MicroRNA-214 regulates the acquired resistance to gefitinib via the PTEN/AKT pathway in EGFR-mutant cell lines

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2012;13(1):255-60. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2012.13.1.255.

Abstract

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations derive clinical benefit from treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors ((EGFR-TKIs)- namely gefitinib and erlotinib. However, these patients eventually develop resistance to EGFR-TKIs. Despite the fact that this acquired resistance may be the result of a secondary mutation in the EGFR gene, such as T790M or amplification of the MET proto-oncogene, there are other mechanisms which need to be explored. MicroRNAs (miRs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis, tumor progression and chemo-resistance. In this study, we firstly successfully established a gefitinib resistant cell line-HCC827/GR, by exposing normal HCC827 cells (an NSCLC cell line with a 746E-750A in-frame deletion of EGFR gene) to increasing concentrations of gefitinib. Then, we found that miR-214 was significantly up-regulated in HCC827/ GR. We also showed that miR-214 and PTEN were inversely expressed in HCC827/GR. Knockdown of miR-214 altered the expression of PTEN and p-AKT and re-sensitized HCC827/GR to gefitinib. Taken together, miR-214 may regulate the acquired resistance to gefitinib in HCC827 via PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. Suppression of miR-214 may thus reverse the acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics*
  • Gefitinib
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / genetics
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • MAS1 protein, human
  • MIRN214 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Quinazolines
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human
  • Gefitinib