ATP7B expression is associated with in vitro sensitivity to cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer

Copper-transporting P-type adenosine triphosphatase (ATP7B) is reportedly associated with platinum drug resistance in various solid tumors. However, the impact of ATP7B on platinum drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. We investigated in vitro cisplatin (CDDP) sensitivity using the collagen gel-droplet embedded culture drug sensitivity test. The ATP7B mRNA expression level in each specimen was also examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between ATP7B expression and in vitro CDDP sensitivity was then evaluated. The ATP7B mRNA expression levels in CDDP-resistant tumors were significantly higher than those in the CDDP-sensitive group (p=0.015; Mann-Whitney U test). Our results suggested that ATP7B expression is a promising chemoresistance marker for cisplatin.