[Autocrine IL-1beta secretion leads to NF-kappabeta-mediated chemoresistance in pancreatic carcinoma cells in vivo]. / Autokrine IL-1beta-Sekretion führt zu erhöhter NF-kappaB-Aktivität und zu Chemoresistenz in Pankreaskarzinomzellen in vivo.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a highly malignant phenotype and a profound chemoresistance. Thus, options for an effective treatment of this disease are still quite poor. In this study, it was investigated whether the autocrine secretion of interleukin-(IL-)1beta is related to a chemoresistant phenotype of PDAC cells in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human PancTu1 PDAC cells were inoculated subcutaneously into female SCID mice. After 10 days of outgrowth, animals were randomized and left untreated or treated with an IL-1beta-RI antibody, etoposide, or a combination of both. After treatment for 14 days, tumor sizes were determined and each tumor was analyzed immunohistochemically for apoptosis (TUNEL), activated NF-kappaB (p65), and vascularization (CD31 staining). RESULTS: The combination of IL-1beta-RI antibody and etoposide led to a significantly reduced outgrowth of PancTu1 tumors in comparison to the monotherapies or no treatment. Accordingly, the number of apoptotic cells was significantly elevated in tumors of the combination group. After treatment with the IL-1beta-RI antibody, less activated NF-kappaB was present in tumors compared to the control group. Moreover, tumors of the combination group showed a clearly reduced vascularization. CONCLUSION: The autocrine secretion of IL-1beta contributes to a constitutively increased NF-kappaB activity in PDAC cells along with a chemoresistant phenotype.

Role of NF-kappaB and Akt/PI3K in the resistance of pancreatic carcinoma cell lines against gemcitabine-induced cell death.

Pancreatic cancer is resistant to almost all cytotoxic drugs. Currently, gemcitabine appears to be the only clinically active drug but, because of pre-existing or acquired chemoresistance of most of the tumor cells, it failed to significantly improve the outcome of pancreatic carcinoma patients. The current study examined the relevance of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and PI3K/Akt in the resistance of five pancreatic carcinoma cell lines towards gemcitabine. Treatment for 24 h with gemcitabine (0.04-20 micro M) led to a strong induction of apoptosis in PT45-P1 and T3M4 cells but not in BxPc-3, Capan-1 and PancTu-1 cells. These resistant cell lines exhibited a high basal NF-kappaB activity in contrast to the sensitive cell lines. Furthermore, gemcitabine showed a dose-dependent induction of NF-kappaB. At a dose of 0.04 micro M, gemcitabine still induced apoptosis in the sensitive cell lines, but did not induce NF-kappaB. In addition, NF-kappaB inhibition by MG132, sulfasalazine or the IkappaBalpha super-repressor strongly diminished the resistance against gemcitabine (0.04-20 micro M). In contrast to this obvious correlation between basal NF-kappaB activity and gemcitabine resistance, PI3K/Akt seems not to be involved in gemcitabine resistance of these cell lines. Neither did the basal Akt activity correlate with the sensitivity towards gemcitabine treatment, nor did the inhibition of PI3K/Akt by LY294002 alter gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that constitutive NF-kappaB activity confers resistance against gemcitabine and that modulation of this activity by pharmacological or genetic approaches may have therapeutical potential when combined with gemcitabine in the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma.

Autocrine production of interleukin 1beta confers constitutive nuclear factor kappaB activity and chemoresistance in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines.

We have recently shown that several pancreatic carcinoma cell lines are resistant to topoisomerase IIalpha inhibitors due to elevated basal nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity, and blockade of this activity by various means strongly increased chemosensitivity. In search of possible mechanisms leading to exaggerated NF-kappaB activity, we identified interleukin (IL)-1beta as a key mediator of this activation in two of the chemoresistant cell lines (A818-4 and PancTu-1). These cells express and secrete high levels of IL-1beta, as demonstrated by reverse transcription-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and ELISA. Culture supernatants from both cell lines induced NF-kappaB activity in chemosensitive PT45-P1 pancreatic carcinoma cells and significantly attenuated etoposide-induced apoptosis in a NF-kappaB-dependent fashion, similar to that seen in PT45-P1 cells treated with recombinant IL-1beta. Treatment of these cells with IL-1beta also changed the DNA damage characteristics toward those observed in A818-4 and PancTu-1 cells. NF-kappaB activation and the gain of chemoresistance in PT45-P1 cells on treatment with supernatants from both chemoresistant cell lines was abolished in the presence of a blocking anti-IL-1 receptor (I) antibody. Furthermore, this antibody decreased the resistance of A818-4 and PancTu-1 cells to etoposide treatment along with reduced NF-kappaB activity. Blockade of NF-kappaB activation by MG132, sulfasalazine, or an IkappaBalpha superrepressor disrupted the IL-1beta-mediated amplification loop and the accompanying chemoresistance. Our data provide insights into an autocrine mechanism involving IL-1beta by which pancreatic carcinoma cells develop chemoresistance that could serve as a molecular target in anticancer therapy.