Requirement of Erk, but not JNK, for arsenite-induced cell transformation

Trivalent arsenic (arsenite, As³⁺) is a human carcinogen, which is associated with cancers of skin, lung, liver, and bladder. However, the mechanism by which arsenite causes cancer is not well understood. In this study, we found that exposure of Cl 41 cells, a well characterized mouse epidermal cell model for tumor promotion, to a low concentration of arsenite (<25 μM) induces cell transformation. Interestingly, arsenite induces Erk phosphorylation and increased Erk activity at doses ranging from 0.8 to 200 μM, while higher doses (more than 50 μM) are required for activation of JNK. Arsenite-induced Erk activation was markedly inhibited by introduction of dominant negative Erk2 into cells, while expression of dominant negative Erk2 did not show inhibition of JNK and MEK(1/2). Furthermore, arsenite- induced cell transformation was blocked in cells expressing the dominant negative Erk2. In contrast, overexpression of dominant negative JNK1 was shown to increase cell transformation even though it inhibits arsenite- induced JNK activation. Our results not only show that arsenite induces Erk activation, but also for the first time demonstrates that activation of Erk, but not JNK, by arsenite is required for its effects on cell transformation.