Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) in Human Transitional Bladder Cancer and its Role in Inducing Cell Death

The present study examined the expression and role of the thiazolidinedione (TZD)-activated transcription factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), in human bladder cancers. In situ hybridization shows that PPARγ mRNA is highly expressed in all human transitional epithelial cell cancers (TCCa's) studied (n=11). PPARγ was also expressed in five TCCa cell lines as determined by RNase protection assays and immunoblot. Retinoid X receptor α (RXRα), a 9-cis-retinoic acid stimulated (9-cis-RA) heterodimeric partner of PPARγ, was also co-expressed in all TCCa tissues and cell lines. Treatment of the T24 bladder cancer cells with the TZD PPARγ agonist troglitazone, dramatically inhibited ³H-thymidine incorporation and induced cell death. Addition of the RXRα ligands, 9-cis-RA or LG100268, sensitized T24 bladder cancer cells to the lethal effect of troglitazone and two other PPARγ activators, ciglitazone and 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14-PGJ2 (15dPGJ₂). Troglitazone treatment increased expression of two cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, P21^WAF1/CIP1 and p16^INK4, and reduced cyclin D1 expression, consistent with G1 arrest. Troglitazone also induced an endogenous PPARγ target gene in T24 cells, adipocyte-type fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP), the expression of which correlates with bladder cancer differentiation. In situ hybridization shows that A-FABP expression is localized to normal uroepithelial cells as well as some TCCa's. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PPARγ is expressed in human TCCa where it may play a role in regulating TCCa differentiation and survival, thereby providing a potential target for therapy of uroepithelial cancers.