RESUMEN
AIM:To explore the molecular mechanism through which curcumin reverses hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer cells.METHODS:The methods of MTT assay, wound healing assay and Western blot were used to observe the effects of HGF, curcumin and gefitinib on the migration, drug susceptibility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and related signaling pathways in the PC9 lung cancer cells.RESULTS:HGF reduced susceptibility of the PC9 cells to gefitinib, and curcumin significantly reversed HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib.HGF induced migration and epihelial-mesenchymal transition, and promoted c-Met/AKT/mTOR pathway activation in the PC9 cells.Gefitinib alone did not prevent the above activities.However, combined with curcumin, gefitinib prevented the above activities.CONCLUSION:Curcumin reverses HGF-induced resistance of the PC9 cells to gefitinib by preventing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inhibiting c-Met/AKT/mTOR activation.