Gfi-1 modulates HMGB1-Mediated autophagy to overcome oxaliplatin resistance in colorectal cancer

Resistance to oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is a major barrier in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Autophagy is the main cause of L-OHP tolerance in CRC cells. The human colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and SW480 were treated with L-OHP to obtain the drug-resistant cell lines HCT116/L-OHP and SW480/L-OHP, respectively. To probe the relationship between autophagy and L-OHP tolerance of growth factor independent 1 (Gfi-1) and high-mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1) in CRC cells, gene knockout or overexpression was performed, and Western blotting was used to determine the levels of drug tolerance interrelated proteins. Transwell and CCK-8 assays were employed to analyze the proliferation of cancer cells. Immunofluorescence detection of LC3 reflected autophagy levels. Finally, the relationship between Gfi-1 and HMGB1 was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Compared to normal CRC cells, L-OHP-tolerant CRC cells exhibited greater autophagy (8.2 times greater in HCT116/L-OHP cells and 7.4 times greater in SW480/L-OHP cells). In addition, we detected low levels of Gfi-1 (0.6-fold for HCT116/L-OHP cells and 0.4-fold for SW480/L-OHP cells), and OE-Gfi-1 decreased HMGB1 levels (0.6-fold for HCT116/L-OHP + OE-Gfi-1 cells and 0.5-fold for SW480/L-OHP + OE-Gfi-1 cells). The inhibition of Gfi-1 further enhanced cell viability (1.7 times in HCT116+sh-Gfi-1 cells and 1.2 times in SW480+sh-Gfi-1 cells) and invasion (1.8 times in HCT116+sh-Gfi-1 cells and 2.1 times in SW480+sh-Gfi-1 cells) in CRC cells, thus promoting oxaliplatin resistance in these cells. The autophagy inhibitor 3-MA reversed the above effects. Furthermore, we noted that Gfi-1 can restrain HMGB1 expression by binding to its promoter (0.5 times in HCT116+OE-Gfi-1 cells and 0.5 times in SW480+OE-Gfi-1 cells). The inhibitory influence of 3-MA on HMGB1 reversed the influence of Gfi-1 on autophagy and malignant progression in CRC cells. Our study suggested that Gfi-1 inhibited HMGB1 to reduce CRC autophagy levels, increasing CRC sensitivity to L-OHP.