Cell fusion promotes chemoresistance in metastatic colon carcinoma

Oncogene. 2013 May 23;32(21):2649-60. doi: 10.1038/onc.2012.268. Epub 2012 Jul 2.

Abstract

Chemoresistance is an important concern in the treatment of metastatic colon cancer. It may emerge through selection of clones that are inherently resistant from the outset or through mechanisms acquired during treatment. Cell fusion represents an efficient means of rapid phenotypic evolution that make cells with new properties at a rate exceeding that achievable by random mutagenesis. Here, we first identified a number of proteins involved in cell fusion using a shotgun proteomics approach, then we investigated the role of these proteins namely tetraspanin CD81/CD9, ADAM10, GTP-binding protein α13, radixin, myosin regulatory light chain and RhoA in the regulation of colon cancer cell fusion. We also found a previously unrecognized role of ADAM10, Gα13 and RhoA in promoting cell fusion. Finally, we show that the occurrence of cell fusion in a metastatic model of colon carcinoma causes the appearance of cells resistant to both 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. These findings highlight the importance of cell fusion in cancer progression and raise significant implications for overcoming chemoresistance in metastatic colon cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Cattle
  • Cell Fusion
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / pharmacology
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Proteomics

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Organoplatinum Compounds
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Fluorouracil