Modulator of multidrug resistance (MDR) gene is a direct transcriptional target of CDX2. However, we still speculate whether CDX2 affects MDR through other ways. In this study, a cisplatin-resistant (SGC7901/DDP) and a 5-fluoro-2, 4(1h,3h)pyrimidinedione-resistant (BGC823/5-FU) gastric cancer cell line with stable overexpression of CDX2 were established. The influence of overexpression of CDX2 on MDR was assessed by measuring IC50 of SGC7901/DDP and BGC823/5-FU cells to cisplatin, doxorubicin, and 5-fluorouracil, rate of doxorubicin efflux, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression detected by flow cytometry. In addition, we determined the in vivo effects of CDX2-overexpression lentiviral vector (LV-CDX2-GFP) on tumor size, and apoptotic cells in tumor tissues were detected by deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results showed that LV-CDX2-GFP led to up-regulation of CDX2 mRNA and protein expression. It significantly inhibited the sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP and BGC823/5-FU cells to cisplatin, doxorubicin, and 5-fluorouracil. Flow cytometry confirmed that the percentage of apoptotic cells decreased after CDX2 up-regulation. This notion was further supported by the observation that up-regulation of CDX2 blocked entry into the M-phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, up-regulation of CDX2 significantly decreased intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin. In molecular studies, quantitative reverse-transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting revealed that CDX2 up-regulation could suppress expression of Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and PTEN, and increased the expression of MDR1, MRP, mTOR, HIF-1α.
Keywords: Homeobox gene CDX2; drug resistance; gastric cancer; lentiviral vector; murine model.