Chemoresistance acquisition induces a global shift of expression of aniogenesis-associated genes and increased pro-angogenic activity in neuroblastoma cells.
BACKGROUND
Chemoresistance acquisition may influence cancer cell biology. Here, bioinformatics analysis of gene expression data was used to identify chemoresistance-associated changes in neuroblastoma biology.


RESULTS
Bioinformatics analysis of gene expression data revealed that expression of angiogenesis-associated genes significantly differs between chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells. A subsequent systematic analysis of a panel of 14 chemosensitive and chemoresistant neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro and in animal experiments indicated a consistent shift to a more pro-angiogenic phenotype in chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells. The molecular mechanisms underlying increased pro-angiogenic activity of neuroblastoma cells are individual and differ between the investigated chemoresistant cell lines. Treatment of animals carrying doxorubicin-resistant neuroblastoma xenografts with doxorubicin, a cytotoxic drug known to exert anti-angiogenic activity, resulted in decreased tumour vessel formation and growth indicating chemoresistance-associated enhanced pro-angiogenic activity to be relevant for tumour progression and to represent a potential therapeutic target.


CONCLUSIONS
A bioinformatics approach allowed to identify a relevant chemoresistance-associated shift in neuroblastoma cell biology. The chemoresistance-associated enhanced pro-angiogenic activity observed in neuroblastoma cells is relevant for tumour progression and represents a potential therapeutic target.
Institut für Medizinische Virologie, Klinikum der J,W, Goethe-Universität, Paul Ehrlich-Str, 40, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. michaelis@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Martin
M
Michaelis
Denise
D
Klassert
Susanne
S
Barth
Tatyana
T
Suhan
Rainer
R
Breitling
Bernd
B
Mayer
Nora
N
Hinsch
Hans W
HW
Doerr
Jaroslav
J
Cinatl
Jindrich
J
Cinatl
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002642:Chick Embryo; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019295:Computational Biology; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004317:Doxorubicin; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases