Emetine regulates the alternative splicing of Bcl-x through a protein phosphatase 1-dependent mechanism

Exon 2 of the Bcl-x gene undergoes alternative splicing in which the Bcl-xS splice variant promotes apoptosis in contrast to the anti-apoptotic splice variant Bcl-xL. In this study, the regulation of the alternative splicing of pre-mRNA of Bcl-x was examined in response to emetine. Treatment of different types of cancer cells with emetine dihydrochloride downregulated the level of Bcl-xL mRNA with a concomitant increase in the mRNA level of Bcl-xS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with calyculin A, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1(PP1) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), blocked emetine-induced alternative splicing in contrast to okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of PP2A in cells, demonstrating a PP1-mediated mechanism. Our finding on the regulation of RNA splicing of members of the Bcl-2 family in response to emetine presents a potential target for cancer treatment.