PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - L. Gatti
AU  - G. Cossa
AU  - S. Tinelli
AU  - N. Carenini
AU  - N. Arrighetti
AU  - M. Pennati
AU  - D. Cominetti
AU  - M. De Cesare
AU  - F. Zunino
AU  - N. Zaffaroni
AU  - P. Perego
TI  - Improved Apoptotic Cell Death in Drug-Resistant Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Tumor Necrosis Factor–Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand–Based Treatment
AID  - 10.1124/jpet.113.210054
DP  - 2014 Mar 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 360--371
VI  - 348
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/348/3/360.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/348/3/360.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther2014 Mar 01; 348
AB  - Since response to platinum-based therapy in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poor, the present study was designed to rationally identify novel drug combinations in cell models including the A549 cell line and the cisplatin-resistant subline A549/Pt, characterized by reduced sensitivity to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and by upregulation of efflux transporters of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. Given the molecular features of these cells, we focused on compounds triggering apoptosis through different mechanisms, such as the mitochondria-targeting drug arsenic trioxide and the phenanthridine analog sanguinarine, which induce apoptosis through the extrinsic pathway. Sanguinarine, not recognized by ABC transporters, could overcome cisplatin resistance and, when used in combination with arsenic trioxide, was synergistic in A549 and A549/Pt cells. The arsenic trioxide/sanguinarine cotreatment upregulated genes implicated in apoptosis activation through the extrinsic pathway. Drug combination experiments indicated that tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) treatment improved arsenic trioxide/sanguinarine efficacy, a feature associated with a striking apoptosis induction, particularly in the cisplatin-resistant variant. Thus, a synergistic interaction between sanguinarine and arsenic trioxide could be obtained independent of relative cell sensitivity to arsenic trioxide, and an enhanced apoptosis induction could be achieved in combination with TRAIL through modulation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Antitumor activity studies supported the interest of drug combinations including TRAIL in NSCLC, indicating that drug-resistant NSCLC cells can efficiently be killed by the combination of proapoptotic agents. Our results suggest that the molecular changes occurring in treated cells may be exploited to rationally hit surviving cells.