Verteporfin-based photodynamic therapy overcomes gemcitabine insensitivity in a panel of pancreatic cancer cell lines.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objective

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat and resistant to virtually all therapeutics including gemcitabine, the standard front line agent for palliative chemotherapy. Early clinical studies point to a potential role for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the management of this deadly disease. Here we examine PDT with verteporfin for treatment of cells that are nonresponsive to gemcitabine and identify intracellular and extracellular factors that govern sensitivity to each modality.

Study design

Using MTS we assess cytotoxicity of verteporfin-PDT in gemcitabine-treated nonresponsive populations from a panel of five pancreatic cancer cell lines representing a range of tumor histopathology and origin. We conduct Western blots for pro-/anti-apoptot

SUBMITTER: Celli JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3211106 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature