Effect of Autophagy-Related Beclin1 on Sensitivity of Cisplatin-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells to Chemotherapeutic Agents

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of autophagy related gene Beclin1 at differentlevels of expression on the sensitivity of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3/DDP) to differentchemotherapeutics. In pSUPER-Beclin1 transfected cells, real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR andWestern blot analysis showed that expression was significantly inhibited. Flow cytometry revealed that themean fluorescence intensity (MDC), reflecting autophagy, and cells in the G0/G1 phase were markedly reduced.When compared with the blank control group, inhibition of Beclin1 expression in SKOV3/DDP cells not onlyincreased the rate of apoptosis following treatment with chemotherapeutics, but also increased the sensitivity.These findings suggest that Beclin1 expression plays an important role in chemotherapeutic agent-induced deathof SKOV3/DDP cells. Inhibition of autophagy related gene Beclin1 expression in SKOV3/DDP cells may increasethe rate of apoptosis and elevate the sensitivity to chemotherapeutics.