Characterization of promoter elements involved in the down-regulation of topoisomerase IIalpha expression in a drug-resistant cell line.

Reduced expression of topoisomerase II is one of the mechanisms observed in cell lines and clinical samples that are resistant to topoisomerase II-targeting agents. The Chinese hamster lung cell line DC-3F/9-OH-E made resistant to 9-OH ellipticine and cross-resistant to other topoisomerase II inhibitors has previously been shown to express lower level of topoisomerase IIalpha isoform, than the parental DC-3F cell line. We have shown here that topoisomerase IIalpha promoter activity is lower in the resistant cell line.