Regulation of Multidrug Resistance by MGr1-Antigen in Gastric Cancer Cells

Previously, a novel protein, MGr1-Ag, was associated with tumor multidrug resistance (MDR), and the role and the underlying mechanisms of MGr1-Ag in MDR of gastric cancer cells were characterized. Initial studies using the introduction of sense or antisense vectors for MGr1-Ag resulted in the genetical up- or downregulation of MGr1-Ag in gastric cancer cells, respectively. Subsequent studies revealed the expression of MGr1-Ag, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), MDR-associated protein (MRP), Bcl-2 and Bax in gastric cancer cells via Western blot analysis. The sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs was assessed using the colony-forming assay, and Adriamycin (ADM) accumulation was evaluated by flow cytometry. Further study of ADM-induced apoptosis was detected by annexin-V/propidium iodide staining. The expression level of MGr1-Ag in MDR gastric cancer cells is much higher than that in their parental cells. Overexpression of exogenous MGr1-Ag may promote the MDR phenotype of gastric cancer cells, decrease intracellular ADM accumulation and protect gastric cancer cells from ADM-induced apoptosis, whereas downregulation of MGr1-Ag had reverse effects. Western blot analysis suggested that MGr1-Ag may regulate the expression of P-gp, MRP, Bcl-2 and Bax. In conclusion, MGr1-Ag may promote MDR of gastric cancer cells via a decrease in intracellular drug accumulation and inhibition of drug-induced apoptosis.