Human Esophageal Cancer Cell Lines Research Articles

Abstract 1676: The HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG improves chemoresistance of cisplatin-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Abstract [Background] Although cisplatin is a platinum drug that is widely used to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, acquired chemoresistance develops during the course of treatment and is often the reason for treatment failure. Overcoming chemoresistance is essential for improving the outcomes of patients. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is known to be overexpressed in various cancer cells, and its inhibition by small molecules, either alone or in combination, has shown promise in the treatment of solid malignancies. In the present study, we evaluated the synergistic effect of combining cisplatin with the HSP90 inhibitor, 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxy geldanamycin (17-AAG), on two cisplatin-resistant human esophageal squamous cancer cell lines, KYSE30 and KYSE150. [Results] The results obtained demonstrated the synergistic inhibitory effects of cisplatin and 17-AAG on the growth of KYSE30 and KYSE150 cells. Cell growth and cell number were more effectively reduced by the combined treatment with cisplatin and 17-AAG than by the treatment with either cisplatin or 17-AAG alone. Western blotting revealed that the combined action of cisplatin and 17-AAG cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase 3. Time lapse imaging revealed that the activations of caspase 3/7 preceded the cell death induced by the combined treatment of cisplatin and 17-AAG. These demonstrated that the reductions in both cell growth and cell number were mediated by apoptosis. Time-course experiments showed that reductions in X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and phosphorylated Akt were concomitant with apoptosis. [Discussion] The results of the present study demonstrated that 17-AAG synergized with cisplatin and induced apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, and also that modulation of the Akt/XIAP pathway may underlie this synergistic effect. [Conclusion] Combination therapy with cisplatin and a HSP90 inhibitor may represent a promising strategy to overcome cisplatin resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Citation Format: Takashi Ui, Kazue Morishima, Shin Saito, Yuji Sakuma, Hirofumi Fujii, Yoshinori Hosoya, Yoshikazu Yasuda, Toshiro Niki. The HSP90 inhibitor 17-AAG improves chemoresistance of cisplatin-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1676. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1676

Inhibitory effects of maslinic acid upon human esophagus, stomach and pancreatic cancer cells

Apoptotic, anti-invasive and anti-migratory effects of maslinic acid (MA) at 4, 8, or 16 µM in human esophageal squamous cancer cell line, OE33; gastric cancer cell line, SGC-7901; and pancreatic cancer cell line, Panc-1, were examined. MA treatments inhibited OE33 and SGC-7901 cells growth at 21–66% and 32–75%, respectively; but lowered Panc-1 viability at 13–27% only. MA treatments increased cleaved caspase-3 and Bax expression, and raised caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities in OE33 and SGC-7901 cells. MA treatments also increased DNA fragmentation and decreased reactive oxygen species production in these two cell lines. MA treatments declined invasion and migration in OE33 and SGC-7901 cells, and lowered vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta1 levels in these cells. MA suppressed hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression in OE33 and SGC-7901 cells. These findings indicated that this triterpene was a potent agent against esophagus and stomach cancers.

Esophageal cancer stem cells express PLGF to increase cancer invasion through MMP9 activation.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a distinct population in tumors and cause cancer relapse and metastasis. Thus, treating CSCs are believed to be potential to cure rapidly growing and highly metastatic cancers. To date, CSCs in esophageal cancer have not been characterized. In the current study, we detected significant higher levels of placental growth factor (PLGF) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in the esophageal cancers with metastasis, compared to those without metastasis, in which the expression levels of PLGF and MMP9 strongly correlated with each other. Thus, we used a human esophageal cancer cell line, TE-1, to examine the cross talk of PLGF and MMP9. We found that the levels of PLGF in TE-1 cells positively affected the levels of MMP9, while the levels of MMP9 did not affected the levels of PLGF, suggesting that PLGF may activate MMP9 in esophageal cancer cells. Then, we separated PLGF-positive and PLGF-negative TE-1 cells that had been transfected with a GFP reporter under a PLGF promoter by flow cytometry. We found that PLGF-positive cells grew significantly faster than PLGF-negative cells both in vitro and in vivo in a stereotactical implantation model, suggesting that PLGF-positive cells are likely CSCs in esophageal cancer. Taken together, we demonstrate that PLGF-positive cells appear to be CSCs in esophageal cancer, and they may release PLGF to promote cancer metastasis through MMP9 activation.

