gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Thioredoxin (Trx) is a 12 kDa ubiquitous protein of 104 amino acids with reducing activity. Trx is involved in cellular redox homeostasis, maintaining the balance between reactive oxygen species generation and elimination. Trx overexpression is known to be a cause of chemotherapy resistance in various tumor entities. However, Trx effects on resistance are complex and depend strictly on tissue type.

Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the impact of the Trx system on intrinsic chemoresistance of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells to cytostatic drugs. Resistance of GBM cell lines and primary cells to drugs and signaling inhibitors was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Impact of Trx inhibition on apoptosis was investigated by proteome profiling of a subset of proteins and annexin V apoptosis assays. Trx-interacting protein (TXNIP) was overexpressed by transfection and protein expression was determined by immunoblotting.

Results: Pharmacological inhibition of Trx by 1-methyl-2-imidazolyl-disulfide (PX-12) reduced viability of three GBM cell lines, induced expression of active caspase-3, and reduced phosphorylation of AKT-kinase and expression of β-catenin. Sensitivity to cisplatin could be restored by both PX-12 and recombinant expression of the upstream Trx inhibitor TXNIP, respectively. In addition, PX-12 also sensitized primary human GBM cells to temozolomide. Combined inhibition of Trx and the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway resulted in massive cell death.

Conclusion: AKT-kinase phosphorylation and β-catenin protein expression were substantially reduced under the action of the Trx blocker PX-12, which also suggests that the AKT-kinase pathway is closely interconnected with Trx. We conclude that the Trx system and the PI3K pathway act as a sequential cascade and could potentially present a new drug target.