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Caspase-3 antisense oligodeoxynucleotides inhibit apoptosis in gamma-irradiated human leukemia HL-60 cells

Xiao-Tian Zhang1, Tian-Bao Song, Bao-Ling Du

  • 1Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases of Ministry of Education, Department of Human Anatomy and Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shannxi, 710061, China.

Apoptosis : an International Journal on Programmed Cell Death
|January 16, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeting caspase-3 mRNA effectively inhibited apoptosis in human leukemia cells induced by gamma radiation. This suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for diseases involving programmed cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a critical cellular process implicated in various diseases.
  • Caspase-3 is a key executioner enzyme in the apoptotic pathway.
  • Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASODNs) offer a targeted approach to modulate gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the inhibitory effects of caspase-3 mRNA ASODNs on gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells.
  • To evaluate the impact of ASODNs targeting different regions of caspase-3 mRNA on apoptosis and caspase-3 expression.
  • To assess the potential of the antisense approach for therapeutic applications.

Main Methods:

  • Transfection of human leukemia HL-60 cells with four distinct ASODNs targeting caspase-3 mRNA.
  • Induction of apoptosis using 10 Gy gamma-irradiation.
  • Measurement of apoptosis using gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33258 staining, and TUNEL assay.
  • Assessment of caspase-3 expression at both protein and mRNA levels using immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, and RT-PCR.

Main Results:

  • ASODN-2 and ASODN-3 significantly reduced apoptosis compared to untransfected and mismatched oligodeoxynucleotide (MODN) control groups.
  • Apoptotic indexes were significantly lower in ASODN-2 and ASODN-3 treated cells.
  • Expression levels of caspase-3 protein and mRNA were decreased in cells treated with ASODN-2 and ASODN-3.

Conclusions:

  • Caspase-3 mRNA ASODNs effectively inhibit gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.
  • The antisense approach targeting caspase-3 mRNA can reduce the expression of both caspase-3 protein and mRNA.
  • These findings suggest that antisense therapy may hold promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases characterized by apoptosis.

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