IntroductionSpindlactone A (SPL-A) is a novel small molecule inhibitor of TACC3 that selectively
inhibits the nucleation of centrosome microtubules and induces mitotic arrest in ovarian
cancer cells. SPL-A is derived from dicoumarol which inhibits the activity of NAD(P)H
dehydrogenase quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). This study aimed to investigate the
mechanism by which SPL-A enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in endometrial carcinoma
cells.Materials and methodsEndometrial carcinoma cells were treated with SPL-A and/or TRAIL, and the apoptosis and
protein expression in the treated cells were examined.ResultsCombined treatment with SPL-A and TRAIL significantly induced apoptosis in various
human endometrial carcinoma cells, but not in normal human endometrial stromal cells and
endometrial epithelial cells. Notably, both NQO1 inhibitor ES936 and NQO1 siRNA enhanced
TRAIL-induced apoptosis of endometrial carcinoma cells. Furthermore, SPL-A downregulated
the expression of c-FLIP, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, and Mcl-1, while increasing p53 expression.ConclusionIn particular, luciferase assay showed that SPL-A inhibited Bcl-2 promoter activity,
and p53 inhibitor PFT-α could reverse the effect of SPL-A on Bcl-2 expression.
Moreover, Bcl-2 overexpression inhibited the apoptosis induced by SPL-A and TRAIL. Taken
together, our results suggest that SPL-A sensitizes endometrial cancer cells to
TRAIL-induced apoptosis via the regulation of apoptosis-related proteins and the
inhibition of NQO1 activity.
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