Gene That Mediates Cisplatin Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Identified

In ovarian cancer, the gene that mediates cisplatin resistance has been discovered by scientists. Mechanisms of resistance typically include reduced platinum uptake and increased platinum export.

In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Anil Sood and colleagues at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center identified a cellular membrane protein, ATP11B, that mediates cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells. They found that ATP11B expression was correlated with higher tumor grade in human ovarian cancer samples and with cisplatin-resistance in human ovarian cancer cell lines. Further, loss of ATP11B restored the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cell lines to cisplatin and reduced ovarian tumor growth in mice. These findings suggest that ATP11B could serve as a therapeutic target to overcome cisplatin resistance.