Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important novel target for anticancer therapy. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanisms that underlie the antitumor effects of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody C225 (Cetuximab) and the selective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor ZD1839 (Iressa; AstraZeneca) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Cell growth, assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, was inhibited at low concentrations of ZD1839 and C225 in control A431 cells, whereas the NSCLC cell lines were comparatively more resistant. In A431 cells, but not in the NSCLC cells, ZD1839 treatment resulted in a modest increase in DNA fragmentation, the externalization of phosphatidyl serine, and the activation of caspase-3, known markers of apoptotic cell death. However, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage was not detected, and caspase inhibition by carbobenzoxy-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone partially reduced ZD1839-generated DNA fragmentation. Overexpression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 in A431 cells suppressed the cytotoxicity upon anti-EGFR treatment. These results thus demonstrate that the toxic effect of ZD1839 in A431 cells is caused by a form of cell death that involves a mitochondrial step and is, at least in part, dependent on caspase activation. EGFR expression levels showed no significant correlation with sensitivity to ZD1839 and C225. Evaluation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt pathways showed considerable inhibition of these pathways by ZD1839 and C225 in A431 cells, whereas one or both of these pathways remained active upon anti-EGFR treatment in NSCLC cells. In addition, treatment with specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase resulted in a smaller effect on proliferation than simultaneous treatment with both inhibitors, whereas induction of apoptosis was observed only when both pathways were blocked. Together, these data suggest that persistent activity of either of these signaling pathways is involved in the lack of sensitivity of NSCLC cell lines to EGFR inhibitors.
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PMID:Response to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer cells: limited antiproliferative effects and absence of apoptosis associated with persistent activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase or Akt kinase pathways. 1279 1

To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effects of cetuximab combined with radiotherapy and hypothermia in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE cells. CNE cells were treated with the radiation monotherapy, the radiation and hypothermia, the cetuximab and radiation, and the triple-combination treatment, respectively. MTT assay was performed to assess cell proliferation following treatments. Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry analyses were used to detect apoptotic process. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expression levels. Cetuximab monotherapy inhibited the proliferation of CNE cells. Hyperthermia alone inhibited EGFR expression, and prolonged hypothermia treatment resulted in declining EGFR expression levels in these cells. Moreover, Hoechst 33258 staining showed obvious apoptotic morphologies in the treatment groups. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the interventions dramatically increased the apoptosis rates in CNE cells, with the most potent effect for the triple-combination treatment. Western blot analysis showed that, in the treatment groups, the expression levels of Bax were increased, while the expression levels of Bcl-2 were decreased, leading to significantly elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratios in these groups, with the highest ratio for the triple-combination treatment. Cetuximab combined with radiotherapy and hypothermia treatments could efficiently inhibit the proliferation of CNE cells, and enhance the cellular apoptotic processes via regulating the expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2. Our findings provide experimental evidence for the application of the combination therapy in clinical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
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PMID:Apoptosis-inducing effects of cetuximab combined with radiotherapy and hypothermia on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE cells. 2593 49

Cetuximab and panitumumab, as the highly effective antibodies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), have clinical activity in the patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). These agents have good curative efficacy, but drug resistance also exists at the same time. The effects of KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations and HER2 amplification on the treatment of refractory mCRC have been elucidated and the corresponding countermeasures have been put forward. However, the changes in EGFR and its ligands, the mutations or amplifications of PIK3CA, PTEN, TP53, MET, HER3, IRS2, FGFR1, and MAP2K1, the overexpression of insulin growth factor-1, the low expression of Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death, mismatch repair-deficient, and epigenetic instability may also lead to drug resistance in mCRC. Although the emergence of drug resistance has genetic or epigenetic heterogeneity, most of these molecular changes relating to it are focused on the key signaling pathways, such as the RAS/RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin pathway. Accordingly, numerous efforts to target these signaling pathways and develop the novel therapeutic regimens have been carried out. Herein, we have reviewed the underlying mechanisms of the resistance to anti-EGFR therapy and the possible implications in clinical practice.
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PMID:Anti-EGFR therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer: mechanisms and potential regimens of drug resistance. 3266 50