Modulatable Effect of Erythropoietin on Anticancer Activity of Dacarbazinein Murine Melanoma Cells

Objective To investigate the expression of EPOR and the role of erythropoietin(EPO)in the melanoma cell line B16 proliferation and its relation to the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Methods Expression of EPOR mRNA and protein was detected by RT-PCR,immunofluorescen laser scanning microscope(LSM)and Western blot.Effects of EPO and combining with dacarbazine on B16 cells proliferation was measured by MTT methods and colony forming assay.Expressions of Bcl-2,Bcl-xL and Bax proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Results EPOR mRNA and protein can be expressed in B16 cells.Pretreatment of B16 cells with EPO can significantly increase the resistance to dacarbazine treatment（P<0.05）.Expression of both Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins in B16 cell increased（P<0.05）,while Bax protein remained unchanged. Conclusion B16 cells can express EPOR.EPO can regulate antineoplastic activity of dacarbazine and its mechanism was probably related to that EPO can regulate the expression of bcl-2 family proteins.