The effects of eribulin on breast cancer microenvironment identified using eribulin-resistant breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

Background/Aim: Eribulin is currently used to treat advanced and metastatic breast cancer in the clinical setting; however, its efficacy is inhibited by resistance acquisition in many cases. Thus, the present study established two eribulin-resistant breast-cancer cell lines, and used these to investigate the mechanisms that underly eribulin-resistance acquisition. Materials and Methods: Eribulin-resistant breast-cancer cell lines were generated by culturing MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells with increasing concentrations of eribulin. Results: The eribulin-resistant cells acquired resistance to eribulin, as well as several other anticancer drugs. After eribulin treatment, the eribulin-resistant cell lines showed no morphological change, no increased expression of epithelial-cadherin, nor any significant alteration in cell-cycle distribution. In contrast, the expression levels of programmed death-ligand 1 were increased in the MCF-7/eribulin-resistant compared to MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: The herein developed eribulin-resistant cell lines acquired cross-resistance to various anticancer agents, and displayed resistance to eribulin-induced effects on microtubule function and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).