Mechanism of P-glycoprotein expression in the SGC7901 human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line induced by cyclooxygenase-2.

Objective: To investigate possible signal pathway involvement in multi-drug resistant P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression induced by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line stimulated with pacliaxel (TAX).

Methods: The effects of TAX on SGC7901 cell growth with different doses was assessed by MTT assay, along with the effects of the COX-2 selective inhibitor NS-398 and the nuclear factor-KB (NF-KB) pathway inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). Influence on COX-2, NF-KB p65 and P-gp expression was determined by Western blotting.

Results: TAX, NS-398 and PDTC all reduced SGC7901 growth, with dose- dependence. With increasing dose of TAX, the expression of COX-2, p65 and P-gp showed rising trends, this being reversed by NS-398. PDTC also caused decrease in expression of p65 and P-gp over time.

Conclusion: COX-2 may induce the expression of P-gp in SGC7901 cell line via the NF-kappa B pathway with pacliaxel stimulation.