Paeonol reverses paclitaxel resistance in human breast cancer cells by regulating the expression of transgelin 2

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a first-line antineoplastic drug that is commonly used in clinical chemotherapy for breast cancer treatment. However, the occurrence of drug resistance in chemotherapeutic treatment has greatly restricted its use. There is thus an urgent need to find ways of reversing paclitaxel chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer. Plant-derived agents have great potential in preventing the onset of the carcinogenic process and enhancing the efficacy of mainstream antitumor drugs. Paeonol, a main compound derived from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa, has various biological activities, and is reported to have reversal drug resistance effects. This study established a paclitaxel-resistant human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7/PTX) and applied the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, MTT assay, flow cytometry, transfection assay, Western blotting and the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to investigate the reversing effects of paeonol and its underlying mechanisms. It was found that transgelin 2 may mediate the resistance of MCF-7/PTX cells to paclitaxel by up-regulating the expressions of the adenosine-triphosphate binding cassette transporter proteins, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Furthermore, the ability of paeonol to reverse paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer was confirmed, with a superior 8.2-fold reversal index. In addition, this study found that paeonol down-regulated the transgelin 2-mediated paclitaxel resistance by reducing the expressions of P-gp, MRP1, and BCRP in MCF-7/PTX cells. These results not only provide insight into the potential application of paeonol to the reversal of paclitaxel resistance, thus facilitating the sensitivity of breast cancer chemotherapy, but also highlight a potential role of transgelin 2 in the development of paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer.     

SH3GL1在紫杉醇耐药乳腺癌中的表达及临床意义

膜结合蛋白SH3GL1参与调控某些肿瘤细胞生物学行为,而其对紫杉醇耐药乳腺癌细胞的恶性生物学行为影响尚未见报道.为阐明 SH3GL1对紫杉醇耐药敏感性的影响以及潜在的分子机制,本研究首先采用免疫组化法证实SH3GL1在紫杉醇耐药乳腺癌组织高表达(P<0.001).Western印迹法证实,SH3GL1在紫杉醇耐药细胞株MCF-7/PTX高表达(P<0.01);随后,采用MTT分别检测（0,50,100 nmol/L）紫杉醇处理后MCF-7细胞株增殖情况,同时Western印迹法检测SH3GL1表达,发现100 nmol/L紫杉醇能够抑制MCF-7细胞增殖(P<0.05);同时抑制SH3GL1表达(P<0.01); 敲减SH3GL1表达后,紫杉醇耐药细胞株MCF-7/PTX和MCF-7增殖速率降低(P<0.05),耐药基因MDR1表达降低(P<0.05),p-AKT和p-gp水平下降(P<0.05).上述结果表明,降低SH3GL1表达可以减弱紫杉醇耐药性,增加乳腺癌对紫杉醇的敏感性,这为临床上紫杉醇耐药乳腺癌患者的治疗提供了新的靶点.     

Salvianolic acid A reverses paclitaxel resistance in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells via targeting the expression of transgelin 2 and attenuating PI3 K/Akt pathway

Chemotherapy resistance represents a major problem for the treatment of patients with breast cancer and greatly restricts the use of first-line chemotherapeutics paclitaxel. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of transgelin 2 in human breast cancer paclitaxel resistance cell line (MCF-7/PTX) and the reversal mechanism of salvianolic acid A (SAA), a phenolic active compound extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) indicated that transgelin 2 may mediate paclitaxel resistance by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 K)/Akt signaling pathway to suppress MCF-7/PTX cells apoptosis. The reversal ability of SAA was confirmed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, with a superior 9.1-fold reversal index and enhancement of the apoptotic cytotoxicity induced by paclitaxel. In addition, SAA effectively prevented transgelin 2 and adenosine-triphosphate binding cassette transporter (ABC transporter) including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) up-regulation and exhibited inhibitory effect on PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway in MCF-7/PTX cells. Taken together, SAA can reverse paclitaxel resistance through suppressing transgelin 2 expression by mechanisms involving attenuation of PI3 K/Akt pathway activation and ABC transporter up-regulation. These results not only provide insight into the potential application of SAA in reversing paclitaxel resistance, thus facilitating the sensitivity of breast cancer chemotherapy, but also highlight a potential role of transgelin 2 in the development of paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer.     

