Inhibition of RelB by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 promotes sensitivity of breast cancer cells to radiation.

ABSTRACT: Aberrant constitutive expression of the NF-kappaB c-Rel and RelA subunits in breast cancer cells was shown to promote their survival. Recently, we demonstrated that aggressive breast cancers constitutively express high levels of the RelB subunit, which promotes their more invasive phenotype via induction of the BCL2 gene. As these cancers are frequently resistant to therapy, here we tested the hypothesis that RelB promotes their survival. High RelB expressing Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were more resistant to gamma-radiation than MCF7 and ZR-75 cells, which express lower RelB levels. Knockdown of RelB in Hs578T led to decreased survival in response to gamma-irradiation, while conversely ectopic expression of RelB in MCF7 cells protected these cells from radiation. Similar dat

SUBMITTER: Mineva ND 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2900382 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature