Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate

  • Authors:
    • Onika T. Murray
    • Chi C. Wong
    • Kvetoslava Vrankova
    • Basil Rigas
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 27, 2013     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.2190
  • Pages: 521-529
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Abstract

Phospho-sulindac (P-S), a promising anticancer agent, is efficacious in pre-clinical models of human cancer and is apparently safe. Here, we studied the effect of P-S on pancreatic cancer growth. We found that P-S strongly inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, is efficacious in inhibiting the growth of pancreatic xenografts in nude mice, and has an excellent safety profile. Microarray analysis revealed that P-S induced the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, isoform c1 (NFATc1) gene. NFATc1, a calcineurin-responsive transcription factor associated with aggressive pancreatic cancer. The role of increased NFATc1 expression on the growth inhibitory effect of P-S on cancer growth was evaluated by silencing or by overexpressing it both in vitro and in vivo. We found that when the expression of NFATc1 was abrogated by RNAi, pancreatic cancer cells were more responsive to treatment with P-S. Conversely, overexpressing the NFATc1 gene made the pancreatic cancer cells less responsive to treatment with P-S. NFATc1 likely mediates drug resistance to P-S and is an unfavorable prognostic factor that predicts poor tumor response. We also demonstrated that NFATc1-mediated resistance can be overcome by cyclosporin A (CsA), an NFAT inhibitor, and that the combination of P-S and CsA synergistically inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth. In conclusion, our preclinical data establish P-S as an efficacious drug for pancreatic cancer in preclinical models, which merits further evaluation.
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2014-February
Volume 44 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Murray OT, Wong CC, Vrankova K and Rigas B: Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate. Int J Oncol 44: 521-529, 2014
APA
Murray, O.T., Wong, C.C., Vrankova, K., & Rigas, B. (2014). Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate. International Journal of Oncology, 44, 521-529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.2190
MLA
Murray, O. T., Wong, C. C., Vrankova, K., Rigas, B."Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate". International Journal of Oncology 44.2 (2014): 521-529.
Chicago
Murray, O. T., Wong, C. C., Vrankova, K., Rigas, B."Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate". International Journal of Oncology 44, no. 2 (2014): 521-529. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.2190