RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Resistance to alkylating anticancer drugs: Role of the Nrf2-antioxidant system JF Cancer Research JO Cancer Res FD American Association for Cancer Research SP 705 OP 705 VO 68 IS 9 Supplement A1 Manandhar, Sarala A1 Cho, Jeong-Min A1 Park, Hyun-Min A1 Kwak, Mi-Kyoung YR 2008 UL http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/68/9_Supplement/705.abstract AB AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 705 The treatment of alkylating cytotoxic drug cisplatin is often limited by high incidence rate of resistance. In the present study, the potential involvement of the transcription factor Nrf2 in determination of cisplatin cytotoxicity has been investigated. Nrf2-deficient murine embryonic fibroblasts showed increased cell death, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis in response to cisplatin treatment compared to wild-type cells. Cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer SK-OV cells, which are retaining 25-fold higher levels of GSH than murine fibroblasts, could be sensitized by inhibition of Nrf2. Transfection with Nrf2 siRNA into SK-OV cells resulted in severe degree of GSH depletion and exacerbated cytotoxicity following cisplatin treatment compared to scrambled RNA control. In conclusion, we propose that the Nrf2 pathway, which plays a protective role in normal cells, can be a potential target to control cancer cell resistance to oxidants, cytotoxic chemicals, and radiation.