c‐Met inhibition enhances chemosensitivity of human ovarian cancer cells

Summary In clinical practice, human ovarian cancer shows considerable resistance to chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the role of c‐Met in the chemoresistance of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer cell line SKOV 3 and OVCAR ‐3 were pretreated with c‐Met inhibitor INCB 28060, and then treated with paclitaxel. Cell survival, cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis and TUNEL assay, respectively. The activation of c‐Met signalling was detected by western blot analysis. INCB 28060 inhibited the survival of SKOV 3 and OVCAR ‐3 cells and enhanced the chemosensitivity of SKOV 3 and OVCAR ‐3 cells to paclitaxel. INCB 28060 inhibited c‐Met signalling, caused mitochondrial membrane depolarization and DNA repair, and induced the apoptosis of SKOV 3 and OVCAR ‐3 cells. c‐Met plays an important role in mediating the chemoresistance of ovarian cancer. The combination of c‐Met inhibitor and chemotherapy is a promising strategy to human ovarian cancer.