HMGB1 release promotes paclitaxel resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells via activating c-Myc expression

Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of standard chemotherapy drug for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, PTX resistance leads to treatment failures, for which the underlying molecular mechanisms remain exclusive. In this study, we reported that PTX-induced constant HMGB1 expression and release confers to PTX resistance in mCRPC cells via activating and sustaining c-Myc signaling. PTX upregulated HMGB1 expression and triggered its release in human mCRPC cells. Silencing HMGB1 by RNAi and blocking HMGB1 release by glycyrrhizin or HMGB1 neutralizing antibody sensitized the response of PTX-resistant mCRPC cells to PTX. Release HMGB1 activated c-Myc expression. Inhibiting c-Myc expression by RNAi or c-MyC inhibitor significantly enhance the sensitivity of PTX-resistant CRPC cells to PTX. Therefore, HMGB1/c-Myc axis is critical in the development of PTX resistance, and targeting HMGB1/c-Myc axis would counteract PTX resistance in mCRPC cells.     

Unlocking Synergistic Potential: Agomelatine Enhances the Chemotherapeutic Effect of Paclitaxel in Breast Cancer Cell Through MT1 Melatonin Receptors and ER-alpha Axis

This study investigates the potential of agomelatine (AGO), a synthetic melatoninergic drug, in combination with paclitaxel (PTX) for the treatment of breast cancer. The effects of AGO, PTX and melatonin (MTN) on breast cancer cell viability were investigated, focusing on the role of MT1 receptors. Cell viability and gene expression were analyzed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell experiments. The results show that AGO has cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells similar to MTN. Combining AGO and MTN with PTX showed synergistic effects in MCF-7 cells. The study also reveals differences in the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer between estrogen-positive MCF-7 cells and estrogen-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. Combination with AGO and PTX affects apoptosis-associated proteins in both cell types. The findings suggest that AGO, combined with PTX, may be a promising adjuvant therapy for breast cancer and highlight the importance of MTN receptors in its mechanism of action.     

Chloride channel-3 mediates multidrug resistance of cancer by upregulating P-glycoprotein expression

Chloride channel-3 (ClC-3), a member of the ClC family of voltage-gated Cl⁻ channels, is involved in the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Here, we report a new mechanism for ClC-3 in mediating multidrug resistance (MDR). ClC-3 was highly expressed in the P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-dependent human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549)/paclitaxel (PTX) and the human breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7)/doxorubicin (DOX) resistant cells. Changes in the ClC-3 expression resulted in the development of drug resistance in formerly drug-sensitive A549 or MCF-7 cells, and drug sensitivity in formerly drug-resistant A549/Taxol and MCF-7/DOX cells. Double transgenic MMTV-PyMT/CLCN3 mice with spontaneous mammary cancer and ClC-3 overexpression demonstrated drug resistance to PTX and DOX. ClC-3 expression upregulated the expression of MDR1 messenger RNA and P-gp by activating the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-signaling pathway. These data suggest that ClC-3 expression in cancer cells induces MDR by upregulating NF-κB-signaling-dependent P-gp expression involving another new mechanism for ClC-3 in the development of drug resistance of cancers.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of paclitaxel and vorinostat co-prodrugs for overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy in vitro

Paclitaxel (PTX) is the first-line treatment drug for breast cancer. However, drug resistance after a course of treatment and low selectivity restricted its clinical utility sometimes. In this study, we successfully bound PTX and vorinostat (SAHA) to form co-prodrugs based on the synergistic anticancer effects. The PTX-SAHA co-prodrugs were conjugated by glycine (1a) and succinic acid (1b) respectively and the former has shown better activity in cytotoxicity, cell cycle arrest and western-blot experiments. Therefore, 1a was further prepared to nanomicelles with mPEG₂₀₀₀-PLA₁₇₅₀ as the carrier by using thin film method. PTX-SAHA co-prodrug nanomicelles were spherical with a particle size of 20–100?nm. In vitro drug release test showed 1a nanomicelles had sustained release effect, which could reduce the resistance of PTX. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by SRB assay in HCT-116 cells, MCF-7 cells and drug-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells. The results showed 1a nanomicelles had comparable or even better cytotoxicity than PTX especially in the MCF-7/ADR cells. All the results suggested that PTX-SAHA co-prodrug nanomicelles were promising treatment for PTX resistance cancer.     

