Induction of AP-1 activity by perillyl alcohol in breast cancer cells

Carcinogenesis. 1999 Oct;20(10):1957-61. doi: 10.1093/carcin/20.10.1957.

Abstract

Monoterpenes display chemopreventive and therapeutic activity in rat mammary tumor models. Monoterpenes can also inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis of cultured cells. In this study, the monoterpene perillyl alcohol (POH) was found to induce transient expression of the c-jun and c-fos genes transcriptionally. POH also transiently induced phosphorylation of c-Jun protein. These events were associated with transcriptional activation of an AP-1-dependent reporter gene. These results suggest that POH might affect c-Jun activity via the Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase pathway and modulate expression of AP-1 target genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Monoterpenes*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Terpenes / pharmacology*
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / biosynthesis
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Monoterpenes
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Terpenes
  • Transcription Factor AP-1
  • perillyl alcohol
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases