Differential effects of serum constituents on apoptosis induced by the cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 in WISH epithelial cells

Abstract Cyclopentenone prostaglandins, Δ 12 -PGJ 2 and 15d-PGJ 2 , have potent anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory activities, and have been shown to induce apoptosis in amnion-derived WISH cells. In this study, we have investigated the protective effects of serum and its constituents (growth factors and albumin) on Δ 12 -PGJ 2 and 15d-PGJ 2 -induced apoptosis in WISH cells. Serum (0.5% w/v) was protective against both Δ 12 -PGJ 2 and 15d-PGJ 2 -induced apoptosis. This was not due to the presence of serum-derived growth factors (EGF, IGF-1 and IGF-2), since they had no significant effect on 15d-PGJ 2 -induced cell death. In contrast, IGF-1 partially inhibited etoposide-induced apoptosis, confirming the presence of a functional IGF-1 receptor signalling system. Albumin was identified as the key survival factor in serum, since albumin and delipidated albumin exhibited the same level of protection from 15d-PGJ 2 -induced apoptosis as serum itself. The potential for serum albumin to regulate the bioactivity of cyclopentenone PGs may be of considerable importance in pathological conditions where roles for cyclopentenone PGs have been identified.