%0 Journal Article %A YUSUKE ASADA %A MASASHI TSURUTA %A KOJI OKABAYASHI %A KOHEI SHIGETA %A TAKASHI ISHIDA %A TAKEHIRO SHIMADA %A HIROFUMI SUZUMURA %A KAORU KOISHIKAWA %A SHINGO AKIMOTO %A HIROTOSHI HASEGAWA %A YUKO KITAGAWA %T Inhibition of Heat-shock Protein 27 Reduces 5-Fluorouracil-acquired Resistance in Human Colon Cancer Cells %D 2021 %R 10.21873/anticanres.14885 %J Anticancer Research %P 1283-1290 %V 41 %N 3 %X Background/Aim: In previous work we showed that expression of heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27; encoded by HSPB1) was associated with inherent resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). However, the relationship between HSP27 and acquired resistance remains unknown. Materials and Methods: We generated an acquired resistance model (WiDr-R) of a colon cancer cell line by exposing WiDr cells to 5-FU. Cell viability assays under treatment with 5-FU, as well as down-regulation of HSP27 using small interfering HSP27 RNA, were performed. HSP27 mRNA and protein expression was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Results: 5-FU-acquired resistance induced overexpression of HSP27 mRNA and protein levels in WiDr-R cells. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of HSP27 in WiDr-R cells reduced 5-FU-acquired resistance. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that HSP27 is associated with 5-FU resistance in human colon cancer cell cells and suggest that HSP27 regulation represents a novel approach to overcoming chemoresistance in colorectal cancer. %U https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/41/3/1283.full.pdf