Anlotinib Inhibits Cisplatin Resistance in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Inhibiting MCL-1 Expression via MET/STAT3/Akt Pathway

Abstract

Background: Anlotinib is an effective targeted therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and has been found to mediate chemoresistance in many cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of anlotinib mediates cisplatin (DDP) resistance in NSCLC remains unclear.

Methods: Cell viability was assessed by the cell counting kit 8 assay. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined using the colony formation assay and transwell assay. The mRNA expression levels of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Protein expression levels of MET, MCL-1, and STAT3/Akt pathway-related markers were examined using western blot analysis.

Results: Our data showed that anlotinib inhibited the DDP resistance of NSCLC cells by regulating cell proliferation and metastasis. Moreover, MET and MCL-1 expression could be decreased by anlotinib treatment. Silencing of MET suppressed the activity of the STAT3/Akt pathway and MCL-1 expression. Furthermore, MET overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of anlotinib on the DDP resistance of NSCLC cells, and this effect could be eliminated by MCL-1 knockdown or ACT001 (an inhibitor for STAT3/Akt pathway).

Conclusion: Our results confirmed that anlotinib inhibited DDP resistance in NSCLC cells, which might decrease MCL-1 expression via mediating the MET/STAT3/Akt pathway.