Sulindac sulfide alters the expression of cyclin proteins in HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells

Sulindac sulfide (SS), the active metabolite of the colon cancer chemopreventive compound sulindac, inhibits the proliferation of HT-29 colon cancer cells mainly by inducing cell quiescence. We determined by bivariate flow-cytometric analysis both the DNA and cyclin protein content of individual cells. Thus, we assessed in detail the expression of several cyclins during the cell-cycle phases and demonstrated that SS (i) decreases the expression of cyclins B1 and E and (ii) increases the expression of cyclins D1, D2 and D3, particularly in the Gi phase of the cell cycle. SS- induced apoptotic cells expressed both E- and D-type cyclins but not cyclin B1. The changes in cyclin expression combined with reduced catalytic activity of cyclin-dependent kinases could explain in molecular terms the anti- proliferative effect of SS on HT-29 colon cancer cells. These changes may contribute to the chemopreventive effect of sulindac.