Anti‑proliferative action of IL‑6R-targeted antibody tocilizumab for non-small cell lung cancer cells

Kim,Na‑Hyun; Kim,Seong‑Kwan; Kim,Dong‑Soon; Zhang,Dan; Park,Jin‑A; Yi,Hee; Kim,Jin‑Suk; Shin,Ho‑Chul

doi:10.3892/ol.2015.3019

Anti‑proliferative action of IL‑6R-targeted antibody tocilizumab for non-small cell lung cancer cells

Authors:
- Na‑Hyun Kim
- Seong‑Kwan Kim
- Dong‑Soon Kim
- Dan Zhang
- Jin‑A Park
- Hee Yi
- Jin‑Suk Kim
- Ho‑Chul Shin
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Affiliations: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea
Published online on: March 9, 2015 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2015.3019
Pages: 2283-2288

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Abstract

In the present study we analyzed the anti‑proliferative effect of tocilizumab, a humanized recombinant monoclonal interleukin 6 receptor (IL‑6R) antibody, against non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, including A549, H460, H358 and H1299 cells. The cell cycle distribution of NSCLCs was analyzed using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and gene expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell lysates treated with tocilizumab were immunoblotted with antibodies against signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phospho‑STAT3, extracellular‑signal‑regulated kinases (ERK), phospho‑ERK, nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and phospho‑NFκB. Significant growth inhibition of NSCLC cells was observed following treatment with tocilizumab. Proliferation was significantly decreased by approximately 10‑40% in A549, H460, H1299 and H358 cells, with an inhibition rate that was comparable with that of the typical anticancer drugs methotrexate and 5‑fluorouracil. NSCLC cell populations were accumulated in the sub‑G1 phase by treatment with tocilizumab. Western blot analyses revealed a possible activation of the NFκB pathway by tocilizumab. Overall, these data indicate that tocilizumab has anticancer potency via apoptosis induction as an agonistic IL‑6R regulator. Therefore, we suggest that this anti‑IL‑6R antibody may be utilized as a new targeting molecule for NSCLC therapies.

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