Evidences show that eukaryotic mRNAs can perform protein translation through internal ribosome entry sites (IRES). 5'-Untranslated region of the mRNA encoding apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) contains IRES, and, thus, can be translated in a cap-independent manner. Effects of changes in protein translation pattern through rapamycin pretreatment on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-butanone(NNK, tobacco-specific lung carcinogen)-induced apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial cells were examined by caspase assay, FACS analysis, Western blotting, and transient transfection. Results showed that NNK induced apoptosis in concentration- and time-dependent manners. NNK-induced apoptosis occurred initially through cap-independent protein translation, which during later stage was replaced by cap-dependent protein translation. Our data may be pplicable as the mechanical basis of lung cancer treatment.
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/pharmacology ; Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 ; BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein ; Blotting, Western ; Bronchi/metabolism/*pathology ; Carcinogens/*pharmacology ; Carrier Proteins/metabolism ; Caspases/metabolism ; Cytochromes c/metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism/*pathology ; Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E/metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Nitrosamines/*pharmacology ; Protein Biosynthesis ; Proteins/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism ; RNA Cap-Binding Proteins/*physiology ; Sirolimus/pharmacology ; Time Factors ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein