NF-κB-mediated IAP expression induces resistance of intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis after polyamine depletion

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in maintenance of intestinal epithelial integrity and is highly regulated by numerous factors, including cellular polyamines. We recently showed that polyamines regulate nuclear factor (NF)-κB activity in normal intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cells and that polyamine depletion activates NF-κB and promotes resistance to apoptosis. The current study went further to determine whether the inhibitors of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins, c-IAP2 and XIAP, are downstream targets of activated NF-κB and play a role in antiapoptotic activity of polyamine depletion in IEC-6 cells. Depletion of cellular polyamines by α-difluoromethylornithine not only activated NF-κB activity but also increased expression of c-IAP2 and XIAP. Specific inhibition of NF-κB by the recombinant adenoviral vector containing IκBα superrepressor (AdIκBSR) prevented the induction of c-IAP2 and XIAP in polyamine-deficient cells. Decreased levels of c-IAP2 and XIAP proteins by inactivation of NF-κB through AdIκBSR ...