ABSTRACT
The possibility of using VEGF-R1 receptor for targeted therapy in oncology was investigated. Using the approach to measuring the protein content in intact nuclei of cells, which was developed by us, we showed the presence of this receptor in the nuclei of tumor, but not normal cells. A direct correlation between the level of VEGF-R1 expression in the nucleus and the degree of malignancy of tumor cells, indicating the prognostic value of this parameter, was found. The mechanisms of the functioning of this receptor and the pathways of inhibiting its activity are discussed, and the validity of the selection of VEGF-R1 as a molecular target for anticancer therapy is conformed.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods , Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor/metabolism , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , HumansABSTRACT
AIM: To determine sensitivity of tumor plasmocytes in vitro to cytostatic drugs (prednisolone, alkeran belustin, vincristine, rubomycin, doxorubicin, cytarabin, methotrexate, cysplatin, etoposide). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sensitivity was measured with DISC method in 12 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in two groups: resistant and responsive to induction polychemotherapy (PCT). RESULTS: The groups appeared significantly different by lowering of pathological paraprotein concentration (PIg): by 7.4 +/- 2.5% and 32.5 +/- 3.7%, respectively (p < 0.05). The resistance to the drugs was higher in the resistant patients than in the responders (0.7 +/- 0.28 versus 0.4 +/- 0.02, p < 0.05). PCT schemes of resistant patients contained 65.0 +/- 2.3% of ineffective drugs. In the responders the percentage was 35.7 +/- 5.3% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The relationship exists between resistance of tumor plasmocytes to drugs in vitro and clinical findings.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Multiple Myeloma/pathology , Plasma Cells/drug effects , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Apoptosis/drug effects , Drug Resistance , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy , Plasma Cells/pathology , Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effectsABSTRACT
Chemotherapy of malignant tumors is ineffective usually because of tumor cell resistance to it. Two types of resistance are known: cell resistance to a certain drug and multiple drug resistance (MDR). MDR covers a wide spectrum of drugs with different chemical structure and mechanisms of action. The most frequent cause of MDR is hyperexpression in the plasma membrane of P glycoprotein cells, which is coded for by MDR1 gene realizing active release of many cytotoxic substances from cells (Pgp-MDR). Acquisition of MDR phenotype by patient's cells impedes therapy and is often a poor prognostic sign, and therefore testing of material from cancer patients for MDR phenotype is important for selecting tumor therapy. We adapted the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to evaluating the MDR1 gene expression in peripheral blood cells of patients with hemoblastosis, assessed its sensitivity and specificity, and carried out clinical trials with blood samples from patients with MDR. Comparison of the results of RT-PCR with the findings of other methods used for detection of Pg-MDR showed their good correlation in the majority of cases. These results recommend these method for clinical practice in patients with hemoblastosis.