BTG1 underexpression is an independent prognostic marker in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

To determine the expression and function of B cell translocation gene 1 (BTG1) in esophageal carcinoma, esophageal samples were taken from cancer lesions (n = 74) and adjacent normal tissue (n = 34) in esophageal cancer patients immediately after endoscopic biopsy. BTG1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The effect of BTG1 overexpression was examined in vitro utilizing a human esophageal cancer cell line ECA-109 stably transfected with a recombinant lentivirus (LeBTG1 cells) and compared to empty vector-transfected controls (LeEmpty). BTG1 overexpression was verified by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. The expression of proteins involved in cell cycle regulation (cyclin D1) and apoptosis (Bcl-2) and cell migration (MMP-9) in LeBTG1 cells was analyzed by Western blot. The effect of BTG1 overexpression on cell viability and proliferation was assessed by an MTT assay in LeBTG1 and LeEmpty cells. Flow cytometric analyses were used to evaluate the effect of BTG1 expression on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The migration and invasion potential of LeBTG1 cells was examined by plating cells in Matrigel-coated chambers. The level of BTG1 protein expression was found to be significantly lower in esophageal cancer tissue than normal tissues (P < 0.05). Decreased expression of BTG1 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, and histological grade of patients with esophageal cancer (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, loss of BTG1 expression correlated significantly with poor overall survival time by Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < 0.05). The result of biological function shown that Eca-109 cell-transfected BTG1 had a lower survival fraction, higher percentage of the G0/G1 phases, higher cell apoptosis, significant decrease in migration and invasion, and lower cylin D1, Bcl-2, and MMP-9 protein expression compared with Eca-109 cell-untransfected BTG1 (P < 0.05). Reduced BTG1 expression is associated with increased disease severity, suggesting it is a negative regulator of esophageal cancer and can serve as a prognostic indicator.

Enhanced radiosensitivity and G2/M arrest were observed in radioresistant esophageal cancer cells by knocking down RPA expression.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in radiosensitivity of radioresistant esophageal cancer cells (TE-1R) after disruption of replication protein A (RPA) expression and to explore the potential mechanism. A radioresistant human esophageal cancer cell line TE-1R was established by treating TE-1 cells with the radiation. Then, siRPA1 or -2 was transfected to TE-1R cells. The untransfected group (control) and nonsense short interfering RNA (siRNA) transfected group (NC) were used as controls. To investigate the radiosensitivity changes of TE-1R cells, the dose-survival curve was established by colony-forming assay, and the cell cycle distribution was measured by flow cytometry. (1) Comparing with control and NC groups, the protein expression of RPA1 and -2 decreased significantly 48 h after siRPA1 or -2 transfection. (2) The D 0, D q, and SF2 values reduced from 2.09, 1.70, and 0.85 in NC group to 1.67, 0.71, and 0.44 and 1.82, 0.89, and 0.51 in siRNA1 and siRPA2 transfected groups, respectively. The D q sensitization enhancement ratios (SERDq) were 2.39 and 1.91 in siRNA1 and siRPA2 transfected groups, respectively. (3) The G2/M arrest was significantly caused by siRPA1 or -2 transfection as compared with that in the NC group (t value was 2.827, 2.853, p < 0.05). Post transcriptional silencing of RPA1 or -2 via RNAi can enhance the radiosensitivity of human esophageal cancer cells TE-1R, and the potential mechanism may be related to the inhibition of post-radiation sublethal damage repair and the halted cell cycle progression at G2/M phase. Therefore, RPA may become a new target for radiosensitization enhancement in esophageal cancer.

