Proteasome Inhibitors Enhance TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis through the Intronic Regulation of DR5: Involvement of NF-κB and Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated p53 Activation

Abstract Manipulation of TRAIL receptor 2 (DR5) pathway is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome TRAIL-resistant lung cancer cells. Preclinical studies have shown that proteasome inhibitors enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated the enhancement of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human alveolar epithelial cells by proteasome inhibitors that up-regulate DR5 expression. This effect was blocked by DR5-neutralizing Ab. Using reporter assay, we demonstrated that the p53 and NF-κB elements on the DR5 first intron region were involved in proteasome inhibitor-induced DR5 expression. Both p53 small interfering RNA and NF-κB inhibitor suppressed DR5 expression, strengthening the significance of p53 and NF-κB in DR5 transcription. The protein stability, Ser392 phosphorylation and Lys373/Lys382 acetylation of p53 were enhanced by MG132. In addition to p53, IκBα degradation and NF-κB translocation was also observed. Moreover, the binding of p53 and p65 to the first intron of DR5 was demonstrated by DNA affinity protein-binding and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after MG132 treatment contributed to p53, but not p65 nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity. ROS scavenger dramatically inhibited the apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibitors plus TRAIL. The p53-null H1299 cells were resistant to proteasome inhibitor-induced DR5 up-regulation and enhancement of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These findings reveal that proteasome inhibitor-mediated NF-κB and ROS-dependent p53 activation are contributed to intronic regulation of DR5 transcription, and resulted in the subsequent enhancement of TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human lung cancer cells.