Polychlorinated Biphenyls Activate Caspase-3-Like Death Protease in Vitro but Not in Vivo

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We prove here that serum albumlin inhibits apoptosis induced by polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), confirming that serum albumin binds to PCB, and that the albumin-PCB complexes inhibit apoptosis in HL-60 cells. We found that PCB(50μM)increased the activity of caspase-3-like protease when HL-60 cells, as well as splenocytes, were cultured in "serum-free medium." Benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone(ZVAD-fmk)inhibited apoptosis in eells cultured in the serum-free medium containing 50μM PCB. To elucidate whether or not PCBs induce apoptosis in vivo, we examined apoptosis of splenocytes by administering PCB to ICR mice(100, 500, 1000mg・kg^<-1>・d^<-1>)for 5d and characterizing splenocytes. Interestingly, splenoeytes treated with PCB did not show any changes characteristic of apoptosis. These results demonstrate that PCB activates the caspase-3-like death protease in vitro in serum-free medium, but does not induce apoptosis of splenocytes in vivo, suggesting that blood serum may mask the apoptosis induced by PCB.
2001-12-01