Glutathione S-transferases P1 protects breast cancer cell from adriamycin-induced cell death through promoting autophagy

Glutathione S-transferases P1 (GSTP1) is a phase II detoxifying enzyme and increased expression of GSTP1 has been linked with acquired resistance to anti-cancer drugs. However, most anticancer drugs are not good substrates for GSTP1, suggesting that the contribution of GSTP1 to drug resistances might not be dependent on its capacity to detoxify chemicals or drugs. In the current study, we found a novel mechanism by which GSTP1 protects human breast cancer cells from adriamycin (ADR)-induced cell death and contributes to the drug resistance. GSTP1 protein level is very low in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 but is high in ADR-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells. Under ADR treatment, MCF-7/ADR cells showed a higher autophagy level than MCF-7 cells. Overexpression of GSTP1 in MCF-7 cells by using the DNA transfection vector enhanced autophagy and down-regulation of GSTP1 through RNA interference in MCF-7/ADR cells decreased autophagy. When autophagy was prevented, GSTP1-induced ADR resistance reduced. We found that GSTP1 enhanced autophagy level in MCF-7 cells through interacting with p110 alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and then inhibited PI3K/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity. Proline123, leucine160, and glutamine163, which located in C terminal of GSTP1, are essential for GSTP1 to interact with p110a, and the following autophagy and drug resistance regulation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that high level of GSTP1 maintains resistance of breast cancer cells to ADR through promoting autophagy. These new molecular insights provide an important contribution to our better understanding the effect of GSTP1 on the resistance of tumors to chemotherapy.