Putative chemosensitivity predictive genes in colorectal cancer cell lines for anticancer agents

In order to identify genes which could predict chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer, gene expression and chemosensitivity were examined in colorectal cancer cell lines. Gene expression profiling of 5 colorectal cancer and 3 normal cell lines was performed using a 22K spotted oligonucleotide microarray. The IC₅₀s of 17 anticancer drugs were determined using the MTT assay for chemosensitivity. The SOURCE database, KEGG Pathway database, and Molecular Diagnosis Score (MDS) were used for data analysis. Two representative colorectal cancer cell lines were identified which were resistant or sensitive to drugs commonly used for colon cancer treatment (5-FU, irinotecan and topotecan). Six hundred and eighty-three genes that were up- or down-regulated by >4-fold between the two cell lines were selected. Pathway analysis was performed with 147 of the 683 genes using the KEGG Pathway database. This analysis revealed 27 genes in the apoptosis, MAPK signaling, and focal adhesion pathways, which could explain the mechanism of chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer cell lines. In addition, the chemosensitivity of other colorectal cancer and normal cell lines was predictable with the selected 27 genes. These genes may act as putative predictive markers for chemosensitivity in chemo-naive colorectal cancer patients following functional analysis and clinical validation.