Increased expression of HSP27 inhibits invasion and metastasis in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Previous studies have indicated that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) had high correlation with the development and progression in several tumors. However, the roles of HSP27 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were uncertain. The aim in this study is to investigate the potential roles of HSP27 in the metastasis of ESCC. The expression of HSP27 in ESCC tissues and four human esophageal cancer cell lines were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, respectively. Wound healing assays, transwell assays, and in vivo assays were used to identify the differences of metastasis potential between normal and HSP27 overexpressed cells. HSP27 expression was downregulated in cancer tissue compared to the matched normal tissue. And the positive staining was mainly located in the cytoplasm. Statistical analyses showed that the expression of HSP27 in ESCC was significantly correlated with the tumor differentiation (P = 0.023), the patient's TNM stage (P = 0.013), lymph metastasis (P = 0.020), and distant metastasis (P = 0.017). HSP27 expression was significantly lower in highly metastatic cells than the less ones. The metastatic potentials of EC9706-H and EC109-H cells were higher than EC9706-L and EC109-L cells. In vitro and in vivo assays showed that overexpression of HSP27 in highly metastatic cells dramatically decreased their metastatic capacity. This study indicated that the expression level of HSP27 may be inversely correlated with the metastasis behavior of ESCC, and HSP27 may play an important role in this progression. HSP27 may be a potential molecular target for the therapy and prognosis of patients with ESCC.

P63 regulates growth of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells via the Akt signaling pathway

p63 is a member of the p53 protein family and plays a crucial role in epithelial development. p63 is expressed in many types of tumors including esophageal cancer; however, its function in cancer is controversial and its role in esophageal cancer has not been clearly established. In the present study, we aimed to identify the mechanisms by which p63 promotes proliferation of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells. Four human esophageal cancer cell lines (TE-8, TE-12, BE3 and OE33) were used in this study. We found that ΔNp63 was the predominantly expressed p63 isoform in esophageal squamous cancer cells. Silencing of p63 mRNA in the esopha-geal cancer cell lines TE-8 and TE-12 resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. A colony formation assay also showed that colony formation by TE-8 and TE-12 cells was significantly inhibited by p63 siRNA. Furthermore, p63 siRNA significantly suppressed p-Akt and induced Akt expression in esophageal squamous carcinoma cell lines. On the other hand, overexpression of p63 in the esophageal cell lines BE3 and OE33 increased p-Akt expression. Silencing of p63 in TE-8 and TE-12 cell lines induced p53 and p27 expression and suppressed cyclinD1 and cyclinE1 expression, whereas overexpression of p63 in BE3 and OE33 cell lines resulted in decreased levels of p53 and p27 and increased levels of cyclinD1 and cyclinE1. Taken together, our results suggest that p63 may play a pivotal role in the progression of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells through regulation of the cell cycle via the Akt signaling pathway.

Dihydroartemisinin Accentuates the Anti-Tumor Effects of Photodynamic Therapy via Inactivation of NF-κB in Eca109 and Ec9706 Esophageal Cancer Cells

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new treatment for esophageal cancer which has been shown to be effective in the elimination of tumor. However, PDT could induce the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in many photosensitizers based PDT, which plays a negative role in PDT. In addition, our previous results have shown that dihydroartemisinin (DHA), which was the most potent one of artemisinin derivatives, has anticancer activity in esophageal cancer cells. Methods: Cell viability was determined by MTT analysis, and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Nuclear extract was obtained for determining NF-κB DNA-binding activity, while total protein extract obtained for downstream gene expression by western blot. Results: We demonstrated DHA enhanced PDT-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in both human esophageal cancer cell lines Eca109 and Ec9706 in vitro. The mechanism was at least partially due to DHA deactivated PDT-induced NF-κB activation, so as to decrease tremendously the expression of its target gene Bcl-2. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that DHA augments PDT-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells, and that inactivation of NF-κB activity is a potential mechanism by which DHA sensitizes esophageal cancer cells to PDT-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis.

