Gene amplification and altered enzymes as mechanisms for the development of drug resistance.

  • 1 October 1983
    • journal article
    • review article
    • Vol. 67  (10) , 901-4
Abstract
Two known mechanisms by which neoplastic cells may become resistant to chemotherapeutic agents are reviewed, using methotrexate (MTX) resistance as a model. These mechanisms are an increased level of target enzyme, found in several instances to be a consequence of gene amplification, or an altered target enzyme or receptor, less capable of binding the drug. An example of MTX resistance due to low-level gene amplification in leukemia cells from an MTX-resistant patient is described. Strategies for selectively eradicating these resistant cell populations may be formulated based on the mechanism by which these cells became drug-resistant.

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