TLR4 and NFκB signaling is critical for taxol resistance in ovarian carcinoma cells.

We report here that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and ABCB1 are upregulated in SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells that acquired resistance to the anticancer drug taxol. Silencing of TLR4 using short-hairpin RNA sensitized taxol-resistant SKOV3 cells to taxol (4.6 fold), whereas ectopic expression of TLR4 in parental, taxol-sensitive SKOV3 cells or TLR4-null HEK293 cells induced taxol resistance (∼2 fold). A sub-lethal dose of taxol induced ABCB1 protein expression in taxol-resistant SKOV3 cells. Inactivation of TLR4 using chemical inhibitors (CLI-095 and AO-I) downregulated ABCB1 protein expression and enhanced the cytotoxic activity of taxol in taxol-resistant SKOV3 cells. While the sensitization effect of TLR4 inactivation was also detected in TOV21G ovarian cancer cells, which express moderate level of TLR4, ectopic expression of ABCB1 prevented the sensitization effect in these cells. Notably, the NFκB pathway was significantly activated by taxol, and inhibition of this pathway suppressed TLR4-regulated ABCB1 expression. Furthermore, taxol-induced NFκB signaling was reduced following TLR4 silencing in taxol-resistant SKOV3 cells. Consistent with these results, ectopic expression of TLR4 in taxol-sensitive SKOV3 cells enhanced ABCB1 expression and conferred resistance to taxol. The protective effect of exogenous TLR4 expression against taxol was reduced by treatment with NFκB inhibitor in these cells. These results demonstrate that taxol activates the TLR4-NFκB pathway which in turn induces ABCB1 gene expression. This cellular pathway thus represents a novel target to limit resistance to taxol in ovarian cancer cells.