MUC5B silencing reduces chemo-resistance of MCF-7 breast tumor cells and impairs maturation of dendritic cells

Int J Oncol. 2016 May;48(5):2113-23. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3434. Epub 2016 Mar 10.

Abstract

Mucins participate in cancer progression by regulating cell growth, adhesion, signaling, apoptosis or chemo-resistance to drugs. The secreted mucin MUC5B, the major component of the respiratory tract mucus, is aberrantly expressed in breast cancer, where it could constitute a cancer biomarker. In this study we evaluated the role of MUC5B in breast cancer by gene silencing the MUC5B expression with short hairpin RNA on MCF-7 cells. We found that MUC5B-silenced MCF-7 cells have a reduced capacity to grow, adhere and form cell colonies. Interestingly, MUC5B knock-down increased the sensitivity to death induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. We also show that MUC5B silencing impaired LPS-maturation of DCs, and production of cytokines. Furthermore, MUC5B knock-down also influenced DC-differentiation and activation since it resulted in an upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10, cytokines that might be involved in cancer progression. Thus, MUC5B could enhance the production of LPS-induced cytokines, suggesting that the use of MUC5B-based cancer vaccines combined with DC-maturation stimuli, could favor the induction of an antitumor immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Female
  • Gene Silencing
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / adverse effects
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mucin-5B / genetics*
  • Mucin-5B / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • MUC5B protein, human
  • Mucin-5B