Melatonin-mediated downregulation of thymidylate synthase as a novel mechanism for overcoming 5-fluorouracil associated chemoresistance in colorectal cancer cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) has been established as the first-line chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC); however, acquired chemoresistance is often the cause of poor therapeutic response. Melatonin is a molecule that is associated with circadian rhythms. Although antitumor effects of melatonin have been shown, the underlying mechanism(s) for its activity and its effect, if any, in chemoresistant CRC has not been studied. We aimed to investigate antitumor effects of melatonin, and more specifically its effect on molecular mechanisms in 5-FU resistant CRC cells.

Methods

The cell growth was assessed in CRC cells, patient-derived organoids and 5-FU resistant CRC cells after treatments with melatonin. In addition, the expression of thymidylate synthase (TYMS) an

SUBMITTER: Sakatani A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6514450 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature