Changes in the activities of signal transduction and transport membrane enzymes in CEM lymphoblastoid cells by glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis.

The behaviour of the membrane enzymes PIP2-phospholipase C (PLC), that modulates the extracellular signals, and gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT), involved in metabolite transport, was followed during the early and active phases of apoptosis induced in CCRF-CEM cells by glucocorticoid (10(-6) M dexamethasone, DEX). The activities of gamma-GT and PLC increased significantly at 15 and 30 s after dexamethasone addition. Both activities decreased to the control level after 2 min but increased again at 5 min. The enzyme activities were high in apoptotic cells. Apoptosis was seen after incubation with 10(-6)M dexamethasone for 48 h, with decreased cell number, cellular activation (MTT) and S-phase percentage; enhanced DNA fragmentation and propidium iodide uptake; and ultrastructural changes in the chromatin and cell membranes. The changes in enzyme activity are indicators which occur much earlier than the cellular events related to the apoptotic death in CD4(+)-T CEM lymphoblastoid cells.