Curcumin resistance induced by hypoxia in HepG2 cells is mediated by multidrug-resistance-associated proteins

Tumor hypoxia, a common pathophysiological feature of solid tumors, contributes to drug resistance and treatment failure. Here, we demonstrate that hypoxia in HepG2 cells induces resistance towards cytotoxicity of curcumin, a promising anticancer agent.

The number of surviving cells after exposure to chemotherapeutic drugs under normoxia (ambient O(2)) and hypoxia (1% O(2)) was determined by crystal violet staining. The expression levels of drug transporter genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Increased resistance to curcumin, as well as to etoposide and doxorubicin, was observed in HepG2 cells under hypoxia. Gene expression analysis revealed that hypoxia increased the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporter genes, sub-family C including ABCC1, ABCC2, and ABCC3, by more than two-fold. While expression of ABC drug transporter genes sub-family B member 1 and sub-family G member 2 (ABCB2/P-gp and ABCG2, respectively) did not change significantly. Both inhibitors of ABCC1/ABCC2 and depletion of intracellular glutathione levels were able to reverse hypoxia-induced curcumin resistance.

ABCC1 and ABCC2 play an important role in hypoxia-induced curcumin resistance in human hepatocellular carcinoma.