Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer cells HCC827

AIM: To investigate the effect of shikonin on reversing hepatocyte growth factor(HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and to explore its possible mechanisms.METHODS: The gefitinib-resistant HCC827 cells induced by HGF were treated with shikonin and gefitinibthe alone or in combination. The inhibition rates of cell viability were determined by MTT assay. The invasive ability of HCC827 cells with HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib was determined by Transwell assay. The protein levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and related signaling pathway in the HCC827 cells were detected by Western blot.RESULTS: The results of MTT assay showed that the cell activity of HCC827 cells was significantly inhibited by shikonin in a dose dependent manner. The IC₅₀ of shikonin in HCC827 cells was 3.06 μmol/L. And the IC₅₀ of gefitinib in HCC827 cells was 0.51 μmol/L. Under the condition of combined treatment with shikonin and gefitinib in the presence of HGF (20 μg/L), the IC₅₀ of gefitinib was 7.36 μmol/L, significantly lower than that treated with gefitinib alone (P<0.01), so did the result of the cell migration (P<0.01). HGF induced EMT, while shikonin reversed this effect. The protein expression level of p-AKT was significantly up-regulated by HGF, while markedly down-regulated treatment with shikonin and gefitinib compared with gefitinib alone (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and the mechanism may be likely related to the preventon of EMT and the inhibition of HGF-induced activation of p-AKT signaling pathway.     

Salinomycin promotes the apoptosis-inducing effect of gefitinib on human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549

AIM: To investigate the effect of salinomycin alone or in combination with gefitinib (an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase) on the growth and apoptosis of human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A549. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of salinomycin on the growth of A549 cells was tested by MTT assay. The cell apoptosis and the level of mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by flow cytometry. The activity of caspase-3, -8, and -9 was measured by the method of colorimetry. The protein levels of cytochrome C, Bcl- 2, p-EGFR, p-Akt and p-ERK were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Salinomycin or gefitinib alone inhibited the growth of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Salinomycin or gefitinib also induced apoptosis of the cells. Salinomycin combined with gefitinib produced stronger inhibitory effect on the cell proliferation, and a significant increase in cell apoptosis was also observed. Compared with control group, salinomycin alone significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, transitorily increased the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytoplasmic cytochrome C and Ca2+, and increased the activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 in A549 cells. Gefitinib alone inhibited the protein expression of p-EGFR, p-Akt and p-ERK, but no obvious effect on the release of cytochrome C and the activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 was found. The combination of salinomycin and gefitinib significantly reduced the protein levels of Bcl-2, p-EGFR, p-Akt and p-ERK, but the protein levels of EGFR, Akt and ERK were not obviously changed. CONCLUSION: The synergy of salinomycin and gefitinib is observed. Salinomycin inhibits the growth and induces apoptosis of human lung carcinoma A549 cells through Bcl-2 pathway and mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Salinomycin also increases the sensitivity of A549 cells to gefitinib.     

β-elemene reverses hepatocyte growth factor-induced resistance to gefitinib in PC-9 lung cancer cells via c-Met pathway

AIM: To investigate the effect of β-elemene on reversing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in PC-9 cells, and to explore its possible mechanisms. METHODS: The gefitinib-resistant PC-9 cells induced by HGF were treated with β-elemene or/and gefitinib. The cell activity was measured by MTT assay. The effect of β-elemene on the invasion ability in HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in PC-9 cells was detected by Transwell migration assay. The protein levels of p-Met, c-Met, p-AKT and AKT in PC-9 cells of each group were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The results of MTT assay showed that the cell activity of PC-9 cells was significantly inhibited by β-elemene (P<0.05). IC₅₀ of β-elemene for PC-9 cells was 169.31 mg/L. IC₅₀ of gefitinib for PC-9 cells was 0.30 μmol/L. Exogenously adding recombinant HGF induced significantly resistance to gefitinib in PC-9 cells. Moreover, SU11274 (an inhibitor of c-Met) significantly decreased the viability of the cells exposed to HGF and gefitinib (P<0.05). Combined treatment with β-elemene and gefitinib in the presence of HGF (50 μg/L) significantly decreased the viability of PC-9 cells as compared with the PC-9 cells treated with gefitinib alone in the presence of HGF (P<0.05), so did the result of the cell migration. The protein levels of p-Met and p-AKT were significantly up-regulated by HGF, while the protein levels of p-Met and p-AKT were markedly down-regulated in the cells treated with β-elemene and gefitinib compared with gefitinib alone in the presence of HGF. CONCLUSION: β-elemene reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer PC-9 cells, likely due to the inhibition of HGF-induced activation of c-Met and its down streams signaling pathways (P<0.01).     

吉非替尼靶向治疗非小细胞肺癌的研究

吉非替尼是一种具有抗肿瘤活性的喹唑啉类衍生物,通过竞争抑制ATP与受体区结合,从而抑制酪氨酸激酶活化.吉非替尼主要应用于晚期非小细胞肺癌的二线和三线治疗,其抗肿瘤作用已得到许多研究者的认同.阐述了吉非替尼的药理学、临床研究,吉非替尼疗效的分子预测因素及不良反应的研究成果.     

