Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy

  • Authors:
    • Wai M. Liu
    • Katherine A. Scott
    • Jayne L. Dennis
    • Elwira Kaminska
    • Alan J. Levett
    • Angus G. Dalgleish
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 7, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3567
  • Pages: 793-802
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Abstract

It has been reported that lower doses of the opioid antagonist naltrexone are able to reduce tumour growth by interfering with cell signalling as well as by modifying the immune system. We have evaluated the gene expression profile of a cancer cell line after treatment with low-dose naltrexone (LDN), and assessed the effect that adapting treatment schedules with LDN may have on enhancing efficacy. LDN had a selective impact on genes involved with cell cycle regulation and immune modulation. Similarly, the pro-apoptotic genes BAD and BIK1 were increased only after LDN. Continuous treatment with LDN had little effect on growth in different cell lines; however, altering the treatment schedule to include a phase of culture in the absence of drug following an initial round of LDN treatment, resulted in enhanced cell killing. Furthermore, cells pre-treated with LDN were more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of a number of common chemotherapy agents. For example, priming HCT116 with LDN before treatment with oxaliplatin significantly increased cell killing to 49±7.0 vs. 14±2.4% in cultures where priming was not used. Interestingly, priming with NTX before oxaliplatin resulted in just 32±1.8% cell killing. Our data support further the idea that LDN possesses anticancer activity, which can be improved by modifying the treatment schedule.
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August-2016
Volume 49 Issue 2

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

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Spandidos Publications style
Liu WM, Scott KA, Dennis JL, Kaminska E, Levett AJ and Dalgleish AG: Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy. Int J Oncol 49: 793-802, 2016
APA
Liu, W.M., Scott, K.A., Dennis, J.L., Kaminska, E., Levett, A.J., & Dalgleish, A.G. (2016). Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy. International Journal of Oncology, 49, 793-802. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3567
MLA
Liu, W. M., Scott, K. A., Dennis, J. L., Kaminska, E., Levett, A. J., Dalgleish, A. G."Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy". International Journal of Oncology 49.2 (2016): 793-802.
Chicago
Liu, W. M., Scott, K. A., Dennis, J. L., Kaminska, E., Levett, A. J., Dalgleish, A. G."Naltrexone at low doses upregulates a unique gene expression not seen with normal doses: Implications for its use in cancer therapy". International Journal of Oncology 49, no. 2 (2016): 793-802. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3567