Purpose: Recent studies have shown that 15-deoxy-Δ 12, 14 -prostaglandin J 2 (15d-PGJ 2 ), a natural ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis. The specific molecular mechanisms underlying this effect remain to be elucidated. We examined whether 15d-PGJ 2 has antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo, and investigated the underlying mechanism. Experimental Design: We examined 15d-PGJ 2 -induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells in the context of mitochondrial injury, oxidative damage, and signaling pathway disturbances. In addition, we investigated the antitumor effect of 15d-PGJ 2 in a mouse CT-26 s.c. tumor model and HL-60 leukemia xenograft model. Results: 15d-PGJ 2 induced apoptosis in leukemia and colorectal cancer cells in a dosedependent manner and led to generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through mitochondria and NADPH oxidase activation, activation of JNK, and inactivation of Akt, a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase. Constitutive activation of Akt for an engineered myristoylated protein prevented 15d-PGJ 2 -mediated apoptosis but not ROS generation. Collectively, these findings suggest a hierarchical model of apoptosis induced by 15d-PGJ 2 in human leukemia cells: oxidative injury represents a primary event resulting in Akt inactivation, which in turn leads to mitochondrial injury and apoptosis. Moreover The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is a transcription factor belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily (1, 2) and is expressed in some myeloid leukemic cell lines (3). PPARγ agonists include the natural ligands 15-deoxy-Δ 12,14 -prostaglandin J 2 (15d-PGJ 2 ; refs. 4, 5) and lysophosphatidic acid (6), and the synthetic thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic drugs such as ciglitazone (7). The cyclopentenone PG 15d-PGJ 2 is a product of the cyclooxygenase pathway and is the final metabolite of PGD 2 (8). 15d-PGJ 2 has highly reactive structures that contain an α, β-unsaturated ketone susceptible to nucleophilic addition reactions. For example, the cyclopentenone ring of 15d-PGJ 2 covalently modifies cellular proteins such as the p65 and p50 subunits of NF-κB (9, 10). The potent antiproliferative and antiviral effects of cyclopentenone PGs are attributed to this reactivity (11).15d-PGJ 2 has recently received attention because it functions as a potential regulator of diverse processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and inflammation. It also exerts antitumorigenic activity; for example, 15d-PGJ 2 activation of PPARγ significantly inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in several types of cancer cells (12)(13)(14)(15). Some effects of 15d-PGJ 2 are exerted through its interaction with PPARγ (4, 5); however, more recent evidence indicates that 15d-PGJ 2 can also act independently of PPARγ (16). Until now, the molecular mechanism of the antineoplastic activity of 15d-PGJ 2 has not been fully elucidated. In addition, controversial data on the role of PPARγ in colon cancer sugg...
