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Exosomes mediate drug resistance transfer in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and a probable mechanism is delivery of P-glycoprotein

  • Research Article
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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Acquired drug resistance is a major obstacle to chemotherapy of cancers. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of exosomes in drug-resistance transfer between breast cancer cells and detect the probable mechanism. A docetaxel-resistant variant of MCF-7 cell line (MCF-7/DOC) was established and then compared with the drug-sensitive variant (MCF-7/S). Exosomes were expelled from the cell supernatant using ultracentrifugation. Drug resistance was assessed by apoptosis assay and MTT examination. Expressions of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Stained exosomes were absorbed by receipt cells. MCF-7/S in the presence of exosomes extracted from the supernatant of MCF-7/DOC (DOC/exo) acquired drug resistance, while MCF-7/S exposed to their own exosomes (S/exo) did not. P-gp expression patterns of exosomes were similar as the originated cells. P-gp expression of MCF-7/S increased after incubation with DOC/exo and was affected by the amount of exosomes. Exosomes are effective in transferring drug resistance as well as P-gp from drug-resistant breast cancer cells to sensitive ones. The delivery of P-gp via exosomes may be a mechanism of exosome-mediated drug resistance transfer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The First Clinical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China

    Meng-meng Lv & Xing-ya Zhu

  2. Gulou Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

    Xing-ya Zhu

  3. Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, 42 Baiziting, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu Province, China

    Meng-meng Lv, Wei-xian Chen, Qing Hu, Jun Zhang, Lin Chen & Jin-hai Tang

  4. Center of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, 42 Baiziting, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu Province, China

    Shan-liang Zhong, Teng-fei Ma & Jian-hua Zhao

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  1. Meng-meng Lv
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  2. Xing-ya Zhu
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  3. Wei-xian Chen
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  4. Shan-liang Zhong
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  8. Lin Chen
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  9. Jin-hai Tang
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Correspondence to Jin-hai Tang or Jian-hua Zhao.

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Meng-meng Lv and Xingya Zhu contributed equally to this work.

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Lv, Mm., Zhu, Xy., Chen, Wx. et al. Exosomes mediate drug resistance transfer in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and a probable mechanism is delivery of P-glycoprotein. Tumor Biol. 35, 10773–10779 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2377-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2377-z

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