Anti-tumor effects of CIK combined with oxaliplatin in human oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUND: Drug resistance remains a great challenge in the treatment of gastric cancer. The goal of this study was to explore the anti-tumor effects and mechanism of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell combined with oxaliplatin (L-OHP) in human oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells. METHODS: After producing oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells, cell morphology, growth and doubling time were observed, followed by detection of cell cycle distribution and apoptosis, drug sensitivity (e.g., L-OHP) and expression of P-gp and livin. MTT assay, in vivo pharmacodynamics and pathomorphology experiments were used to detect killing activities of CIK combined with L-OHP. RESULTS: Compared with parental gastric cancer cells, oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells in S phase were reduced and cell apoptosis rate was increased (P < 0.05), the inhibition rate of 10 chemotherapeutics on oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells was significantly lower and the expression of P-gp was significantly higher (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in livin expression between parental gastric cancer cells and oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells (P > 0.05). The in vitro killing activity of CIK combined with L-OHP on parental cells and oxaliplatin-resistant cells were significantly enhanced compared with L-OHP or CIK alone. And it showed greater synergetic effects against oxaliplatin-resistant cells compared with parental cells (P < 0.05). In addition, survival rate, abdominal circumference and pathomorphology results revealed stronger in vivo anti-tumor effects when the two therapies were combined. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanism of oxaliplatin-resistant cell secondary multidrug resistance was correlated with the variation of cell cycle distribution, extension of doubling time and upregulation of P-gp expression. The synergistic effect of CIK in combination with L-OHP on killing activity against oxaliplatin-resistant cells was shown in vivo and in vitro.