RESUMO
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors invariably develop resistance to cytotoxic and targeted agents, resulting in failed treatment and tumor recurrence. Previous in vivo short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screening evidence revealed mitochondrial-processing peptidase (PMPC) as a leading gene contributing to tumor cell resistance against sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor used to treat advanced HCC. Here, we investigated the contributory role of the ß subunit of PMPC (PMPCB) in sorafenib resistance. Silencing PMPCB increased HCC tumor cell susceptibility to sorafenib therapy, decreased liver tumor burden, and improved survival of tumor-bearing mice receiving sorafenib. Moreover, sorafenib + PMPCB shRNA combination therapy led to attenuated liver tumor burden and improved survival outcome for tumor-bearing mice, and it reduced colony formation in murine and human HCC cell lines in vitro. Additionally, PMPCB silencing enhanced PINK1-Parkin signaling and downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1 in sorafenib-treated HCC cells, which is indicative of a healthier pro-apoptotic phenotype. Higher pre-treatment MCL-1 expression was associated with inferior survival outcomes in sorafenib-treated HCC patients. Elevated MCL-1 expression was present in sorafenib-resistant murine HCC cells, while MCL-1 knockdown sensitized these cells to sorafenib. In conclusion, our findings advocate combination regimens employing sorafenib with PMPCB knockdown or MCL-1 knockdown to circumvent sorafenib resistance in HCC patients.
Assuntos
Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Metaloendopeptidases/genética , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética , Proteína de Sequência 1 de Leucemia de Células Mieloides/genética , RNA Interferente Pequeno/administração & dosagem , Sorafenibe/administração & dosagem , Animais , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Sinergismo Farmacológico , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Metaloendopeptidases/antagonistas & inibidores , Metaloendopeptidases/metabolismo , Camundongos , Proteínas Mitocondriais/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas Mitocondriais/metabolismo , Proteína de Sequência 1 de Leucemia de Células Mieloides/metabolismo , RNA Interferente Pequeno/farmacologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Sorafenibe/farmacologia , Análise de Sobrevida , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Peptidase de Processamento MitocondrialRESUMO
An HPLC-photodiode array (PDA) detection method was established for the simultaneous determination of 12 components in Xiao-Yao-San-Jia-Wei (XYSJW): geniposide, puerarin, paeoniflorin, ferulic acid, liquiritin, hesperidin, naringin, paeonol, daidzein, glycyrrhizic acid, honokiol, and magnolol. These were separated in less than 70 min using a Waters Symmetry Shield RP 18 column with gradient elution using (A) acetonitrile, (B) water, and (C) acetic acid at a flow rate of 1 ml/min, and with a PDA detector. All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r(2)>0.9992) within the test ranges. The method was validated for specificity, accuracy, precision, and limits of detection. The proposed method enables in a single run the simultaneous identification and determination for quality control of 12 multi-structural components of XYSJW forming the basis of its therapeutic effect.