上皮细胞黏附分子增强细胞间紧密连接促进乳腺癌细胞耐药

乳腺癌是致死率很高的恶性肿瘤,由ABCG2 (ATP-binding cassette G2)介导的多药耐药(multidrug resistance,MDR)是导致其化疗失败的重要原因,探讨ABCG2介导的耐药机制并探寻其关键分子是当前亟待解决的难题。上皮细胞黏附分子(epithelial cell adhesion molecule,EpCAM)参与多种肿瘤耐药,且与乳腺癌MDR密切相关,但它在ABCG2介导的乳腺癌耐药中的作用尚未阐明。本研究目的在于探究EpCAM对于ABCG2介导的乳腺癌细胞的多药耐药的调节作用及其机制。CCK8细胞毒性结果证实,相对于人乳腺癌药物敏感株MCF-7,耐药株MCF-7/MX对米托蒽醌(mitoxantrone,MX)的耐药性显著增强;Western 印迹结果显示,与MCF-7相比,MCF-7/MX细胞中ABCG2高表达,EpCAM表达上调。siRNA法敲低MCF-7/MX细胞中EpCAM可下调其ABCG2表达,并恢复对MX的敏感性。倒置显微镜观察细胞形态,发现敲低EpCAM可减少MCF-7/MX细胞间连接。免疫荧光双染法观察到EpCAM与密封蛋白1(claudin 1)在MCF-7/MX细胞共定位;进一步Western 印迹结果表明,敲低EpCAM减少MCF-7/MX细胞中密封蛋白1表达。综上所述,EpCAM可能通过与密封蛋白1相互作用,增强细胞间紧密连接,促进ABCG2介导的乳腺癌多药耐药。     

Lack of ceramide generation and altered sphingolipid composition are associated with drug resistance in human ovarian carcinoma cells

PTX (Paclitaxel) is an antimitotic agent used in the treatment of a number of major solid tumours, particularly in breast and ovarian cancer. This study was undertaken to gain insight into the molecular alterations producing PTX resistance in ovarian cancer. PTX treatment is able to induce apoptosis in the human ovarian carcinoma cell line, CABA I. PTX-induced apoptosis in CABA I cells was accompanied by an increase in the cellular Cer (ceramide) levels and a decrease in the sphingomyelin levels, due to the activation of sphingomyelinases. The inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase decreased PTX-induced apoptosis. Under the same experimental conditions, PTX had no effect on Cer and sphingomyelin levels in the stable PTX-resistant ovarian carcinoma cell line, CABA-PTX.The acquisition of the PTX-resistant phenotype is accompanied by unique alterations in the complex sphingolipid pattern found on lipid extraction. In the drug-resistant cell line, the levels of sphingomyelin and neutral glycosphingolipids were unchanged compared with the drug-sensitive cell line. The ganglioside pattern in CABA I cells is more complex compared with that of CABA-PTX cells. Specifically, we found that the total ganglioside content in CABA-PTX cells was approximately half of that in CABA I cells, and GM3 ganglioside content was remarkably higher in the drug-resistant cell line. Taken together our findings indicate that: i) Cer generated by acid sphingomyelinase is involved in PTX-induced apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells, and PTX-resistant cells are characterized by their lack of increased Cer upon drug treatment, ii) PTX resistance might be correlated with an alteration in metabolic Cer patterns specifically affecting cellular ganglioside composition.     

Growth stimulation and differential regulation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), TGF beta 2, and TGF beta 3 messenger RNA levels by norethindrone in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) is a potent growth inhibitor in most epithelial cells. We evaluated the effects of norethindrone (which in combination with estrogen is commonly used in oral contraceptives) and other progestins [medioxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and R5020, which are not used in oral contraceptives] on cell growth and the expression of TGF beta 1, TGF beta 2, and TGF beta 3 mRNAs in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Growth of MCF-7 cells was stimulated by norethindrone (10(-8)-10(-5) M), with maximal growth stimulation at 10(-7) M norethindrone after 7 days of treatment. However, the growth of MCF-7 cells was not affected by MPA (10(-8) M) or R5020 (10(-8) M). Treatment with the antiestrogen 4-hydroxytamoxifen at a concentration of 10(-7) M blocked the growth stimulation induced by norethindrone. The norethindrone-induced growth stimulation was accompanied by a dramatic decrease in TGF beta 2 and TGF beta 3 mRNA levels, whereas the level of TGF beta 1 mRNA was not affected by any of the compounds tested. In addition, treatment with MPA or R5020 did not affect TGF beta 2 and TGF beta 3 mRNA levels. The inhibitory effect of norethindrone on TGF beta 2 and TGF beta 3 mRNA levels could be blocked by the addition of 10(-7) M 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Norethindrone as well as estradiol decreased estrogen receptor mRNA levels and increased progesterone receptor mRNA levels. This is the first report which demonstrates that norethindrone stimulates estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cell growth and inhibits the expression of TGF beta 2 and TGF beta 3 mRNAs. These results suggest that the differential regulation of TGF beta expression by norethindrone may be at least partly responsible for the growth stimulation induced by norethindrone. Thus, the norethindrone component of some oral contraceptives may be sufficiently estrogenic to facilitate the development of breast cancer.     

