Effects of Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Mycophenolic Acid Induced Apoptosis of Jurkat Cell Lines

Purpose: This study demonstrates that pharmacologic induction of heme oygenase-1 (HO-1) along with catalytic activation significantly modulated apoptosis of Jurkat cells induced by mycophenolic acid (MPA). Methods: Cells were cultured with the presence or absence of MPA. Flow cytometric analysis was performed after propidium iodide staining. Western blotting of HO-1, Bcl, and Bax was also performed. Cells were stained 4'-6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and measured by flow cytometry in the absence or presence of CoPPIX. Results: Treatment of MPA decreased cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. MPA-induced cell death was confirmed as apoptosis characterized by sub G0/G1 phase arrest. Expression of HO-1 assumes a pattern of decline after rising at the initial phase. CoPPIX, HO-1 inducer, significantly inhibited the cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Treatment of MPA. resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in Jurkat cells. CoPPIX attenuated ROS production in MPA-treated cells. Conclusion: This result suggests that the protective mechanism of HO-1 on MPA-induced cytotoxicity is associated with direct inhibition of ROS generation and mitochondrial permeability transition. (J Korean Surg Soc 2010; 78:343-349)