Increased JNK1 signaling pathway is responsible for ABCG2-mediated multidrug resistance in human colon cancer

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e41763. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041763. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Abstract

Multidrug resistance remains a major obstacle to effective chemotherapy of colon cancer. ABCG2, as a half-transporter of the G subfamily of ATP-binding cassette transporter genes (ABC transporters), is known to play a crucial role in multidrug resistance. However, the molecular mechanism of controlling ABCG2 expression in drug resistance of colon cancer is unclear and scarcely reported. In the present study, we systematically investigate the potential role of the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signal pathway in ABCG2-induced multidrug resistance in colon cancer. In the hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) resistant cell line SW1116/HCPT from human colon cancer cell line SW1116, ABCG2 is the major factor for multidrug resistance, other than well-studied ABCB1 or ABCC1. Our findings indicate that blocking the JNK pathway by pathway inhibitor SP600125 reduces the expression level and transport function of ABCG2 in drug-resistant cells SW116/HCPT. Notably, the experiments of small interfering RNA directed against JNK1 and JNK2 show that only silence of JNK1 gene has the equal effect as SP600125 on dephosphorylation of transcription factor c-Jun and the expression of ABCG2 protein, while the corresponding phenomena were not observed after silence of JNK2 gene. Meanwhile, SP600125 induces the apoptosis of SW116/HCPT cells by promoting the cleavage of PARP and suppressing the anti-apoptotic protein survivin and bcl-2, and increases the sensitivity of SW1116/HCPT to HCPT. Taken together, our work demonstrated that JNK1/c-jun signaling pathway was involved in ABCG2-mediated multidrug resistance in colon cancer cells. Definitely, inhibition of the JNK1/c-jun pathway is useful for reversing ABCG2-mediated drug resistance in HCPT-resistant colon cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / biosynthesis
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / genetics
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / biosynthesis*
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics
  • Anthracenes / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / genetics
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9 / metabolism
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Survivin

Substances

  • ABCB1 protein, human
  • ABCG2 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Anthracenes
  • BIRC5 protein, human
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Survivin
  • pyrazolanthrone
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8
  • multidrug resistance-associated protein 1

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30770964, http://159.226.244.22/portal/proj_search.asp) and the Key laboratory Program of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 06DZ22027, http://www.stcsm.gov.cn/structure/index.htm). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.