Reversal effect of resveratrol on chemotherapy resistance in KBv200 cell line and underlying mechanisms

Abstract

To explore the reversal effect and potential mechanism of resveratrol on multidrug resistance of human oral epidermoid carcinoma KBv200 cells. MTT assay was used to investigate reversal index of resveratrol to vincristine, adriamycin and paclitaxel. Cell apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein expression of multidrug resistant 1 (MDR1) and B cell lymphoma leukemia-2 (Bcl-2). Resveratrol produced a synergistic effect with chemotherapeutics and obviously reversed the multidrug resistant phenotype of KBv200 cells. The reversal fold (RF) of 200 micromol/L resveratrol to vincristine, paclitaxel and adriamycin were 77.1, 61.3 and 5.9, respectively. The gene array results showed that resveratrol greatly downregulated expression levels of Bcl-2 and MDR1. After treated with 100 micromol/L, 200 micromol/L resveratrol, the expression level of Bcl-2 and MDR1 in KBv200 cells were markedly decreased in comparison with those untreated (t were 2.98, 3.51 and 3.12, 4.56, P < 0.05). Resveratrol can efficiently reverse multidrug resistance in KBv200 cells. The potential mechanism may be via inhibiting the multidrug resistant gene expressions and/or promoting cell apoptosis.