Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Inhibition of Vav3 could reverse the drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by downregulating JNK signaling pathway

Subjects

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of Vav3 on the multidrug resistance of gastric cancer. Fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assay were used to detect Vav3 and drug resistance genes in gastric cancer tissues as well as gastric cell lines such as SGC7901, SGC7901/adriamycin (ADR) and GES-1. Besides, Vav3-specific small interfering RNA (Vav3-siRNA) was applied to inhibit Vav3 in SGC7901/ADR, and SRB assay was used to determine chemosensitivity. After that, drug resistance genes and proteins in MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were detected after Vav3-siRNA transfection. The results showed that overexpressed Vav3 was found in gastric cancer tissues and SGC7901 and SGC7901/ADR cells. Activity of SGC7901/ADR cells transfected with Vav3-siRNA combined with 5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin was much lower than that of control groups, and MDR1/P-gp, GST-π and Bcl-2, Bax genes were significantly downregulated in Vav3-siRNA transfection group. AKT, ERK and p38 total protein and their phosphorylation levels showed no significant change in Vav3-siRNA-transfected SGC7901/ADR cells, whereas the ratio of C-Jun phosphorylation levels to total C-Jun protein was significantly downregulated. The results suggested that Vav3 may play a role in drug resistance of gastric cancer by inhibiting drug resistance genes MDR1/P-gp, GST-π and Bcl-2 through regulating the JNK signaling pathway.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Huang S, Chen M, Shen Y, Shen W, Guo H, Gao Q et al. Inhibition of activated Stat3 reverses drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in gastric cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2012; 315: 198–205.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Li Y, Tan BB, Fan LQ, Zhao Q, Liu Y, Wang D . Heterogeneity of COX-2 and multidrug resistance between primary tumors and regional lymph node metastases of gastric cancer. Tumori 2012; 98: 516–522.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Schinkel AH, Jonker JW . Mammalian drug efflux transporters of the ATP binding cassette (ABC family: an overview. Adv Drug Del Rev 2003; 55: 3–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. van Zanden JJ, Geraets L, Wortelboer HM, van Bladeren PJ, Rietjens IM, Cnubben NH . Structural requirements for the flavonoid-mediated modulation of glutathione S-transferase P1-1 and GS-X pump activity in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2004; 67: 1607–1617.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Oloumi A, MacPhail SH, Johnston PJ, Banáth JP, Olive PL . Changes in subcellular distribution of topoisomerase IIalpha correlate with etoposide resistance in multicell spheroids and xenograft tumors. Cancer Res 2000; 60: 5747–5753.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fernandez-Salguero PM . A remarkable new target gene for the dioxin receptor: The Vav3 proto-oncogene links AhR to adhesion and migration. Cell Adh Migr 2010; 4: 172–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu Y, Wu X, Dong Z, Lu S . The molecular mechanism of Vav3 oncogene on upregulation of androgen receptor activity in prostate cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2010; 36: 623–633.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Travert M, Huang Y, de Leval L, Martin-Garcia N, Delfau-Larue MH, Berger F et al. Molecular features of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma unravels potential novel therapeutic targets. Blood 2012; 119: 5795–5806.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lee K, Liu Y, Mo JQ, Zhang J, Dong Z, Lu S . Vav3 oncogene activates estrogen receptor and its overexpression may be involved in human breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2008; 8: 158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lin KY, Wang LH, Hseu YC, Fang CL, Yang HL, Kumar KJ et al. Clinical significance of increased guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav3 expression in human gastric cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2012; 10: 750–759.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chen Z, Zhang L, Xia L, Jin Y, Wu Q, Guo H et al. Genomic analysis of drug resistant gastric cancer cell lines by combining mRNA and microRNA expression profiling. Cancer Lett 2014; 350: 43–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mao Z, Zhou J, Luan J, Sheng W, Shen X, Dong X . Tamoxifen reduces P-gp-mediated multidrug resistance via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in ER-negative human gastric cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2014; 68: 179–183.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Xie X, Tang B, Zhou J, Gao Q, Zhang P . Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway increases the chemosensitivity of gastric cancer to vincristine. Oncol Rep 2013; 30: 773–782.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Dong Z, Liu Y, Levin L, Oleksowicz L, Wang J, Lu S . Vav3 oncogene is involved in regulation of secretory phospholipase A2-IIa expression in prostate cancer. Oncol Rep 2011; 25: 1511–1516.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Dong Z, Liu Y, Lu S, Wang A, Lee K, Wang LH et al. Vav3 oncogene is overexpressed and regulates cell growth and androgen receptor activity in human prostate cancer. Mol Endocrinol 2006; 20: 2315–2325.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sauzeau V, Sevilla MA, Rivas-Elena JV, de Alava E, Montero MJ, López-Novoa JM et al. Vav3 proto-oncogene deficiency leads to sympathetic hyperactivity and cardiovascular dysfunction. Nat Med 2006; 12: 841–845.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sauzeau V, Carvajal-González JM, Riolobos AS, Sevilla MA, Menacho-Márquez M, Román AC et al. Transcriptional factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr controls cardiovascular and respiratory functions by regulating the expression of the Vav3 proto-oncogene. J Biol Chem 2011; 286: 2896–2909.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Menacho-Márquez M, García-Escudero R, Ojeda V, Abad A, Delgado P, Costa C et al. The Rho exchange factors Vav2 and Vav3 favor skin tumor initiation and promotion by engaging extracellular signaling loops. PLoS Biol 2013; 11: e1001615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Wu F, Peacock SO, Rao S, Lemmon SK, Burnstein KL . Novel interaction between the co-chaperone Cdc37 and Rho GTPase exchange factor Vav3 promotes androgen receptor activity and prostate cancer growth. J Biol Chem 2013; 288: 5463–5474.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Citterio C, Menacho-Márquez M, García-Escudero R, Larive RM, Barreiro O, Sánchez-Madrid F et al. The rho exchange factors vav2 and vav3 control a lung metastasis-specific transcriptional program in breast cancer cells. Sci Signal 2012; 5: ra71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Salhia B, Tran NL, Chan A, Wolf A, Nakada M, Rutka F et al. The guanine nucleotide exchange factors trio, Ect2, and Vav3 mediate the invasive behavior of glioblastoma. Am J Pathol 2008; 173: 1828–1838.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Qi H, Wei L, Han Y, Zhang Q, Lau AS, Rong J . Proteomic characterization of the cellular response to chemopreventive triterpenoid astragaloside IV in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Int J Oncol 2010; 6: 725–735.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Tan B, Li Y, Zhao Q, Fan L, Wang D, Liu Y . Inhibition of gastric cancer cell growth and invasion through siRNA-mediated knockdown of guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav3. Tumour Biol 2014; 35: 1481–1488.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Zhang Q, Li F . Combating P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance using therapeutic nanoparticles. Curr Pharm Des 2013; 19: 6655–6666.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Salehan MR, Morse HR . DNA damage repair and tolerance: a role in chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Br J Biomed Sci 2013; 70: 31–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Zhu YX, Kortuem KM, Stewart AK . Molecular mechanism of action of immune-modulatory drugs thalidomide, lenalidomide and pomalidomide in multiple myeloma. Leuk Lymphoma 2013; 54: 683–687.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Sui H, Fan ZZ, Li Q . Signal transduction pathways and transcriptional mechanisms of ABCB1/Pgp-mediated multiple drug resistance in human cancer cells. J Int Med Res 2012; 40: 426–435.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Beck WT . The cell biology of multiple drug resistance. Biochem Pharmacol 1987; 36: 2879–2887.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wang Y, Liu L, Liu X, Zhang H, Liu J, Feng B et al. Shugoshin1 enhances multidrug resistance of gastric cancer cells by regulating MRP1, Bcl-2, and Bax genes. Tumour Biol 2013; 34: 2205–2214.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Li Y, Tan BB, Zhao Q, Fan LQ, Liu Y, Hao YJ et al. Tumor chemosensitivity is correlated with expression of multidrug resistance associated factors in variously differentiated gastric carcinoma tissues. Hepatogastroenterology 2013; 60: 213–216.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Li K, Lu Y, Liang J, Luo G, Ren G, Wang X et al. RhoE enhances multidrug resistance of gastric cancer cells by suppressing Bax. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2009; 379: 212–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Guo X, Ma N, Wang J, Song J, Bu X, Cheng Y et al. Increased p38-MAPK is responsible for chemotherapy resistance in human gastric cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2008; 8: 375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Shen H, Xu W, Luo W, Zhou L, Yong W, Chen F et al. Upregulation of mdr1 gene is related to activation of the MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathway and YB-1 nuclear translocation in B-cell lymphoma. Exp Hematol 2011; 39: 558–569.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Tomiyasu H, Watanabe M, Goto-Koshino Y, Fujino Y, Ohno K, Sugano S et al. Regulation of expression of ABCB1 and LRP genes by mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway and its role in generation of side population cells in canine lymphoma cell lines. Leuk Lymphoma 2013; 54: 1309–1315.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Galoian K, Temple HT, Galoyan A . mTORC1 inhibition and ECM-cell adhesion-independent drug resistance via PI3K-AKT and PI3K-RAS-MAPK feedback loops. Tumour Biol 2012; 33: 885–890.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Zhang W, Liu HT . MAPK signal pathways in the regulation of cell proliferation in mammalian cells. Cell Res 2002; 12: 9–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Johnson GL, Lapadat R . Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways mediated by ERK, JNK, and p38 protein kinases. Science 2002; 298: 1911–1912.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y Li.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tan, B., Li, Y., Zhao, Q. et al. Inhibition of Vav3 could reverse the drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by downregulating JNK signaling pathway. Cancer Gene Ther 21, 526–531 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/cgt.2014.59

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/cgt.2014.59

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links