Original Paper

Retinoblastoma Protein Prevents Staurosporine-Induced Cell Death in a Retinoblastoma-Defective Human Glioma Cell Line
Fumiyuki Yamasaki^a, Yoshinori Kajiwara^a, Seiji Hama^a, Taro Murakami^a, Toshikazu Hidaka^a, Taiichi Saito^a, Hiroyuki Yoshioka^b, Kazuhiko Sugiyama^a, Kazunori Arita^c, Kaoru Kurisu<sup>a

a</sup>Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima,
^bDepartment of Neurosurgery, National Kure Medical Center/Chugoku Cancer Center, Kure, and
^cDepartment of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Pathobiology 2007;74:22-31 (DOI: 10.1159/000101048)

  Key Words

• Staurosporine
• Retinoblastoma
• Multinucleation
• Genome instability
• Cell cycle arrest

  Abstract

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of staurosporine-induced glioma cell death and cell cycle arrest using adenovirus-mediated gene transfection, as well as the function of retinoblastoma (Rb) and genetic instability induced by staurosporine. Methods: Cell cycle regulation, cell death and nuclear abnormalities induced by staurosporine were examined using an adenovirus vector expressing Rb, p16 or p21 genes in human glioma cell lines. Results: The Rb-defective SF-539 cell line was resistant to staurosporine compared with cell lines expressing intact Rb. SF-539 glioma cells exposed to staurosporine became multinucleated and then died. Multinucleation was prevented in SF-539 cells transfected with the Rb gene, thus decreasing the death rate of these cells. Conclusions: These results imply that enforced Rb expression protects cells from genomic instability induced by staurosporine regardless of its upstream molecular effects.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Fumiyuki Yamasaki, MD, PhD
Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi
Mimami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551 (Japan)
Tel. +81 82 257 5227, Fax +81 82 257 5229, E-Mail fyama@hiroshima-u.ac.jp

  Article Information

Received: July 25, 2005
Accepted: December 29, 2006
Number of Print Pages : 10
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 57