Characterization of the differential protein expression associated with thermoresistance in human gastric carcinoma cell lines

Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is one of the major problems faced du ring palliative therapy of tumor cells. Thus, chemotherapy is frequently co mbined with other modes of therapy such as radiation therapy and/or hyperth ermia. Tumor cells respond to heat stress with development of thermotoleran ce and the interactions between chemo- and thermoresistance phenomena are n ot clearly understood. In this paper, we analyze the differential protein e xpression in vitro in human stomach cancer cells, their chemoresistant and thermoresistant counterparts using proteomics. The immediate aim was to ide ntify sets of proteins that may lead to the development of thermoresistance . Based on these results, we aim to develop functional tests and methods fo r the modulation of thermoresistance and chemoresistance phenomena that may assist the therapy of inoperable cancers.