Oncogene
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We have previously shown that Smac/DIABLO release from mitochondria appears to be the principal pathway by which TRAIL induces apoptosis of human melanoma. We report that TRAIL-induced release of Smac/DIABLO appears to be downregulated by concomitant signaling through the MEK Erk1/2 kinase pathway and that this inhibits TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of Erk1/2 signaling by either the MEK inhibitor U0126 or a dominant-negative mutant of MKK1 markedly sensitized melanoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. ⋯ Over expression of Bcl-2 blocked TRAIL-induced apoptosis in the presence of U0126. Cytochrome c appeared not to play a major role in sensitization of melanoma to TRAIL in that caspase-9 activation was not detected in most of the cell lines. These results suggest that Erk1/2 signaling may protect melanoma cells against TRAIL-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the relocation of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria and that this may reduce TRAIL-mediated release of Smac/DIABLO and induction of apoptosis.