Abstract B21: Chemoresistant bladder cancer cells induces epithelial mesenchymal transition

Abstract

Abstract Although chemotherapeutic treatments are efficacious in a number of cancers, some cancer cells ultimately will become resistant to chemotherapy. It has been suggested that chronic chemotherapy-resistance is linked to the induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is associated with increased tumor invasiveness, development of angiogenesis, and the development of drug resistance and is linked to more aggressive cancer. The objective of this study is to determine if a link exists between mitomycin C (MMC)-resistant RT-4 bladder cancer cells and the induction of EMT. EMT is a process where cells acquire molecular alterations characterized by loss of cell-cell adhesion, repression of E-cadherin expression, and increased cell mobility. Clinical studies have shown that as bladder cancer grade increases, tumors typically exhibit a decreased expression of E-cadherin, a cell-cell adhesion molecule. In addition, there is an increase in N-cadherin expression in muscle invasive bladder tumors. We have shown that MMC-resistant human RT-4 bladder cancer cells demonstrate a decrease in cell-cell adhesion, a higher invasion potential, and a higher CD44(+)/CD24(-) ratio (96.4%) compared to parental human RT-4 bladder cancer cells. In addition, the invasion capacity of MMC-resistant RT-4 bladder cancer cells was higher than that of parental cells. The MMC-resistant RT-4 bladder cancer cells expressed higher levels of N-cadherin and numerous apoptotic related proteins including pSTAT3, RAD17, Bcl-X and catalase. Using an exon array we showed that the MMC-resistant RT-4 bladder cancer cells up-regulate several EMT markers including vimentin (77 times), transforming growth factor -beta (27 times), and Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (33 times) and down-regulate E-cadherin (71 times). In summary, in our MMC-resistant RT4 bladder cancer cells, EMT was activated, and there was an increase in apoptotic related proteins as well as an increase N-cadherin expression. Our data suggest a link between chemotherapy-resistant bladder cancer cells and EMT. Deactivating EMT and down-regulating apoptotic related proteins may offer a novel strategy for overcoming bladder cancer drug resistance. Citation Format: Jingchun Liu, Darryl T. Martin, Marcia A. Wheeler, Robert M. Weiss. Chemoresistant bladder cancer cells induces epithelial mesenchymal transition. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Drug Sensitivity and Resistance: Improving Cancer Therapy; Jun 18-21, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(4 Suppl): Abstract nr B21.