[Expression and Significance of Clusterin in Anip973/CDDP Cell Lines.]

Clusterin (CLU) is a multifunctional protein which attracts much attentions in recent years due to its function and variation in tumor formation and development. So far, there have no reports on its variation in lung cancer and its relationship with sensitivity of anti-cancer drugs. This study was to compare the expression of clusterin in wild Anip973 and Anip973/CDDP, thus to investigate the correlation of clusterin expression to tumorigenesis, tumor development and drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Western blot and RT-PCR were used to compare the clusterin expression at protein level and mRNA level in Anip973/CDDP with that in wild Anip973. Flow cytometry was employed to detect and analyze the relationship between clusterin and cell cycle, p53 or Bax.

Clusterin protein expression levels were significantly higher in those Anip973/CDDP than those in wild Anip973. The p53 expression levels were higher in Anip973/CDDP than in Anip973 (P<0.01). The expression of Bax showed no significant difference between Anip973 and Anip973/CDDP (P>0.05). As to drug resistant lung cancer cell lines, Anip973/CDDP had more cells in G0-G1 stage while less cells in S stage or G2-M stage than non-resistant cell line.

Clusterin is associated with resistance to CDDP in NSCLC. The abnormal expression of clusterin and p53 in Anip973/CDDP indicated that both clusterin and p53 might be involved in drug resistance in NSCLC.