Expressions of P-glycoprotein, survivin and CD147 molecules on multidrug resistance leukemic cell line K562/Adr

Abstract

Introduction: Leukemia is a hematologic malignant disease. To date, chemotherapy is the most effective method for leukemia treatment. However, multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle of leukemia treatment failure. Previous studies have shown that multidrug resistance phenotype is associated with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and survivin which is a drug transporter protein and inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), respectively. Moreover, overexpressed CD147 has been reported to be involved in the multidrug resistance cell lines. However, the relationship of P-gp, survivin, and CD147 in leukemia with MDR phenotype have not been reported.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the expressions of P-gp, survivin and CD147 in leukemic cells with MDR phenotype K562/Adr compared to drug sensitive K562 cells.

Materials and methods: The sensitivity of the adriamycin on K562/Adr (drug resistance) and K562 (drug sensitive) cells were determined by MTT assay. Expressions of P-gp, survivin, and CD147 were then investigated by RT-PCR and Western blotting.

Results:  Adriamycin showed the cytotoxic effect on K562 cells more than K562/Adr cells with the inhibitory concentration at 50% growth (IC50) values of 2.17±1.02 µM and >10 µM, respectively. P-gp, survivin, and CD147 showed the significant increase in both protein and mRNA levels in K562/Adr cells by Western blot and RT-PCR.

Conclusion: This study is the first report describing the high level expression of P-gp, survivin, and CD147 in leukemia with multidrug resistance phenotype.

Bull Chiang Mai Assoc Med Sci 2015; 48(3): 173-181. Doi: 10.14456/jams.2015.21