Apoptosis induced by hyperthermia and verapamil in vitro in a human colon cancer cell line

The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms responsible for the growth inhibitory effect of hyperthermia and verapamil in human colon cancer cell line HT-29. Apoptotic cell death was verified by flow cytometry analysis. The effect of treatment with hyperthermia and verapamil on the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins including Bcl-2, p53, bax, and c-Myc was studied by Western blot analysis. Changes in intracellular calcium homeostasis was analysed by fluorescence microscopy. The combination of 42 degrees C hyperthermia and verapamil caused a significant delay of human colon cancer cell proliferation as a result of apoptosis. Administration of these agents alone did not cause any cell inhibitory effect. Our experiments have shown that HT-29 cells constitutively express apoptosis-promoting proteins, such as Bax and c-Myc, while they fail to produce Bcl-2. Therefore, we hypothesize that HT-29 cells must have Bcl-2 independent pathways to protect cells against death-inducing signals. Also, apoptosis of HT-29 cells produced by hyperthermia in the presence of verapamil is a p53-independent process. Verapamil, when it did not act as a calcium channel blocker or inhibitor of release from intracellular storages under hyperthermic conditions, accelerated the increase of [Ca2+](i) in HT-29 cells which resulted in programmed cell death (apoptosis).