Emodin affects ERCC1 expression in breast cancer cells.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Multi-drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is a major cause of treatment failure in breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of emodin on reversing the multi-drug resistance, examined the ERCC1 protein expression in breast cancer cell line, and explored the relationship between reversal of multi-drug resistance and ERCC1 protein expression.

METHODS:

MTT assay was conducted to test the cytotoxicity of adriamycin and cisplatin to MCF-7/Adr cells with and without emodin pretreatment, and Western blot was performed to examine the ERCC1 protein expression.

RESULTS:

MCF-7/Adr cells had 21-fold and 11-fold baseline resistances to adriamycin and cisplatin, respectively. When emodin was added to the cell culture at the concentration of 10 μg/ml, the drug resistance was reduced from 21 folds to 2.86 folds for adriamycin, and from 11 folds to 1.79 folds for cisplatin. MCF-7/Adr cells treated with two concentrations (10 μg/mL and 20 μg/mL) of emodin, after 2, 4, 6, 10 days, the trend of ERCC1 expression was gradually decreased and the reduction was more obvious comparatively at the concentration of 20 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS:

Emodin could reverse the multi-drug resistance in MCF-7/Adr cells and down-regulate ERCC1 protein expression.

• Authors: Jian-min Fu, Jie Zhou, Jian Shi, Jian-sheng Xie, Li Huang, Adrian Y S Yip, Wings T Y Loo, Louis W C Chow, Elizabeth L Y Ng
• Journal: Journal of translational medicine (J Transl Med) Vol. 10 Suppl 1 Pg. S7 (Sep 19 2012) ISSN: 1479-5876 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23046742 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA-Binding Proteins
• Doxorubicin
• ERCC1 protein, human
• Endonucleases
• Emodin
• Cisplatin

Topics

• Blotting, Western
• Breast Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Cisplatin (pharmacology)
• DNA-Binding Proteins (metabolism)
• Doxorubicin (pharmacology)
• Emodin (pharmacology)
• Endonucleases (metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Inhibitory Concentration 50
• MCF-7 Cells