Impacts Of Cytotoxic Drugs On APE/ref-1 Expression In A549 Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Line And Its Significance

Objective To investigate the impacts of cytotoxic drugs on APE/ref-1 expression in A549 cell, in order to find the potential relationship between APE/ref-1 and chemoresistance of NSCLC. Methods A549 cells were treated with different cytotoxic drugs for 24hours. The changes of APE/ref-1 expression in A549 after drug-treatment were detected by real time PCR, western blot and streptavidin peroxidase immunohistochemistry staining. Results APE/ref-1 protein expressed strongly in both nuclear and cytoplasm of A549 cells. The levels of APE/ref-1 mRNA and protein in A549 can be upregulated by specified cytotoxic drugs. Cytotoxic drugs can also cause changes in subcellular location of APE/ref-1 protein in A549 cells. After drug-treatment APE/ref-1 expression was much stronger in cytoplasm than in nucleus. Conclusions Higher APE/ref-1 level and changes of APE/ref-1 expression in different subcellular sites may associate with elevated chemoresistance of NSCLC cells to anticancer drugs. To inhibit APE/ref-1 expression may help to reverse this resistance and maybe we can predict therapeutic effects through detection of APE/ref-1 location.