Cytotoxicity of TRAIL/anticancer drug combinations in human normal cells.

TRAIL (TNF-alpha-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand) is a promising anticancer agent. In fact, it induces apoptosis in cancer cells and not in most normal cells. Nevertheless, certain cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and this could limit TRAIL's efficiency in cancer therapy.

c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-related Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 activation controls hexokinase II expression in benzo(a)pyrene-induced apoptosis.

Regulation of the balance between survival, proliferation, and apoptosis on carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure is still poorly understood and more particularly the role of physiologic variables, including intracellular pH (pH(i)). Although the involvement of the ubiquitous pH(i) regulator Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) in tumorigenesis is well documented, less is known about its role and regulation during apoptosis. Our previous works have shown the primordial role of NHE1 in carcinogenic PAH-induced apoptosis.

TRAIL induces receptor-interacting protein 1-dependent and caspase-dependent necrosis-like cell death under acidic extracellular conditions.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potential anticancer agent that induces apoptosis in cancer cells but not in most normal cells. How tumor physiology, particularly acidic extracellular pH (pH(e)), would modify sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL-induced cell death is not known. We have previously shown that cancer cells, resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis at physiologic pH(e) (7.

TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) induces necrosis-like cell death in tumor cells at acidic extracellular pH.

How tumor microenvironment, more specifically low extracellular pH (6.5), alters cell response to TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-based cancer therapy has yet to be determined. The aim of the current work was to test the effect of acidic extracellular pH on TRAIL-induced cell death in human HT29 colon carcinoma and HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cell lines as well as in human primary hepatocytes.