Mechanism of Targeting the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Against Chemotherapeutic Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

The study explored the Hedgehog signaling pathway's role in drug resistance in multiple myeloma using the RPMI 8226 cell line and its azithromycin-resistant variant. Researchers found that blocking this pathway with GANT61 reduced the proliferation of drug-resistant cells and decreased cytokine levels, such as IL-6 and VEGF. This suggested that targeting the Hedgehog pathway could potentially reverse chemotherapeutic resistance. The study highlighted that drug-resistant cells showed higher expression of certain genes associated with the Hedgehog pathway, and GANT61 treatment significantly reduced these expressions, particularly in resistant cells. The findings indicated that targeting this pathway might improve therapeutic strategies for multiple myeloma patients facing drug resistance, although further research was needed to assess effects on apoptosis, differentiation, and metastasis.