Aphidicolin inhibits cell proliferation via the p53-GADD45β pathway in AtT-20 cells.

Cushing's disease is primarily caused by pituitary corticotroph adenomas, which autonomically secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH production may be associated with tumor cell proliferation; however, the effects of cell cycle progression on ACTH production and cell proliferation are little known in corticotroph tumor cells. A DNA polymerase inhibitor, aphidicolin, arrests cells at the entrance to the S phase and blocks the cell cycle; aphidicolin also induces apoptosis in tumor cells. In the present study, we determined ACTH production and cell proliferation of AtT-20 corticotroph tumor cells following treatment with aphidicolin. Aphidicolin decreased proopiomelanocortin mRNA levels in AtT-20 cells and the levels of ACTH in the culture medium of these cells. Aphidicolin also decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in AtT-20 cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses revealed that this agent increased the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells, and decreased S phase cells. Aphidicolin decreased the phosphorylation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein and Akt. Aphidicolin increased the levels of tumor protein 27 (p27) and 53 (p53), while it decreased cyclin E levels. Aphidicolin also increased the mRNA levels of the stress response gene growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45β (GADD45β), a putative downstream target of p53. The p53 knockdown increased GADD45β mRNA levels. The GADD45β knockdown inhibited the decreases in cell proliferation. Thus, aphidicolin inhibits cell proliferation via the p53-GADD45β pathway in AtT-20 cells.