Doxorubicin-induced cell death requires cathepsin B in HeLa cells

The cysteine protease cathepsin B acts as a key player in apoptosis. Cathepsin B-mediated cell death is induced by various stimuli such as ischemia, bile acids or TNFα. Whether cathepsin B can be influenced by anticancer drugs, however, has not been studied in detail. Here, we describe the modulation of doxorubicin-induced cell death by silencing of cathepsin B expression. Previously, it was shown that doxorubicin, in contrast to other drugs, selectively regulates expression and activity of cathepsin B. Selective silencing of cathepsin B by siRNA or the cathepsin B specific inhibitor CA074Me modified doxorubicin-mediated cell death in Hela tumor cells. Both Caspase 3 activation and PARP cleavage were significantly reduced in cells lacking cathepsin B. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane permeabilization as well as the release of cytochrome C and AIF from mitochondria into cytosol induced by doxorubicin were significantly diminished in cathepsin B suppressed cells. In addition, doxorubicin associated down-regulation of XIAP was not observed in cathepsin B silenced cells. Lack of cathepsin B significantly modified cell cycle regulatory proteins such as cdk1, Wee1 and p21 without significant changes in G1, S or G2M cell cycle phases maybe indicating further cell cycle independent actions of these proteins. Consequently, cell viability following doxorubicin was significantly elevated in cells with cathepsin B silencing. In summary, our data strongly suggest a role of cathepsin B in doxorubicin-induced cell death. Therefore, increased expression of cathepsin B in various types of cancer can modify susceptibility towards doxorubicin.