Involvement of V-Ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog 2 in regulation of transcription activity of MDR1 gene.

Over-expression of MDR1 confers multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancers and remains a major cause for the failure of chemotherapy. In the present study, we found that V-Ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog 2 (ETS2) could activate MDR1 transcription and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in SGC7901 cells. Knockdown of ETS2 attenuated MDR1 transcription and P-gp expression, and increased the sensitivity of MDR cancer cells to cytotoxic drugs that were transported by P-gp in SGC7901/VCR cells. ETS2 could bind to the ETS2 sites on the MDR1 promoter and activate its transcription. The regulation of MDR1 expression by ETS2 may provide potential ways to overcome MDR in cancer treatment.