Effect of ionizing radiation on transcription of colorectal cancer MDR1 gene of HCT-8 cells.

Objective: To discuss effect of ionizing radiation on transcription of colorectal cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) 1 gene of HCT-8 cells.

Methods: Total RNA was extracted by guanidine thiocyanate one-step method. Northern blot was applied to detect transcription level of MDR1 gene. The expression of P-gp protein was detected by flow cytometry.

Results: The expression of MDR1 of normal colorectal cancer HCT-8 cells was low. It was increased by 8.35 times under stimulus with 2 Gy. When treated with low doses in advance, high expressed MDR was decreased significantly under 0.05, 0.1 Gy, which was 69.00%, 62.89% in 2 Gy group and 5.77 times, 5.25 times in sham irradiation group. No obvious difference was detected between (0.2+2) Gy group and 2 Gy group. Compared with sham irradiation group, the percentage of P-gp positive cells after radiation of a high 2 Gy dose was increased significantly (P<0.01). When treated with high radiation dose following low radiation dose (0.05 Gy, 0.1 Gy) in advance, the percentage of P-gp positive cells were also increased significantly. The percentage of P-gp positive cells were increased obviously in 0.2 Gy and 2 Gy groups. Compared with simple high radiation 2 Gy group, the percentage of P-gp positive cells was decreased significantly (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Low radiation dose can reverse multidrug resistance of colorectal cancer cells caused by high radiation dose.