The HSP90 inhibitor 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxy geldanamycin (17-AAG) synergizes with cisplatin and induces apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines via the Akt/XIAP pathway

Although cisplatin (CDDP) is a key drug in the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), acquired chemoresistance remains a major problem. Combination therapy may represent one strategy to overcome this resistance. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is known to be overexpressed in several types of cancer cells, and its inhibition by small molecules, either alone or in combination, has shown promise in the treatment of solid malignancies. In the present study, we evaluated the synergistic effects of combining CDDP with the HSP90 inhibitor 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxy geldanamycin (17-AAG) on two CDDP-resistant human esophageal squamous cancer cell lines, KYSE30 and KYSE150. The results obtained demonstrated the synergistic inhibitory effects of CDDP and 17-AAG on the growth of KYSE30 and KYSE150 cells. Cell growth and cell number were more effectively reduced by the combined treatment with CDDP and 17-AAG than by the treatment with either CDDP or 17-AAG alone. Western blotting revealed that the combined action of CDDP and 17-AAG cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3, which demonstrated that the reduction in both cell growth and cell number was mediated by apoptosis. Time-course experiments showed that reduction in X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and phosphorylated Akt were concomitant with apoptosis. The results of the present study demonstrate that 17-AAG synergizes with CDDP and induces apoptosis in CDDP-resistant ESCC cell lines, and also that modulation of the Akt/XIAP pathway may underlie this synergistic effect. Combination therapy with CDDP and an HSP90 inhibitor may represent a promising strategy to overcome CDDP resistance in ESCC.

Involvement of homologous recombination in the synergism between cisplatin and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibition

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) plays a critical role in responding to DNA damage, by activating DNA repair pathways responsible for cellular survival. Inhibition of PARP is used to treat certain solid cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancers. However, its effectiveness with other solid cancers, such as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), has not been clarified. We evaluated the effects of PARP inhibition on the survival of human esophageal cancer cells, with a special focus on the induction and repair of DNA double-strand breaks. The effects were monitored by colony formation assays and DNA damage responses, with immunofluorescence staining of γH2AX and RAD51. We found that PARP inhibition synergized with cisplatin, and the cells were highly sensitive, in a similar manner to the combination of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Comparable increases in RAD51 foci formation were observed after each combined treatment with cisplatin and either 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB) or 5-FU in three human esophageal cancer cell lines, TE11, TE14, and TE15. In addition, decreasing the amount of RAD51 by RNA interference rendered the TE11 cells even more hypersensitive to these treatments. Our findings suggested that the homologous recombinational repair pathway may be involved in the synergism between cisplatin and either 3-AB or 5-FU, and that 3-AB and 5-FU may similarly modify the cisplatin-induced DNA damage to types requiring the recruitment of RAD51 proteins for their repair. Understanding these mechanisms could be useful for improving the clinical outcome of ESCC patients who suffer from aggressive disease that presently lacks effective treatment options.

Irradiation-induced EMT is associated with activation of TGF-β and restriction of BMP signaling in esophageal cancer cells

Irradiation may enhance migration and/or invasiveness of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, the mechanism of which may be associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The present study explored the mechanisms of EMT induced by irradiation in esophageal cancer cells. Human esophageal cancer cell line EC109 was treated with increased doses of irradiation (0 Gy, 20 Gy, 40 Gy and 60 Gy). Cell morphology was observed. Expressions of E-cadherin and vimentin were determined by immunofluorescence assay or western blot. Secretion of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) by cells was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expressions of Smad2/3 and phosphorated Smad2 (p-Smad2) were also examined by Western blot. The mRNA expressions of BMP-4, a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) ligand, and two secreted BMP antagonists (Chordin and Gremlin), were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell migratory capacity was evaluated. Irradiation induced EMT in EC109 cells in a dose-dependent manner as evidenced by morphological changes, decreased expression of E-cadherin and increased expression of vimentin, and increased cell motility. The secretion of TGF-β1 and expression of p-Smad2 were gradually increased in an irradiation dose-dependent manner, but the Smad2/3 protein levels remained stable. The mRNA expression of BMP-4 was gradually down-regulated, but the expressions of Chordin and Gremlin were gradually up-regulated in cells treated with increased doses of irradiation. Irradiation can induce EMT in esophageal cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner, and the mechanism may be associated with activation of TGF-β and restriction of BMP signaling.