Chutan-Jiedu decoction reverses resistance of lung cancer to gefitinib by processing EMT

AIM: To investigate the mechanism of Chutan-Jiedu decoction (CJD) reversing the resistance of lung cancer to gefitinib via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway.METHODS: BALB/c nude mice (n=60) were selected to establish lung cancer xenograft model with human lung adenocarcinoma drug-resistant cell line H1975, which were randomly divided into 6 groups (10 mice per group):model group, gefitinib (0.04 g/kg) group, low-dose (13.52 g/kg) CJD group, middle-dose (27.04 g/kg) CJD group, high-dose (54.08 g/kg) CJD group, and combined medication group (27.04 g/kg CJD+0.04 g/kg gefitinib). The mice in each group were treated for 2 weeks before the tumor size and tumor weight were detected for the calculation of the tumor inhibitory rate. The mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin, Snail and vimentin were determined by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time PCR.RESULTS: Compared with model group and gefitinib group, the tumor size and the tumor weight in middle-dose CJD group, high-dose CJD group and combined medication group were decreased significantly (P<0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time PCR showed that the expression of E-cadherin at mRNA and protein levels was increased significantly, while the expression of Snail and vimentin at mRNA and protein levels was decreased significantly (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The growth of lung adenocarcinoma H1975 xenografts in nude mice is inhibited by CJD. In addition, the resistance of lung cancer to gefitinib is reversed. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of EMT-related protein expression.     

miR-221 changes resistance of lung cancer cells to gefitinib by regulating PTEN

AIM: To explore the effect of microRNA-221 (miR-221) on resistance of lung cancer cells to gefitinib, and to investigate its related mechanism. METHODS: RT-qPCR was used to detect the levels of miR-221 expression between gefitinib-sensitive cell line PC9 and gefitinib-resistant cell line PC9/GR. The PC9/GR cells were transfected with miR-221 inhibitor by Lipofectamine 2000. The drug sensitivity of these cells to gefitinib was determined by CCK-8 assay. The protein expression level of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) was determined by Western blot. The 3'-UTR of PTEN was cloned into luciferase reporter vector and its luciferase activity was detected to verify whether miR-221 targets PTEN. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-221 in the PC9/GR cells was significantly higher than that in the PC9 cells (P<0.05). The protein expression level of PTEN in the PC9/GR cells was lower than that in the PC9 cells (P<0.05). The IC₅₀ of gefitinib was significantly reduced in the PC9/GR cells after transfection with miR-221 inhibitor (P<0.05). The protein expression level of PTEN in the cells transfected with miR-221 inhibitor was increased as compared with control group and blank group (P<0.05). Inhibition of miR-221 expression enhanced the enzymatic activity of luciferase reporter vector of PTEN. CONCLUSION: miR-221 enhances the resistance of lung cancer cells to gefitinib by down-regulating the protein expression of PTEN.     

Imperatorin increased sensitivity of lung cancer CD133+ cell subsets to gefitinib by down-regulating c-met expression

AIM: To investigate the role of imperatorin in reversing the resistance of the PC9 CD133⁺ cell subsets to gefitinib. METHODS: MTT assay was performed to evaluate the viability of PC9 cells treated with imperatorin and gefitinib. The expression of c-met, activation of caspases and phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), PI3K and AKT in the PC9 cells treated with imperatorin and gefitinib were determined by Western blot. The percentage of CD133⁺ cell subsets population and the apoptotic rate of the PC9 cells treated with imperatorin and gefitinib were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the PC9 CD133⁺ cell subsets to gefitinib was significantly lower than that of the PC9 CD133^- cell subsets. Treatment with gefitinib alone significantly inhibited the protein levels of EGFR/PI3K/AKT in the PC9 CD133^- cell subsets but not the PC9 CD133⁺ cell subsets. Treatment with gefitinib alone increased the percentage of CD133⁺ cell subsets population in the PC9 cells. However, combination of gefitinib with imperatorin significantly inhibited the enrichment of CD133⁺ cell subsets population. Imperatorin down-regulated c-met expression, suggesting the c-met was the target of imperatorin in the PC9 CD133⁺ cell subsets. The results of MTT assay, Western blot analysis and flow cytometry indicated that imperatorin increased the gefitinib induced inhibition of PI3K/AKT protein levels by down-regulating the expression of c-met, which subsequently induced the cleavage of caspases and apoptosis in the PC9 CD133⁺ cell subsets.CONCLUSION: Imperatorin increases the sensitivity of lung cancer CD133⁺ cell subsets to gefitinib by down-regulating the expression of c-met, and the synergistic anti-tumor effect exists between imperatorin and gefitinib.     

Gefitinib inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition by up-regulating Foxo3a expression in mice with bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis

AIM：To identify the effect of gefitinib on the expression of forkhead box protein O3a (Foxo3a), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and related signal pathway molecules in the mice with bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis and to investigate the inhibition mechanism of gefitinib on lung epithelial-mesenchymal transition. METHODS：Thirty Kunming female mice were randomly divided into 3 groups:control group (received normal saline intratracheally), bleomycin group (received bleomycin intratracheally, 3 mg/kg), and bleomycin plus gefitinib group (received bleomycin intratracheally and gefitinib orally, 20 mg/kg). All the mice were sacrificed 14 d after the treatments. Pulmonary histological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining. The mRNA levels of Foxo3a and α-SMA in the lung tissues were detected by RT-PCR. Nuclear Foxo3a, α-SMA, and phosphorylation of EGFR, Akt and Foxo3a in the lung tissues were determined by Western blotting. RESULTS：Gefitinib inhibited bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis and significantly decreased the scores of lung inflammation and fibrosis. Foxo3a mRNA expression and total Foxo3a protein expression were increased, while the phosphorylated Foxo3a was decreased. Nuclear Foxo3a was increased significantly. Meanwhile, phosphorylated EGFR and Akt were decreased. The level of α-SMA was observably increased. CONCLUSION:Gefitinib restores Foxo3a activity and reduces α-SMA expression by modulating EGFR/Akt activity, thus inhibiting bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis.