Gene expression changes in human breast cancer cells (LM2-4) after sunitinib resistance and chronic withdrawal

Transcriptome analysis was used to identify changes in human breast cancer cells (LM2-4) resistant to sunitinib (SuR) and after long term sunitinib withdrawal in vitro (LT-W for more than 6 months). Metastatic human breast cancer cells (LM2-4) resistant to sunitinib were derived in vivo after continuous treatment with 60mg/kg/day sunitinib from post-surgical metastatic lesions. Resistant cells were maintained in vitro with 5μM sunitinib for more than 6 months. The parental cells (MDA-MB-231) were used as a reference.