The multidrug resistance can be reversed for the decrease of P-gp and LRP by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal pathway in nasopharynx carcinoma

AIM:  To investigate the relationship between PI3K/Akt/NF-κB cellular signal pathway and the expression of P-gp and LRP in multidrug resistance (MDR) cell of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHOD:  The PI3K, p-Akt and NF-κB/p65 as the activity of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB were detected by western blot. The expressions of LRP and P-gp were detected by western blot and real time PCR. RESULT: The RIs of CNE/DDP group to DDP, 5-Fu, VCR, ADR, and PTX were 35.04, 18.14, 24.13, 12.00 and 10.18, respectively. The RIs of LY-294002 group were 11.77, 5.83, 3.07, 3.86 and 3.34, and PDTC group were 11.08, 6.55, 7.66, 2.18 and 4.05. The expressions of PI3K, p-Akt and NF-κBp65, LRP and P-gp were increased and mRNA of LRP and P-gp were up-regulated in CNE/DDP. The expression of p-Akt in LY-294002 group was down-regulated. The expression of NF-κB p65 in PDTC group was decreased. The mRNA of LRP and P-gp in LY-294002 group and PDTC group were decreased. CONCLUSION:  MDR of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell can be regulated by activating PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal pathway and then increase the expression of P-gp and LRP. The MDR of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell can be reversed by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal pathway.