Epithelial
carcinomas of the ovary exhibit the highest mortality rate among gynecologic
malignancies. Studies found that the metabolism of
glycolipids or
carbohydrates is associated with acquirement of anticancer drug-resistance by
cancer cells. This study was to characterize possible involvement of Lewis Y (
Le(Y)) antigen in the drug-resistance of
cancer cells. We transfected the α1,2-fucosyltransferase gene into human ovarian
carcinoma-derived RMG-1 cells and established RMG-1-hFUT cells with enhanced expression of Le(Y). We determined the effects of
docetaxel on the survival of cells by MTT assaying and observed the apoptosis of cells in the presence of
docetaxel by flow cytometric analysis and by transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membranes and intracellular granules in RMG-1-hFUT cells were stained with anti-Le(Y) antibody, the intensity of the staining was higher than that in control cells. The RMG-1-hFUT cells exhibited higher resistance to
docetaxel than the control cells with regard to the
docetaxel concentration and time course.
After treatment with 10 μg/mL
docetaxel for 72 h, the control cells, but not RMG-1-hFUT, contained abundant positively stained cell debris due to disintegration of the cytoskeleton. On transmission electron microscopy, although the control cells treated with
docetaxel as above showed the following morphology, i.e., absence of villi, cells shrunken in size, pyknosis, agglutinated
chromatin and cell buds containing nuclei in the process of apoptosis, the RMG-1-hFUT cells showed only agglutinated
chromatin and vacuoles in the cytoplasm. In summary, cells with enhanced expression of Le(Y) were shown to acquire
docetaxel-resistance, indicating the possible involvement of
glycoconjugates in the drug-resistance.