ToxSci Advance Access originally published online on February 16, 2005
Toxicological Sciences 2005 85(1):735-742; doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfi117
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis Is Enhanced by Hypoxia and by Inhibition of Mitochondria in Renal Collecting Duct Cells
Physiologisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, Röntgenring 9, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany
Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent. Here we show that cisplatin induces apoptosis in renal collecting duct-derived cells (MDCK-C7 cells, resembling principal cells) in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, we studied the role of mitochondria in this process by inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, the F1Fo-ATP synthase or by uncoupling. The role of intra- and extracellular pH in apoptosis induction was investigated. Activation of caspase-3 and DNA ladder formation were used to monitor the apoptotic response. When cells were incubated with inhibitors of the mitochondrial respiratory chain or an inhibitor of the ATP-synthase, cisplatin-induced apoptosis was markedly enhanced. Mitochondrial blockade led to enhanced production of lactic acid. Also, anoxia potentiated the cisplatin-induced caspase-3 activation. Neither intra- nor extracellular pH had an influence on caspase-3 activation at low cisplatin concentrations. Acidic conditions (pH 6.8) potentiated the caspase-3 activation when high (100 µM) cisplatin concentrations were used. We demonstrate that intact mitochondria are important to prevent cisplatin-induced apoptosis in MDCK-C7 cells and that acidic conditions can aggravate the toxic effects of cisplatin.
Key Words: cisplatin; hypoxia; collecting duct; apoptosis; mitochondria.