OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of concurrent administration of recombinant human p53 adenovirus (Ad-p53) with EGFR inhibitor gefitinib on breast cancer MDA-MB-468 cells.

METHODSMDA-MB-468 cells were treated with Ad-p53 and/or gefitinib. The effect of Ad-p53 and gefitinib on the growth of MDA-MB-468 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to detect the alteration of p53,EGFR, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway and apoptosis-related proteins. Ad-p53 combined with gefitinib was used in vivo to explore their effect on tumor xenograft in nude mice. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the p53 expression in vivo.

RESULTSThe MTT assay showed a stronger inhibitory effect of gefitinib on MDA-MB-468 cells infected with Ad-p53 than on the control cells. Cell apoptosis assay revealed that the apoptosis rates of MDA-MB-468 cells in vehicle-treated group, Ad-p53 group, gefitinib group, and combination group were 8.5%, 17.4%, 20.5% and 32.6%, respectively. The apoptosis rate of MDA-MB-468 cells in the combination group was higher than that in other groups (P < 0.05, for all) . Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p53 was significantly up-regulated in the presence of Ad-p53. The combination of Ad-p53 and gefitinib significantly down-regulated p-Akt (S473)(P < 0.01) and up-regulated caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01 for both). Tumor inhibition rates (TIR) in the Ad-p53, gefitinib, and combination groups were 35.7%, 28.7% and 74.4%, respectively. Ad-p53 and gefitinib combination therapy significantly reduced the tumor burden in nude mice (P < 0.05 for all).Immunohistochemistry showed that after intratumoral administration of Ad-p53, wild-type p53 was increased (P < 0.01). p53 expressions in the vehicle-treated, Ad-p53, gefitinib and combination groups were 45.2%, 80.1%, 50.7% and 90.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSWild-type p53 may reverse the sensitivity of MDA-MB-468 cells to gefitinib through down-regulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. The apoptotic activity induced by this combination treatment might be regulated through caspase cascade.