title: Survivin siRNA increases sensitivity of primary cultures of ovarian cancer cells to paclitaxel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This aim of this study was to use ovarian cancer cells shed in ascitic fluid to establish primary cultures and subsequently use it to detect drug resistance to paclitaxel. Survivin siRNA was used to down regulate survivin expression and effect on paclitaxel resistance was also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ascitic fluid along with corresponding primary tumor tissue was collected from twenty untreated epithelial ovarian cancer patients. Ten primary cultures were established from ascites obtained from untreated ovarian cancer patients in MCDB 105 and M199 medium (ratio 1:1). Knockdown of survivin was done using siRNA and sensitivity to paclitaxel was evaluated by MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Grape-like clusters of ovarian cancer cells present in ascites attached and gave a characteristic cobble stone appearance. Treatment with survivin siRNA resulted in a fivefold decrease in survivin expression in primary cultures. Survivin siRNA treatment significantly increased the sensitivity of the primary ovarian cancer cell cultures to paclitaxel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ascitic cancer cells reflect the molecular profile of tumor and can be used to diagnose resistance to chemotherapy. This study also establishes that high survivin expression is also responsible for resistance to paclitaxel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences, Room No. 234, New Delhi, Delhi, 110095, India, rajarshi.kar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Palanichamy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000077022:Survivin; D017239:Paclitaxel