verlukast and Breast-Neoplasms

Membrane transporter proteins may influence the sensitivity of cancer cells to anticancer drugs that can be recognized as substrates. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins that play a key role in the drug sensitivity of stomach and breast cancer cell lines by measuring the absolute protein expression levels of multiple transporters and other membrane proteins and examining their correlation to drug sensitivity. Absolute protein expression levels of 90 membrane proteins were examined by quantitative targeted absolute proteomics using liquid chromatography-linked tandem mass spectrometry. Among them, 11 and 14 membrane proteins, including transporters, were present in quantifiable amounts in membrane fraction of stomach cancer and breast cancer cell lines, respectively. In stomach cancer cell lines, the protein expression level of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) was inversely correlated with etoposide sensitivity. MK571, an MRP inhibitor, increased both the cell-to-medium ratio of etoposide and the etoposide sensitivity of MRP1-expressing stomach cancer cell lines. In breast cancer cell lines, the protein expression level of reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1) was directly correlated with methotrexate (MTX) sensitivity. Initial uptake rate and steady-state cell-to-medium ratio of [(3)H]MTX were correlated with both RFC1 expression level and MTX sensitivity. These results suggest that MRP1 modulates the etoposide sensitivity of stomach cancer cell lines and RFC1 modulates the MTX sensitivity of breast cancer cell lines. Our results indicate that absolute quantification of multiple membrane proteins could be a useful strategy for identification of candidate proteins involved in drug sensitivity.

Topics: Biological Transport; Breast Neoplasms; Carrier Proteins; Cell Line, Tumor; Etoposide; Female; Humans; MCF-7 Cells; Membrane Proteins; Membrane Transport Proteins; Methotrexate; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins; Propionates; Proteomics; Quinolines; Replication Protein C; Stomach Neoplasms

15-Deoxy-Δ(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) is a representative J-series cyclopentenone prostaglandin bearing an electrophilic α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group. In the present study, treatment of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells with 15d-PGJ(2) caused the up-regulation of the glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) subunit, the rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione (GSH) synthesis. 15d-PGJ(2) treatment caused nuclear translocation and transactivation of Nrf2, a redox-sensitive transcription factor responsible for induced expression of antioxidant and other cytoprotective genes. siRNA knockdown of Nrf2 abrogated 15d-PGJ(2)-induced GCLC expression. Following 15d-PGJ(2) treatment, the intracellular GSH level was initially diminished but eventually enhanced even above the basal level. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) abolished the 15d-PGJ2-induced Nrf2 activation and GCLC expression. Pharmacologic inhibition or siRNA knockdown of Akt, the target of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K), attenuated 15d-PGJ(2)-induced Nrf2 activation and GCLC expression, and NAC treatment inhibited phosphorylation of Akt, and subsequently Nrf2 activation and GCLC upregulation. 9,10-Dihydro-15-PGJ2, a nonelectrophilic analogue of 15d-PGJ(2) that lacks the ability to form a conjugate with GSH, failed to induce activation of Akt and Nrf2 as well as ROS generation. These findings, taken all together, suggest that intracellular accumulation of ROS formed as a consequence of initial depletion of GSH can activate Akt, which in turn induces Nrf2 activation and subsequently the expression of GCLC, leading to the restoration of GSH. Interestingly, the extracellular GSH level was increased, concomitantly with the depletion of the intracellular GSH following 15d-PGJ(2) treatment. However, 15d-PGJ(2) was unable to influence both intra- and extra-cellular GSH levels when multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1), the efflux pump for GSH conjugates, was blocked by its antagonist, MK571. Moreover, 15d-PGJ(2)-induced GCLC expression was attenuated by the MK571 and also by siRNA knockdown of MRP1, suggesting that MRP1 contributes to 15d-PGJ(2)-mediated up-regulation of GCLC by pumping out the 15d-PGJ(2)-GSH conjugate. It is speculated that 15d-PGJ(2), once effluxed through MRP, liberates from the GSH conjugate, and the free 15d-PGJ(2) re-enters the cell and forms the GSH conjugate again. In conclusion, MRP1 mediates Nrf2-dependent up-regulation of GCLC in

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Female; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; Glutathione; Humans; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Propionates; Prostaglandin D2; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Quinolines; Reactive Oxygen Species; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering; Signal Transduction; Up-Regulation

We previously showed that the anti-inflammatory drug, sulfasalazine (salicylazosulfapyridine, SASP), can arrest proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 mammary cancer cells by inhibiting uptake of cystine via the x(c-) cystine/glutamate antiporter. Here we examined SASP with regard to reduction of cellular glutathione (GSH) levels and drug efficacy-enhancing ability.. GSH levels were measured spectrophotometrically. Cellular drug retention was determined with 3H-labeled methotrexate, and drug efficacy with a colony formation assay.. Incubation of the mammary cancer cells with SASP (0.3-0.5 mM) led to reduction of their GSH content in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Similar to MK-571, a multidrug resistance-associated protein inhibitor, SASP increased intracellular accumulation of methotrexate. Preincubation of cells with SASP (0.3 mM) significantly enhanced the potency of the anticancer agent doxorubicin (2.5 nM).. SASP-induced reduction of cellular GSH levels can lead to growth arrest of mammary cancer cells and enhancement of anticancer drug efficacy.

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; ATP-Binding Cassette Sub-Family B Member 4; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Doxorubicin; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Drug Synergism; Glutathione; Humans; Methotrexate; Oxidation-Reduction; Propionates; Quinolines; Sulfasalazine; Tumor Stem Cell Assay