Role of oxygen free radical formation in the mechanism of menogaril resistance in multidrug resistant tumor cells

The mechanisms of action and resistance to menogaril, a clinically active anthracycline antitumor drug, were evaluated in sensitive and doxorubicin-selected multidrug resistant human breast tumor (MCF-7) cell lines. While MCF-7/ADRR cells were highly resistant (250-500-fold) to doxorubicin, they displayed only marginal resistance (10-fold) to menogaril. In contrast to doxorubicin, the mechanism of resistance to menogaril in these cells does not involve differential inhibition of DNA synthesis as measured by thymidine incorporation. P-170-glycoprotein-dependent drug transport did not contribute to resistance as there was no difference in the accumulation and retention of menogaril by sensitive and resistant cell lines. However, there was a 2-fold decrease in oxygen free radical formation in the resistant cells, compared to sensitive cells, in the presence of menogaril. Since resistant cells contain 12-fold higher glutathione peroxidase activity than the parental sensitive cells, the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide may be responsible for the decreased free radical formation and thus, may play a role in the resistance to menogaril.     

Knockdown of dual specificity phosphatase 4 enhances the chemosensitivity of MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells to doxorubicin

BackgroundBreast cancer is the major cause of cancer-related deaths in females world-wide. Doxorubicin-based therapy has limited efficacy in breast cancer due to drug resistance, which has been shown to be associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the molecular mechanisms linking the EMT and drug resistance in breast cancer cells remain unclear. Dual specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), a member of the dual specificity phosphatase family, is associated with cellular proliferation and differentiation; however, its role in breast cancer progression is controversial.MethodsWe used cell viability assays, Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining, combined with siRNA interference, to evaluate chemoresistance and the EMT in MCF-7 and adriamycin-resistant MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells, and investigate the underlying mechanisms.ResultsKnockdown of DUSP4 significantly increased the chemosensitivity of MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells to doxorubicin, and MCF-7/ADR cells which expressed high levels of DUSP4 had a mesenchymal phenotype. Furthermore, knockdown of DUSP4 reversed the EMT in MCF-7/ADR cells, as demonstrated by upregulation of epithelial biomarkers and downregulation of mesenchymal biomarkers, and also increased the chemosensitivity of MCF-7/ADR cells to doxorubicin.ConclusionsDUSP4 might represent a potential drug target for inhibiting drug resistance and regulating the process of the EMT during the treatment of breast cancer.     

Oligonucleotides blocking glucosylceramide synthase expression selectively reverse drug resistance in cancer cells

High glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) activity is one factor contributing to multidrug resistance (MDR) in breast cancer. Enforced GCS overexpression has been shown to disrupt ceramide-induced apoptosis and to confer resistance to doxorubicin. To examine whether GCS is a target for cancer therapy, we have designed and tested the effects of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) to GCS on gene expression and chemosensitivity in multidrug-resistant cancer cells. Here, we demonstrate that antisense GCS (asGCS) ODN-7 blocked cellular GCS expression and selectively increased the cytotoxicity of anticancer agents. Pretreatment with asGCS ODN-7 increased doxorubicin sensitivity by 17-fold in MCF-7-AdrR (doxorubicin-resistant) breast cancer cells and by 10-fold in A2780-AD (doxorubicin-resistant) ovarian cancer cells. In MCF-7 drug-sensitive breast cancer cells, asGCS ODN-7 only increased doxorubicin sensitivity by 3-fold, and it did not influence doxorubicin cytotoxicity in normal human mammary epithelial cells. asGCS ODN-7 was shown to be more efficient in reversing drug resistance than either the GCS chemical inhibitor d-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol or the P-glycoprotein blocking agents verapamil and cyclosporin A. Experiments defining drug transport and lipid metabolism parameters showed that asGCS ODN-7 overcomes drug resistance mainly by enhancing drug uptake and ceramide-induced apoptosis. This study demonstrates that a 20-mer asGCS oligonucleotide effectively reverses MDR in human cancer cells.     

MCF-7/VD(R): a new vitamin D resistant cell line

Several in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated potent cell regulatory effects of vitamin D compounds in cancer cells. Moreover, a promising phase I study with the vitamin D analogue Seocalcitol (EB 1089) in patients with advanced breast and colon cancer has already been carried out and more clinical trials evaluating the clinical effectiveness of EB 1089 in other cancer types are in progress (M?rk Hansen et al. [2000a]). However, only little is known about the mechanisms underlying the actions of vitamin D or about the possible development of drug resistance in the patients. Therefore, in an attempt to gain more insight into these aspects, we have developed the MCF-7/VD(R) cell line, a stable subclone of the human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, which is resistant to the growth inhibitory and apoptosis inducing effects of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3). Despite this characteristic, receptor studies on the VDR have clearly demonstrated that the MCF-7/VD(R) cells contain fully functional VDRs, although in a lower number than seen with the parental MCF-7 cells. The regulation of the 24-hydroxylase enzyme appeared to be intact in the MCF-7/VD(R) cells and no differences with regard to growth rate and morphological appearance between the MCF-7/VD(R) cells and the parental MCF-7 cells were observed. Interestingly, however, the sensitivity of the MCF-7/VD(R) cells to the pure anti-estrogen ICI 182,780 was found to be increased. The MCF-7/VD(R) cell line shows characteristics different from those of previously described vitamin D resistant breast cancer cell lines but also some similarities. Together such vitamin D resistant cell lines therefore serve as a useful tool for studying the exact mechanism of action of vitamin D and the development of vitamin D resistance.     

Hsa_circ_0092276 promotes doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer cells by regulating autophagy via miR-348/ATG7 axis

Previous study has confirmed that hsa_circ_0092276 is highly expressed in doxorubicin (DOX)-resistant breast cancer cells, indicating that hsa_circ_0092276 may be involved in regulating the chemotherapy resistance of breast cancer. Here we attempted to investigate the biological role of hsa_circ_0092276 in breast cancer. We first constructed DOX-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/DOX and MDA-MB-468/DOX). The 50% inhibiting concentration of MCF-7/DOX and MDA-MB-468/DOX cells was significantly higher than that of their parental breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-46. MCF-7/DOX and MDA-MB-468/DOX cells also exhibited an up-regulation of drug resistance-related protein MDR1. Compared with MCF-7 and MDA-MB-46 cells, hsa_circ_0092276 was highly expressed in MCF-7/DOX and MDA-MB-468/DOX cells. Hsa_circ_0092276 overexpression enhanced proliferation and the expression of LC3-II/LC3-I and Beclin-1, and repressed apoptosis of breast cancer cells. The effect of hsa_circ_0092276 up-regulation on breast cancer cells was abolished by 3-methyladenine (autophagy inhibitor). Hsa_circ_0092276 modulated autophagy-related gene 7 (ATG7) expression via sponging miR-384. Hsa_circ_0092276 up-regulation promoted autophagy and proliferation, and repressed apoptosis of breast cancer cells, which was abolished by miR-384 overexpression or ATG7 knockdown. In addition, LV-circ_0092276 transfected MCF-7 cell transplantation promoted autophagy and tumor growth of breast cancer in mice. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that hsa_circ_0092276 promotes autophagy and DOX resistance in breast cancer by regulating miR-348/ATG7 axis. Thus, this article highlights a novel competing endogenous RNA circuitry involved in DOX resistance in breast cancer.     

A multidrug-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line which exhibits cross-resistance to antiestrogens and hormone-independent tumor growth in vivo

MCF-7 human breast cancer cells provide a useful in vitro model system to study hormone-responsive breast cancer as they contain receptors for estrogen and progesterone, and estrogen both induces the synthesis of specific proteins in these cells and increases their rate of proliferation. An MCF-7 cell line which was selected for resistance to adriamycin (MCF-7/AdrR) exhibits the phenotype of multidrug resistance (MDR), and displays multiple biochemical changes. MDR in MCF-7/AdrR is also associated with a loss of mitogenic response to estrogen and the development of cross-resistance to the antiestrogen 4-hydroxytamoxifen. In addition, while the parental MCF-7 cell line responds to estrogen with increased levels of progesterone receptors and the secretion of specific proteins, these estrogen responses are lost in MCF-7/AdrR. Furthermore, while the formation of tumors in nude mice by wild-type MCF-7 cells is dependent upon the presence of estrogen, MCF-7/AdrR cells form tumors in the absence of exogenous estrogen administration. These changes in hormonal sensitivity and estrogen-independent tumorigenicity of the multidrug-resistant MCF-7 cell line are associated with a loss of the estrogen receptor and a concomitant increase in the level of receptors for epidermal growth factor. Thus, in MCF-7/AdrR cells, the development of MDR is associated with alterations in the expression of both cytosolic and membrane receptors, resulting in resistance to hormonal agents and the expression of hormone-independent tumor formation.