Ovocystatin affects actin cytoskeleton organization and induces proapoptotic activity.

Maria Malicka-Blaszkiewicz; Nina Filipczak; Krzysztof Gołąb; Katarzyna Juszczyńska; Tadeusz Sebzda; Jakub Gburek

doi:10.18388/abp.2014_1841

Maria Malicka-Blaszkiewicz Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław and Nonpublic Medical College in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.;
Nina Filipczak Department of Cell Pathology and Department of Lipids and Liposomes, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.;
Krzysztof Gołąb Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.;
Katarzyna Juszczyńska Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.;
Tadeusz Sebzda Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.;
Jakub Gburek Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.;

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2014_1841

Abstract

Ovocystatin is a chicken egg white protein, generally known for its inhibitory activity against cysteine proteases. However, biological activity of ovocystatin does not seem to be well recognized in respect to other possible cellular effects. Our attention has been focused on ovocystatin cytotoxic effects in relation to its influence on actin cytoskeleton organization and apoptosis induction. In vitro studies with human melanoma A375, human cervix HeLa cancer cells and normal human fibroblasts - NHDF were done. Cytotoxic activity of ovocystatin was seen in respect to apoptosis induction - manifested by cell shape changes, phosphatydylserine translocation and actin cytoskeleton reorganization. Normal human fibroblasts have shown lower sensitivity to ovocystatin as compared with human melanoma A375 and human cervix HeLa cancer cells. In conclusion, ovocystatin affects actin cytoskeleton organization and displays proapoptotic activity towards applied cell lines. This implicates its application as a potential anticancer drug. However, its adverse effects on normal cells should be taken into consideration.