W. Berger et al., Expression of the major vault protein LRP in human non-small-cell lung cancer cells: Activation by short-term exposure to antineoplastic drugs, INT J CANC, 88(2), 2000, pp. 293-300
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells are characterised by resistance to
the toxic impact of antineoplastic drugs both in vivo and in vitro, The lu
ng resistance-related protein (LRP), identical with the human major vault p
rotein, is over-expressed in a variety of tumour cells characterised by int
rinsic or acquired chemoresistance, We investigated the expression and cell
ular localisation of LRP in 16 unselected NSCLC cell lines, immortalised br
onchial epithelial cells and embryonic lung fibroblasts. All cell lines ana
lysed expressed LRP mRNA, while protein expression ranged from undetectable
up to high levels. Cell fractionation and immunofluorescence staining in s
elected cell lines localised LRP almost exclusively to the cytoplasm. LRP w
as contained in the 100,000 g pellet and absent in the soluble, cytosolic f
raction and nuclei. A small proportion of LRP, however, was shown to be loo
sely associated with the outside of the nuclei, Sucrose gradient equilibriu
m centrifugation revealed presence of LRP exclusively in the fraction known
to accumulate purified vault particles. Short-term exposure (16 hr) to sub
toxic daunomycin (DM)-, and bleomycin (BM)-concentrations significantly (up
to 4-fold) enhanced LRP expression in 2/4 cell lines tested. Cisplatin (CD
DP) had a minor effect while vinblastine (VBL) was ineffective. At cytotoxi
c conditions all drugs rather decreased than increased LRP expression, When
basic LRP expression was compared with chemosensitivity, a significant cor
relation was detected for resistance to CDDP but not DM, doxorubicin (DOX),
etoposide (VP-16), VBL and BM, Summing up, our data suggest a role of vaul
ts both in basic CDDP resistance and, additionally, in an short-term defens
ive response of NSCLC cells against several other drugs, Int. J. Cancer 88:
293-300, 2000, (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.