Cell adhesion down-regulates the expression of vacuolar protein sorting 4B (VPS4B) and contributes to drug resistance in multiple myeloma cells

The expression and biologic function of the gene encoding vacuolar protein sorting 4B (VPS4B) in human multiple myeloma (MM) were investigated in this study. We determined that VPS4B expression is decreased in adherent MM cells and that knockdown of VPS4B expression induces cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance (CAM-DR) in MM. This induced CAM-DR phenotype manifested through down-regulation of cell apoptosis and requires phosphorylation of AKT and Erk. Finally, VPS4B expression was positively correlated with cell proliferation. Our findings support a role for VPS4B in MM cell proliferation, adhesion, and drug resistance, and pave the way for a novel therapeutic approach targeting this molecule.