BRCA2-deficient sarcomatoid mammary tumors exhibit multidrug resistance

Cancer Res. 2015 Feb 15;75(4):732-41. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-0839. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

Abstract

Pan- or multidrug resistance is a central problem in clinical oncology. Here, we use a genetically engineered mouse model of BRCA2-associated hereditary breast cancer to study drug resistance to several types of chemotherapy and PARP inhibition. We found that multidrug resistance was strongly associated with an EMT-like sarcomatoid phenotype and high expression of the Abcb1b gene, which encodes the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein. Inhibition of P-glycoprotein could partly resensitize sarcomatoid tumors to the PARP inhibitor olaparib, docetaxel, and doxorubicin. We propose that multidrug resistance is a multifactorial process and that mouse models are useful to unravel this.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / biosynthesis
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • BRCA2 Protein / deficiency
  • BRCA2 Protein / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / genetics*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / genetics*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / pathology
  • Mice
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BRCA2 Protein
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors
  • Doxorubicin
  • Abcb1b protein, mouse

Supplementary concepts

  • Breast Cancer, Familial