Chaetominine reduces MRP1-mediated drug resistance via inhibiting PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway in K562/Adr human leukemia cells

Drug resistance limits leukemia treatment and chaetominine, a cytotoxic alkaloid that promotes apoptosis in a K562 human leukemia cell line via the mitochondrial pathway was studied with respect to chemoresistance in a K562/Adr human resistant leukemia cell line. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that K562/Adr resistance to adriamycin (ADR) did not occur in the presence of chaetominine and that chaetominine increased chemosensitivity of K562/Adr to ADR. Data show that chaetominine enhanced ADR-induced apoptosis and intracellular ADR accumulation in K562/Adr cells. Accordingly, chaetominine induced apoptosis by upregulating ROS, pro-apoptotic Bax and downregulating anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. RT-PCR and western-blot confirmed that chaetominine suppressed highly expressed MRP1 at mRNA and protein levels. But little obvious alternation of another drug transporter MDR1 mRNA was observed. Furthermore, inhibition of MRP1 by chaetominine relied on inhibiting Akt phosphorylation and nuclear Nrf2. In summary, chaetominine strongly reverses drug resistance by interfering with the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling, resulting in reduction of MRP1-mediated drug efflux and induction of Bax/Bcl-2-dependent apoptosis in an ADR-resistant K562/Adr leukemia cell line. •Chaetominine enhanced chemosensitivity of ADR against K562/Adr cells.•Chaetominine increased intracellular ADR levels via inhibiting MRP1.•Chaetominine induced apoptosis of K562/Adr cells through upregulation of ROS and modulation of Bax/Bcl-2.•Inhibition of MRP1 and Nrf2 by chaetominine treatment was correlative with blockade of PI3K/Akt signaling.