The effect of new drug exposure versus a drug free interval on prior drug resistance in ovarian cancer
Date
2016-06-16
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Abstract
Continuous exposure of ovarian tumours to a chemotherapy drug can result in the acquisition of
drug resistance, which ultimately leads to chemotherapy failure and the death of a great majority
of ovarian cancer patients. While previous studies suggest that withdrawal of the chemotherapy
drug for a period of time (the drug-free interval) can result in restored clinical sensitivity to the
drug, it is unclear whether exposure to a new drug of contrasting mechanism of action may
accelerate restored sensitivity to the prior drug. In this study, we exposed a carboplatin-resistant
ovarian tumour cell line (A2780CBN) to increasing concentrations of docetaxel (A2780CBNDXL
cells) or we permitted the cells to grow in the absence of drug for an identical number of drug
passages (A2780CBNCC cells). Similarly, we exposed a docetaxel-resistant ovarian tumour cell
line (A2780DXL) to increasing concentrations of carboplatin (A2780DXLCBN cells) or we
permitted the cells to growth in the absence of drug for an identical period (A2780DXLCC cells).
By measuring the sensitivity of the above cell lines to either carboplatin or docetaxel, the aim of
my thesis studies was to compare the effects of a drug-free interval or the acquisition of new
drug resistance on prior drug resistance in vitro. The results showed that the prior carboplatin
resistance was not significantly altered by the acquisition of docetaxel resistance or by
withdrawal of carboplatin. However, prior docetaxel resistance was greatly reduced by selection
for carboplatin resistance or by prolonged docetaxel withdrawal. Microarray analysis suggests
that the loss of docetaxel resistance may be related to down-regulated expression of the ABCB1
and ABCB4 genes, which encode multidrug transporters. It may also relate to up-regulation of
CYP1B1 gene expression, which encodes cytochrome P450, a phase I enzyme involved in taxane
metabolism. The microarray analysis data also suggests that the newly established carboplatin
resistance in A2780DXLCBN cells may be related to the expression of genes that promote cell
survival by protecting cells from apoptotic death.
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Keywords
Docetaxel, Carboplatin, Ovarian Cancer, A2780