Small proline-rich repeat protein 3 enhances the sensitivity of esophageal cancer cells in response to DNA damage-induced apoptosis

Small proline-rich repeat protein 3 (SPRR3) has been linked with the altered chemoradiosensitivity, however the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that ectopic overexpression of SPRR3 enhanced the sensitivity of cells in response to DNA damage-induced apoptosis via loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and increasing activation of caspase 3 in human esophageal cancer cell lines. Conversely, siRNA knockdown of SPRR3 reduced apoptosis. We found that SPRR3 was localized in mitochondria and interacted with Bcl-2 in vivo, thus facilitating Bax mitochondrial translocation and the subsequent release of cytochrome c, and thereby enhancing cell sensitivity to DNA damage stimuli. In clinical samples, expression of SPRR3 was associated with the pathologic response (P = 0.007 in radiotherapy group, P = 0.035 in preoperative radiotherapy group) and good survival of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC, P = 0.008). Taken together, our results implicate that SPRR3 might serve as a radiation-sensitive predictor of ESCC.

PTU-160 Second Generation Photosensitiser based Photodynamic Therapy is Efficacious and Penetrates Tissue More Deeply than Radiofrequency and Cryo- Ablative Therapies, Offering Potential for More Invasive Gastrointestinal Cancers

IntroductionPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used to both treat gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and for palliation. PDT has been limited by poor penetration of the laser light used to activate it....

Elevated Maspin Expression Is Associated with Better Overall Survival in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC)

Tumor suppressor maspin is a differentially regulated gene in the progression of many types of cancer. While the biological function of maspin in blocking tumor invasion and metastasis is consistent with the loss of maspin expression at the late stage of tumor progression, the differential expression and the biological significance of maspin in early stage of tumor progression appear to be complex and remain to be elucidated. In the current study, we examined the expression of maspin in 84 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases (stages I–III) and 55 non-tumor adjacent esophageal tissue specimens by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. The correlation of maspin with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Compared to normal esophageal squamous tissue where 80% (47/55) of the cases expressed maspin at a low to moderate level, all ESCC specimens (100% (84/84)) were positive for maspin expression at a moderate to high level. ESCC with low or moderate maspin expression had significantly shorter postoperative survival rates compared to those that had high maspin expression (p<0.001). Since the correlation of maspin with ESCC histology and the correlation of maspin with ESCC prognosis seem to be at odds, we further investigated the biological function of maspin in ESCC using the established ESCC cell lines. The expression of maspin in five human esophageal squamous cancer cell lines (T12, E450, KYSE150, EC109, and KYSE510) was examined by the Western blot. ESCC cell line KYSE510 that did not express maspin and was stably transfected by maspin cDNA or an empty vector. The resulting transfected cells were characterized in vitro. Maspin expression significantly inhibited cell proliferation, motility and matrigel invasion. Taken together, our data suggest that the transient up-regulation of maspin in the early development of ESCC may be a defense mechanism against further transition towards more malignant phenotypes, ultimately slowing down ESCC tumor progression.

A High Level of TM4SF5 Is Associated with Human Esophageal Cancer Progression and Poor Patient Survival

