Connexin 43 enhances paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cell lines

  • Authors:
    • Siqi Wang
    • Shiwu Zhang
    • Zhenying Zhao
    • Chunze Zhang
    • Xiaoyun Yang
    • Yijia Wang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 13, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4589
  • Pages: 1212-1218
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Abstract

Colorectal cancer has a relatively low sensitivity to paclitaxel. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of connexin 43 (Cx43), which is a structural component of gap junctional communication (GJC), in paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cells. Three colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT106, HCT116 and LoVo) were transfected with Cx43 and used to examine paclitaxel cytotoxicity. A western blot assay was used to confirm Cx43 expression in transfected cell lines as well as the expression of several proteins that are associated with paclitaxel cytotoxicity. A parachute dye‑coupling assay was used to measure GJC function. An MTT assay was used to analyze the viability of paclitaxel‑treated cells. Cx43 expression level and GJC function were significantly upregulated by the transfection (P<0.05). The viability of transfected cells was significantly inhibited compared with that of untransfected cells when treated with paclitaxel (20 or 80 nM) at high culture density but not at low culture density (P<0.05). Cx43 transfection significantly increased the mitotic arrest, tubulin polymerization and apoptosis effects of paclitaxel (P<0.05). It was also found that paclitaxel had an inhibitory effect on GJC function after 12 h of treatment in LoVo cells (P<0.05). These results indicate that Cx43 may serve as a target of paclitaxel chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.
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August-2017
Volume 14 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Wang S, Zhang S, Zhao Z, Zhang C, Yang X and Wang Y: Connexin 43 enhances paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cell lines. Exp Ther Med 14: 1212-1218, 2017
APA
Wang, S., Zhang, S., Zhao, Z., Zhang, C., Yang, X., & Wang, Y. (2017). Connexin 43 enhances paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cell lines. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 14, 1212-1218. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4589
MLA
Wang, S., Zhang, S., Zhao, Z., Zhang, C., Yang, X., Wang, Y."Connexin 43 enhances paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cell lines". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 14.2 (2017): 1212-1218.
Chicago
Wang, S., Zhang, S., Zhao, Z., Zhang, C., Yang, X., Wang, Y."Connexin 43 enhances paclitaxel cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cell lines". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 14, no. 2 (2017): 1212-1218. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2017.4589