We explored the potential of acyclic retinoid (ACR), a derivative of vitamin A, in treating lung cancer, particularly focusing on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and cisplatin-resistant cells. This research is vital because NSCLC is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and treatments like cisplatin often face challenges due to resistance.
In our study, we observed that ACR can significantly inhibit the EGFR/AKT signaling pathway, which is heavily involved in the progression of lung cancer. We treated human NSCLC A549 cells, as well as cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549CR) cells, with ACR alone and in combination with cisplatin. We assessed various factors including cell viability, apoptosis rates, and the levels of crucial signaling proteins.
The results revealed that ACR not only decreased cell viability but also enhanced the sensitivity of both NSCLC and resistant cells to cisplatin treatment. This suggests that ACR could play an important role in improving therapeutic outcomes for lung cancer patients, especially those who have developed resistance to current treatments.
Our findings indicate that incorporating ACR into treatment regimens may provide an innovative strategy for tackling lung cancer and managing cisplatin resistance, which is a significant hurdle in current cancer therapies.