PNA-TPP Targeting Drp1 of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cancer Stem Cells Enhance the Sensitivity to Cisplatin

Abstract The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is the source of occurrence, aggravation, and recurrence of lung cancer. Accordingly, targeting the lung CSCs has been suggested to be an effective approach for lung cancer treatment. Mitochondrial dynamics are currently considered to be closely related to apoptosis. Drp1 is the key component of the mitochondrial fission machinery. Our study indicated that peptide nucleic acid (PNA) promoting dynamic related protein 1 (Drp1) expression improved cell apoptosis and the sensitivity to cisplatin (CDDP) in lung adenocarcinoma cancer stem cell. Interestingly, overexpression of Drp1 had a similar effect with PNA, and knockdown of Drp1 did the opposite. These data suggested that PNA promote cell apoptosis and enhance the sensitivity to CDDP of lung CSCs via Drp1. It will be of great interest to further explore the therapeutic strategies of lung cancer.