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Analysis of Cancer Cell Invasion and Anti-metastatic Drug Screening Using Hydrogel Micro-chamber Array (HMCA)-based Plates
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Regulation of multidrug resistance in cancer cells by hyaluronan

Suniti Misra1, Shibnath Ghatak, Alexandra Zoltan-Jones

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|May 10, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Hyaluronan oligosaccharides suppress cancer cell survival pathways, enhancing chemotherapy effectiveness. This approach also shows intrinsic tumor growth suppression, offering a dual therapeutic strategy.

Area of Science:

  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Oncology
  • Drug Resistance Mechanisms

Background:

  • Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer involves ATP-dependent efflux pumps and altered cell survival/apoptotic signaling.
  • Hyaluronan-tumor cell interactions influence cancer cell signaling and growth.
  • Previous work showed hyaluronan oligosaccharides suppress phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway and reduce tumor growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of hyaluronan oligosaccharides on multidrug resistant (MDR) tumor cells.
  • To determine if these oligosaccharides can sensitize MDR cells to chemotherapeutic drugs.
  • To explore the role of hyaluronan production and emmprin in inducing drug resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of MDR tumor cells with hyaluronan oligosaccharides.
  • Analysis of MAP kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathways.
  • Assessment of sensitization to chemotherapeutic agents.
  • Investigation of increased hyaluronan production and emmprin expression effects on drug sensitivity.

Main Results:

  • Hyaluronan oligosaccharides suppressed both MAP kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways in MDR tumor cells.
  • These oligomers sensitized MDR cells to various chemotherapeutic drugs.
  • Increased hyaluronan production and emmprin expression induced drug resistance in previously sensitive cells.

Conclusions:

  • Perturbation of hyaluronan signaling suppresses MDR tumor cell growth and sensitizes them to chemotherapy.
  • Hyaluronan signaling modulation offers a potential dual therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment.
  • Targeting hyaluronan pathways could overcome chemoresistance and inhibit tumor progression.

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