EPHA3 regulates the multidrug resistance of small cell lung cancer via the PI3K/BMX/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). EPHA3 has been revealed to be the most frequently mutated Eph receptor gene in lung cancer with abnormal expression. Growing evidence indicates that the signaling proteins of EPHA3 downstream, including PI3K, BMX and STAT3, play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. To explore the possible role of EPHA3 in MDR, we assessed the influence of EPHA3 on chemoresistance, cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumor growth, as well as the relationship between EPHA3 and the expression of PI3K, BMX, and STAT3 in SCLC. We observed that overexpression of EPHA3 in SCLC cells decreased chemoresistance by increasing apoptosis and inducing G0/G1 arrest, accompanied by reduced phosphorylation of PI3K/BMX/STAT3 signaling pathway. Knockdown of EPHA3 expression generated a resistant phenotype of SCLC, as a result of decreased apoptosis and induced G2/M phase arrest. And re-expression of EPHA3 in these cells reversed the resistant phenotype. Meanwhile, increased phosphorylation of PI3K/BMX/STAT3 signaling pathway was observed in these cells with EPHA3 deficiency. Notably, both PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and BMX inhibitor (LFM-A13) impaired the chemoresistance enhanced by EPHA3 deficiency in SCLC cell lines. Furthermore, EPHA3 inhibited growth of SCLC cells in vivo and was correlated with longer overall survival of SCLC patients. Thus, we first provide the evidences that EPHA3 is involved in regulating the MDR of SCLC via PI3K/BMX/STAT3 signaling and may be a new therapeutic target in SCLC.
Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
Juan
J
Peng
Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Road, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
Qiongyao
Q
Wang
Department of Pathology, Armed Police Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510507, China.
Huanxin
H
Liu
Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Road, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
Minting
M
Ye
Department of Pathology, Armed Police Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510507, China.
Xiaoxia
X
Wu
Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, 253 Gongye Road, Guangzhou, 510282, China. linlangg@yahoo.com.
Linlang
L
Guo
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D036121:Receptor, EphA3; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D036121:Receptor, EphA3; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C492367:BMX protein, human; C491718:EPHA3 protein, human
Apoptosis; EPHA3; Multidrug resistance (MDR); Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)