Identifying genes with differential expression in gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells using comprehensive transcriptome analysis.

Pancreatic cancer is often unresectable at diagnosis, and chemotherapy using gemcitabine is now the standard treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. However, acquired resistance to gemcitabine resulting in therapeutic failure is often encountered. Therefore, we sought to identify genes that determine gemcitabine resistance by evaluating the relationship between gene expression profiles and gemcitabine sensitivity to provide molecular targets for overcoming gemcitabine resistance. First, the gemcitabine concentration needed for 50% growth inhibition was examined in six pancreatic cancer cell lines. By exposing MIA PaCa-2 cells to long-term gemcitabine, we established gemcitabine-resistant cells. The gene expression profiles of the six pancreatic cancer cell lines and gemcitabine-resistant cells were determined using cDNA microarray analysis. By comparing the results, 30 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes correlated with gemcitabine sensitivity. Differentially expressed genes in the parental cell lines were also examined, and six overlapping genes were identified as genes correlated with gemcitabine sensitivity in both assays. Of these genes, the down-regulated expression of TNFSF6 protein, also known as Fas ligand, was confirmed in the gemcitabine-resistant cell line. These results should provide therapeutic molecular targets for overcoming gemcitabine resistance.