Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent. A number of evidences in cytotoxic mechanism of cisplatin, including perturbation of redox status, increase in lipid peroxydation and formation of DNA adduct, have been suggested. After addition of ci...
Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent. A number of evidences in cytotoxic mechanism of cisplatin, including perturbation of redox status, increase in lipid peroxydation and formation of DNA adduct, have been suggested. After addition of cisplatin to human cervical cancer Hela cells, the author observed an increased expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response genes through a gradual increase of nitric oxide and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Cisplatin-induced apoptosis was inhibited by iNOS inhibitor 1400W and intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM. These inhibitors also reduced mitochondrial apoptotic signals, such as mitochondrion membrane potential disruption and cytosolic release of cytochrome c, which eventually decreased the death of Hela cells. Taken together, ER may play an important role in cisplatin-induced apoptosis of Hela cells through the early release of Ca2+ and the late amplification of mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signals.