1
|
Romano G, Santi L, Bianco MR, Giuffrè MR, Pettinato M, Bugarin C, Garanzini C, Savarese L, Leoni S, Cerrito MG, Leone BE, Gaipa G, Grassilli E, Papa M, Lavitrano M, Giovannoni R. The TGF-β pathway is activated by 5-fluorouracil treatment in drug resistant colorectal carcinoma cells. Oncotarget 2017; 7:22077-91. [PMID: 26956045 PMCID: PMC5008345 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TGF-β pathway is generally associated with the processes of metastasis, angiogenesis and EMT in cancer. Very little is known, however, about the role of TGF-β in cancer drug resistance. In this work, we show a specific activation of the TGF-β pathway in consequence of chemotherapeutic treatment in in vivo and in vitro models of colorectal carcinoma. 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) was able to stimulate the activation of SMAD3 and the transcription of specific genes such as ACVRL1, FN1 and TGFB1. On the other hand, the specific inhibition of TGF-βRI was able to repress the 5FU-induced genes transcription and to restore the sensitivity of chemoresistant cells to the toxic action of the drug, by decreasing the expression of BCL2L1 and ID1 genes. The role of the TGF-β molecule in the chemoresistant colon carcinoma cells' response to 5FU was further demonstrated by conditioned medium (CM) experiments: CM from 5FU-treated chemoresistant cells was able to protect chemosensitive cells against the toxic action of 5FU. In conclusion, these findings showed the pivotal role of TGF-β pathway in colon cancer mechanisms of drug resistance suggesting new possible approaches in diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Romano
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Ludovica Santi
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Bianco
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Giuffrè
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Pettinato
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Cristina Bugarin
- M. Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Clinic, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Cristina Garanzini
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Leonilde Savarese
- Laboratory of Neuronal Networks, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Leoni
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Cerrito
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Biagio Eugenio Leone
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gaipa
- M. Tettamanti Research Center, Pediatric Clinic, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Emanuela Grassilli
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Michele Papa
- Laboratory of Neuronal Networks, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Marialuisa Lavitrano
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| | - Roberto Giovannoni
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900, Monza, Italy
| |
Collapse
|