NADH: Ubiquinone oxidoreductase inhibitors block induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Abstract

Rolenone is the classical inhibitor of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase and its analogue deguelin is a potent inhibitor of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced ornithine decarboxylase mRNA steady state level and enzyme activity in mouse 308 cells (Gerhauser et al. 1995). In MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, rotenone, deguelin and two structurally-unrelated miticides (pyridaben and fenazaquin) inhibit not only NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase but also induced ornithine decarboxylase activity with IC50 values of < 1 to 70 nM. Rotenone inhibits ornithine decarboxylase activity equally well as induced by TPA, insulin-like growth factor I and 17β- oestradiol. Pyridaben is the most potent of the four inhibitors not only for NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity (bovine heart enzyme) and TPA- induced ornithine decarboxylase activity and mRNA steady state level but also for TPA-induced reactive oxygen species. It is therefore proposed that NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase inhibitors block multiple and possibly reactive oxygen species-modulated pathways which regulate ornithine decarboxylase activity.