Murine leukemia P388 vinorelbine-resistant cell lines are sensitive to vinflunine

The work presented here was initiated to explore the mechanisms underlying vinorelbine resistance in two previously established murine leukemia P388 cell lines (N.63 and N2.5). IC(50) measurements demonstrated that the vinorelbine-resistant cell line N.63 was sensitive to both vinblastine and vinflunine. In addition, vinorelbine-resistant cell line N2.5 retained sensitivity to vinflunine. We used flow cytometry with propidium iodide to measure G2/M arrest in response to drug treatment. Annexin V labeling was used as a marker of apoptosis and JC-1 dye labeling as a marker of mitochondrial membrane depolarization to explore differential responses that might help explain the absence of cross resistance to vinflunine. At equipotent (10X IC(50)) doses, after 8 h of drug treatment, vinflunine induced G2/M arrest in a significantly larger fraction of vinorelbine- resistant cells compared to vinorelbine. At the same drug doses, at 16 h after initiation of drug treatment, vinflunine induced a statistically significant greater apoptotic response and mitochondrial depolarization. The mitochondrial depolarization at 16 h was confirmed by Western blotting that showed release of cytochrome c. Comparison of apoptotic and mitochondrial depolarization responses in vinorelbine-resistant cells upon exposure to vinorelbine, vinblastine and vinflunine demonstrated the following pattern of drug activity: vinflunine > vinblastine > vinorelbine, confirming the importance of a antimitotic-induced mitochondria-mediated pathways in these P388 cell lines. We conclude that vinflunine may be preferred for treatment of specific cancers compared to other vinca alkaloids due to its enhanced effects on apoptotic pathways that follow G2/M arrest.