Background: The purpose of the present was to investigate whether the in vitro effects of gefitinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may regulate the expression of type III sodium phosphate Na/Pi co-transporters in an in vitro glioma model.
Materials and methods: Proliferation studies, global native EGFR and phosphorylated EGFR expressions, phosphate transporter type III isoform 1(PiT1) expression and phosphate transport with 99mTc-(V)-DMSA radioligand were performed in G111 (grade II astrocytoma), U-87-MG (grade III astrocytoma) and G152 (grade IV glioblastoma) cells.
Results: Cells treated with gefitinib showed a significant decrease in proliferation in relation to EGFR and p-EGFR expression. Gefitinib also produced a decrease in phosphate transport mediated PIT1 expression at both the RNA and protein levels.
Conclusion: The link between gefitinib acting on the EGFR and PiT1 regulation in these cancer cell lines was herein shown.
Keywords: EGFR signaling; Gefitinib; PiT-1; malignant gliomas.
Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.