Nicotinic receptors modulate antitumor therapy response in triple negative breast cancer cells

Figure 8 Effect of nicotine on paclitaxel-induced expression of ATP binding cassette transporter G2 protein in MDA-MB-231 cells. A: ATP binding cassette transporter G2 expression was determined by Western blot assays in cells treated with paclitaxel (10^-7 mol/L), nicotine (10^-10 mol/L) or both, in the absence or presence of the nicotinic antagonists mecamylamine [non-selective for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs)], methyllycaconitine (selective for α7 nAChRs) or luteolin (selective for α9 nAChRs) at a concentration of 10^-6 mol/L. Molecular weights are indicated on the right; B: The densitometric analysis of the bands is expressed as optical density units relative to the expression of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase protein used as the loading control. One representative experiment of three is shown. Values are the mean ± SD of three experiments. ^aP < 0.05; ^cP < 0.001 vs Control; ^dP < 0.001 vs PX+NIC. ABCG2: ATP “binding cassette” G2 drug transporter; O.D.: Optical density; MM: Mecamylamine; MLA: Methyllycaconitine; Lut: Luteolin; nAChRs: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; PX: Paclitaxel; NIC: Nicotine.