular thiol proteins. The ability of PEITC to sensitize cells to receptor-mediated apoptosis provides an additional mechanism to explain its chemopreventive properties.

apoptosis, Bcl-2, glutathione, isothiocyanates, Fas
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