RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, have attracted attention as anticancer agents that can be applied to standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to examine the antitumour effects and possible fundamental mechanisms of aspirin in pancreatic cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We appraised the antitumour effects of aspirin on cell proliferation and tumour growth, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, signalling pathways, angiogenesis-related proteins, and phosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinases (p-RTKs) and identify miRNAs associated with its antitumour effects. RESULTS: Aspirin inhibited cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer cell lines and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by decreasing the expression of cyclin D1. Aspirin inactivated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß but had no effect on the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, p-RTKs, or angiogenesis-related molecules. Aspirin treatment statistically increased the expression of 274 miRNAs in PANC-1 cells and 30 miRNAs in PK-8 cells and suppressed the expression of 294 miRNAs in PANC-1 cells and 13 miRNAs in PK-8 cells. CONCLUSION: Aspirin inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and induced cell cycle arrest. Aspirin also inactivated GSK-3ß but not the p38 MAPK pathway. Thus, aspirin may be used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer.
Assuntos
Adenocarcinoma , Antineoplásicos , MicroRNAs , Neoplasias Pancreáticas , Adenocarcinoma/tratamento farmacológico , Adenocarcinoma/genética , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Apoptose , Aspirina/farmacologia , Pontos de Checagem do Ciclo Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células , Glicogênio Sintase Quinase 3 beta/genética , Glicogênio Sintase Quinase 3 beta/metabolismo , Humanos , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/genética , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/patologia , Fosforilação , Proteínas Quinases p38 Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Neoplasias PancreáticasRESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: Drug resistance to molecular targeted agents, such as lenvatinib, is an important issue. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism of lenvatinib resistance and to investigate potential drugs that may improve the treatment of lenvatinib-resistant (LR) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: LR cells were developed by long-term culture under lenvatinib exposure. We analyzed the biological characteristics of LR cells in vitro, and investigated the antitumor effects and endogenous mechanisms of cisplatin in LR cells. RESULTS: The proliferative potential of LR cells was enhanced by activation of ERK signaling and changes in several miRNAs. Cisplatin inhibited cell proliferation of LR cells and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, cisplatin triggered the DNA damage response, via the ATM/ATR-Chk1/Chk2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Proliferation of LR cells was induced upon ERK signaling activation. Cisplatin exerted antitumor effects in LR cells and was involved in the regulation of miRNAs associated with drug resistance.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamento farmacológico , Cisplatino/farmacologia , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Compostos de Fenilureia/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Quinolinas/farmacologia , Animais , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Pontos de Checagem da Fase G2 do Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Carga Tumoral , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: The promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene is a regulatory element capable of affecting TERT expression, telomerase activity, and telomerase length. Mutations within the TERT promoter region are the most common mutations in many cancers. In this study, we characterized the TERT promoter mutation status in hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TERT promoter mutation status was assessed by digital PCR in 12 liver cancer, 5 cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), 12 pancreatic cancer, 17 gastrointestinal cancer, and 3 healthy control cell lines. RESULTS: The C228T promoter mutation was detected in 9 liver cancer lines, and the C250T TERT mutation was detected in 1 oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma line. CONCLUSION: The C228T promoter mutation is specific to liver cancer cell lines among various gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. These data will contribute to future research on the tumorigenic mechanisms and clinical use of digital PCR to detect mutations.
