Increased P-glycoprotein expression in mitochondria is related to acquired multidrug resistance in human hepatoma cells depleted of mitochondrial DNA

Int J Oncol. 2012 Jan;40(1):109-18. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2011.1181. Epub 2011 Aug 31.

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA-depleted ρ0 cells are resistant to apoptosis, but the mechanism remains unclear. A human hepatoma cell line (SK-Hep1) depleted of mtDNA (ρ0SK-Hep1) was induced by ethidium bromide treatment. The ρ0SK-Hep1 cells were resistant to both doxorubicin- and cisplatin-induced apoptosis, while cybrids (SK-Hep1Cyb) prepared by fusing ρ0SK-Hep1 cells with platelets showed restored susceptibility to both drugs. We observed P-glycoprotein and MRP1 were both overexpressed in ρ0 cells, and more P-glycoproteins were localized in the mitochondria and were functionally active. ρ0 cells showed resistance to chemotherapeutic drug-induced apoptosis. The increased expression and localization of P-glycoproteins in the mitochondria of ρ0 cells may facilitate the exclusion of chemotherapeutic drugs from the mitochondria to the cytosol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / biosynthesis*
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / metabolism*
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Mitochondria, Liver / metabolism*
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / biosynthesis
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / biosynthesis

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BAX protein, human
  • DNA, Mitochondrial
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Doxorubicin
  • multidrug resistance-associated protein 1