Direct effect of zinc on mitochondrial apoptogenesis in prostate cells

Background: Prostate epithelial cells uniquely accumulate significantly higher levels of zinc than other mammalian cells. We previously showed that the accumulation of high intracellular zinc levels in specific prostate cells results in the induction of apoptosis and the inhibition of cell growth. The apoptotic effect is due to zinc induction of mitochondrial apoptogenesis. We now report additional studies that corroborate this effect of zinc and provide insight into the mechanism of this unique effect.

Methods: The effect of exposure to physiological levels of zinc on apoptosis was determined for three human prostate cell lines (PC-3, BPH, and HPR-1). Zinc-induced apoptosis was identified by DNA fragmentation. The direct effect of zinc on isolated mitochondrial preparations from each cell line was determined. The mitochondrial release of cytochrome c was determined by Western blot.

Results: Exposure to zinc induced apoptosis in PC-3 and BPH cells but not in HPR-1 cells. The zinc accumulation in PC-3 (4.3 +/- 0.3) and BPH (2.8 +/- 0.4) was higher than that in HPR-1 cells (1.8 +/- 0.1). The apoptotic effect of zinc on PC-3 cells could be observed as early as 4-6 hr of zinc treatment, and this effect was not reversible. The exposure of isolated mitochondria from PC-3 and BPH cells to zinc resulted in the release of cytochrome c; but zinc had no effect on mitochondria from HPR-1 cells.

Conclusions: Exposure to zinc induces apoptosis in PC-3 and BPH cells, which accumulate high intracellular levels of zinc, but not in HPR-1 cells, which do not accumulate high levels of zinc. Once initiated, the induction of apoptosis is not reversed by the removal of zinc, i.e., it is an irreversible process. The apoptogenic effect is due to a direct effect of zinc on mitochondria that results in the release of cytochrome c. The cell specificity of zinc induction of apoptogenesis is dependent on the ability of the cells to accumulate high levels of intracellular zinc and on the ability of the mitochondria to respond to the direct effect of zinc.