Delineating the Role of ?IV-Tubulins in Pancreatic Cancer: ?IVb-Tubulin Inhibition Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Vinca Alkaloids.
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ABSTRACT: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal disease which is characterized by chemoresistance. Components of the cell cytoskeleton are therapeutic targets in cancer. ?IV-tubulin is one such component that has two isotypes-?IVa and ?IVb. ?IVa and ?IVb isotypes only differ in two amino acids at their C-terminus. Studies have implicated ?IVa-tubulin or ?IVb-tubulin expression with chemoresistance in prostate, breast, ovarian and lung cancer. However, no studies have examined the role of ?IV-tubulin in PC or attempted to identify isotype specific roles in regulating cancer cell growth and chemosensitivity. We aimed to determine the role of ?IVa- or ?IVb-tubulin on PC growth and chemosensitivity. PC cells (MiaPaCa-2, HPAF-II, AsPC1) were treated with siRNA (control, ?IVa-tubulin or ?IVb-tubulin). The ability of PC cells to form colonies in the presence or absence of chemotherapy was measured by clonogenic assays. Inhibition of ?IVa-tubulin in PC cells had no effect chemosensitivity. In contrast, inhibition of ?IVb-tubulin in PC cells sensitized to vinca alkaloids (Vincristine, Vinorelbine and Vinblastine), which was accompanied by increased apoptosis and enhanced cell cycle arrest. We show for the first time that ?IVb-tubulin, but not ?IVa-tubulin, plays a role in regulating vinca alkaloid chemosensitivity in PC cells. The results from this study suggest ?IVb-tubulin may be a novel therapeutic target and predictor of vinca alkaloid sensitivity for PC and warrants further investigation.
SUBMITTER: Sharbeen G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5126129 | biostudies-other | 2016 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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