title: The synergistic effects of low-dose irinotecan and TRAIL on TRAIL-resistant HT-29 colon carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily that induces apoptosis in a broad range of human cancer cell lines while sparing most normal cell types. However, many tumors remain resistant to treatment with TRAIL. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effects of low-dose irinotecan (CPT-11) and TRAIL on TRAIL‑resistant HT-29 colon carcinoma cells and explored potential mechanisms of apoptosis. Cell viability was analyzed by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and DNA ladder assay. The mRNA expression of TRAIL receptors death receptor 4 (DR4) and DR5 were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The changes of Bax and caspase-9 in protein levels were also detected by western blotting. Tumor growth curves were depicted and tumor inhibitive rates were calculated. Our results showed that the antitumor effect of TRAIL could be enhanced significantly by low-dose CPT-11 on TRAIL-resistant HT-29 cells both in vitro and in vivo. The synergistic apoptotic effect of CPT-11 and TRAIL was proposed to be mediated by upregulating DR5 mRNA expression and increasing expression of Bax and caspase-9 proteins. The data suggest that the combination of TRAIL with low-dose CPT-11 could be an effective therapeutic approach for HT-29 colon carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shuijing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Licong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000008:administration & dosage; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C105190:TNFRSF10A protein, human; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000077146:Irinotecan; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053453:Caspase 9; D002166:Camptothecin