Preliminary study on the relationship among stem cell markers, drug resistance and PI3K signaling pathway in multiple myeloma (MM) cell.

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aims to explore the mechanism of drug resistance in multiple myeloma (MM).MethodsIn this study, the possible mechanism of chemotherapeutic tolerance was preliminarily explored from two aspects: (I) the changes in cell morphology, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, stem cell markers and the signaling transduction pathway after the irradiation of RPMI-8226 cells; (II) the mechanism of enhancing chemotherapeutic sensitivity through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.ResultsThe results showed that the cell morphology and cell cycle of RPMI-8226 had been significantly changed after receiving a radiation dose of 6 Gy in the logarithmic growth phase, the sensitivity of cells to bortezomib had been decreased, the level of stem cell markers had been upregulated, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway had been activated. However, blocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway caused the expression of the stem cell markers of RPMI-8226 cells. In addition, the sensitivity of cells to bortezomib had been increased.ConclusionsBlocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR might decrease the RPMI-8226 cells which survived the radiotherapy and increase the sensitivity of cells to bortezomib.