title: Insulin can modulate MCF-7 cell response to paclitaxel.
abstract: Insulin regulates metabolism through homologous receptor tyrosine kinases, and plays a role in proliferation of breast cancer cells. Our research studied whether insulin, administered separately or in combination with paclitaxel, interferes with paclitaxel-mediated biological activity in human breast cancer cells. Not only did insulin influence paclitaxel-mediated cell microtubule reorganization, but it also influenced MCF-7 cell sensitivity to paclitaxel. Furthermore, combined administrations of insulin and paclitaxel affected MAPK pathway, Raf-1 activation and p53 expression levels. Our findings indicate that insulin seems to modulate MCF-7 cell response to paclitaxel; consequently, elevated levels of insulin could influence tumor cell resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Oncology, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, Torino 10125, Italy. antonella.miglietta@unito.it
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miglietta
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Panno
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bozzo
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bocca
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D017239:Paclitaxel; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one