Effect of PD98059 on chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer through ERK1/2 pathway

Purpose: To investigate the effects of MAPK/ERK signaling transduction pathway inhibitor PD98059 combined with paclitaxel on the proliferative, invasive and apoptotic abilities of colorectal cancer cells. Methods: Colorectal cancer (CRC) SW-480 cells were selected and divided into 3 groups after passage: Blank group (not treated), control group (treated with PD98059 blocker (25 mu mol/L)), observation group (treated with PD98059 blocker (25 mu mol/L) combined with paclitaxel (100 mu mol/L)). Results: The proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of cells in each group were registered. The relative expressions of ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 protein were assessed by Western blot. The relative expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 were assessed by RT-PCR. The proliferation ability in the control group was significantly higher than that in the observation group (p<0.05). The relative expression of p-ERK1/2 protein in the control group was significantly higher than that in the observation group (p<0.05). The invasive ability in the blank group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (p<0.05), and that in the control group was significantly higher than that in the observation group (p<0.05). The apoptotic ability in the control group was significantly lower than that in the observation group p<0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 in the cells of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the blank group and the control group, and that in the control group was higher than that in the blank group (p<0.05). The expression of Bax in the cells of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the blank group and the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Inhibitor PD98059 combined with paclitaxel can affect the expression of ERK1/2 in ERK1/2 signaling pathway, effectively inhibit the proliferation and invasive abilities of CRC cells, increase the apoptotic ability of CRC cells, and is expected to become a potential drug for clinical treatment of CRC.