Cdc2 and Cdk2 Kinase Activated by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Trigger Apoptosis through the Phosphorylation of Retinoblastoma Protein in FaO Hepatoma Cells

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 274; no. 45; pp. 31775 - 31783
• Main Authors: Choi, Kyeong Sook, Eom, Young Woo, Kang, Yup, Ha, Mahn Joon, Rhee, Horace, Yoon, Ji-Won, Kim, Seong-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 05.11.1999
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.45.31775

The signaling pathway leading to TGF-β1-induced apoptosis was investigated using a TGF-β1-sensitive hepatoma cell line, FaO. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that the accumulation of apoptotic cells was preceded by a progressive decrease of the cell population in the G1 phase concomitant with a slight increase of the cell population in the G2/M phase in response to TGF-β1. TGF-β1 induced a transient increase in the expression of Cdc2, cyclin A, cyclin B, and cyclin D1 at an early phase of apoptosis. During TGF-β1-induced apoptosis, the transient increase in cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) activities coincides with a dramatic increase in the hyperphosphorylated forms of RB. Treatment with roscovitine or olomoucine, inhibitors of Cdc2 and Cdk2, blocked TGF-β1-induced apoptosis by inhibiting RB phosphorylation. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or adenovirus E1B 19K suppressed TGF-β1-induced apoptosis by blocking the induction of Cdc2 mRNA and the subsequent activation of Cdc2 kinase, whereas activation of Cdk2 was not affected, suggesting that Cdc2 plays a more critical role in TGF-β1-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, we present the evidence that Cdc2 and Cdk2 kinase activity transiently induced by TGF-β1 phosphorylates RB as a physiological target in FaO cells and that RB hyperphosphorylation may trigger abrupt cell cycle progression, leading to irreversible cell death.