noscapine and Cell-Transformation--Neoplastic

In the present investigation, we determined the chemotherapeutic efficacy of 9-bromonoscapine (Br-Nos), a more potent noscapine analog, on MCF10A, spontaneously immortalized human normal breast epithelial cells and MCF10A-CSC3, cigarette smoke condensate (CSC)-transformed cells. The results from cytogenetic analysis showed that Br-Nos induced polyploidy and telomeric association in MCF10A-CSC3 cells, while MCF10A cells remained unaffected. Our immunofluorescence data further demonstrated that MCF10A-CSC3 cells were susceptible to mitotic catastrophe on exposure to Br-Nos and failed to recover after drug withdrawal. MCF10A-CSC3 cells exhibited Br-Nos-induced aberrant multipolar spindle formation, which irreversibly impaired the alignment of replicated chromosome to the equatorial plane and finally culminated in cell death. Although MCF10A cells upon Br-Nos treatment showed bipolar spindles with some uncongressed chromosomes, these cells recovered fairly well after drug withdrawal. Our flow-cytometry analysis data reconfirmed that MCF10A-CSC3 cells were more susceptible to cell death compared to MCF10A cells. Furthermore, our results suggest that decreased levels of cdc2/cyclin B1 and cdc2 kinase activity are responsible for Br-Nos-induced mitotic cell arrest leading to cell death in MCF10A-CSC3 cells. This study thus explores the underlying mechanism of Br-Nos-induced mitotic catastrophe in CSC-transformed MCF10A-CSC3 cells and its potential usefulness as a chemotherapeutic agent for prevention of cigarette smoke-induced breast cancer growth.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Breast Neoplasms; CDC2 Protein Kinase; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cyclin B; Cyclin B1; Epithelial Cells; Female; Humans; Mammary Glands, Human; Mitosis; Nicotiana; Noscapine; Smoke; Spindle Apparatus

Following exposure to the alkaloid noscapine hydrochloride over a concentration range of 10-120 micrograms/ml immortal cultures of Syrian hamster dermal fibroblasts were shown to undergo morphological transformation. The resultant transformed foci produced cultures which were anchorage independent as confirmed by soft agar tests. Karyotype analysis of a noscapine transformed colony demonstrated an increase in chromosome number compared to the immortal culture and the non-random duplication of a translocated chromosome 9 previously identified in the immortal culture. These data indicate that noscapine, which has previously been shown to be a spindle inhibitor and inducer of polyploidy in cultured cells, is capable of inducing in vitro cell transformation. Such data indicate a carcinogenic potential for this widely used cough suppressant.

Topics: Animals; Carcinogens; Cell Division; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cells, Cultured; Cricetinae; Fibroblasts; Karyotyping; Mesocricetus; Noscapine