We investigated expression of TM4SF5 and its involvement in human esophageal cancer (HEC). We analyzed TM4SF5 expression in normal esophageal epithelial cells (HEEC), in four HEC cell lines, and in 20 HEC clinical tissue samples and matched nontumor samples. The effect of TM4SF5 on HEC cell proliferation and metastasis and invasion was assessed, and the relationship between TM4SF5 and integrin β1 was determined. Finally, TM4SF5 and integrin β1 expression were further examined by use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and tissue microarray analysis, and the prognostic use of TM4SF5 and integrin β1 in HEC was evaluated. TM4SF5 was more highly expressed in HEC cells and in HEC tissues than in HEEC and matched nontumor tissues. Down-regulation of TM4SF5 in KYSE150 cells reduced cell proliferation and metastasis and invasion whereas metastasis and invasion by KYSE510 increased after TM4SF5 cDNA transfection. In HEC cells, TM4SF5 formed a complex with integrin β1, and interference with integrin β1 in KYSE510-TM4SF5 cells markedly inhibited cell invasion on laminin 5. Our findings also showed that TM4SF5 and integrin β1 overexpression correlated with low differentiation and high stage (p<0.05, respectively). Postoperative 5-year overall survival of patients with TM4SF5low and/or integrin β1low was higher than for patients with TM4SF5high and/or integrin β1high. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that TM4SF5 and integrin β1 co-overexpression was an independent prognostic marker for HEC. TM4SF5 is positively associated with HEC invasiveness. The combination of TM4SF5 with integrin β1 could potentially serve as a novel marker for predicting HEC prognosis.

Effects of cyclin E gene silencing on the proliferation of esophageal cancer cell lines, EC9706, Eca109 and KYSE30

In order to observe the effects of cyclinE gene silencing by small interfering RNA (siRNA) on the growth, proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cell lines, including EC9706, Eca109 and KYSE30, siRNA vectors targeting cyclinE gene were constructed and then transfected into the EC9706, Eca109 and KYSE30 human esophageal cancer cell lines. CyclinE mRNA and protein expression were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. Cell proliferation and clonality were detected using a CCK-8 test and soft agar colony formation assay. Cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and invasion of EC9706, Eca109 and KYSE30 cells were evaluated with flow cytometry and a transwell culture system. After siRNA vectors targeting the cyclinE gene were transfected into EC9706, Eca109 and KYSE30 cell lines, compared with blank and negative control groups, the expression of cyclinE mRNA and protein (P<0.01), colony-forming units and the number of cells penetrating the transwell membrane (P<0.05) were significantly decreased, the cells in the S and G2/Mphase were reduced, the cells in the G0/G1 phase were increased and the apoptosis rate was increased (P<0.01) in the experimental groups. CyclinE gene silencing effectively inhibits growth, proliferation and invasion of esophageal cancer cells.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress sensitizes human esophageal cancer cell to radiation

To investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in cancer radiotherapy and its molecular mechanism. Tunicamycin (TM) was applied to induce ER stress in human esophageal cancer cell line EC109, and the radiosensitization effects were detected by acute cell death and clonogenic survival assay. Cell cycle arrest induced by TM was determined by flow cytometric analysis after the cellular DNA content was labeled with propidium iodide. Apoptosis of EC109 cells induced by TM was detected by annexin V staining and Western blotting of caspase-3 and its substrate poly ADP-ribose polymerase. Autophagic response was determined by acridine orange (AO) staining and Western blotting of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain-3 (LC3) and autophagy related gene 5 (ATG5). In order to test the biological function of autophagy, specific inhibitor or Beclin-1 knockdown was used to inhibit autophagy, and its effect on cell apoptosis was thus detected. Additionally, involvement of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway was also detected by Western blotting. Finally, male nude mice inoculated subcutaneously with EC109 cells were used to confirm cell model observations. Our results showed that TM treatment enhanced cell death and reduced the colony survival fraction induced by ionizing radiation (IR), which suggested an obvious radiosensitization effect of TM. Moreover, TM and IR combination treatment led to a significant increase of G2/M phase and apoptotic cells, compared with IR alone. We also observed an increase of AO positive cells, and the protein level of LC3-II and ATG5 was induced by TM treatment, which suggested an autophagic response in EC109 cells. However, inhibition of autophagy by using a chemical inhibitor or Beclin-1 silencing led to increased cell apoptosis and decreased cell viability, which suggested a cytoprotective role of autophagy in stressed EC109 cells. Furthermore, TM treatment also activated mTORC1, and in turn reduced Akt phosphorylation, which suggested the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway was involved in the TM-induced autophagic response in EC109 cells. Tumor xenograft results also showed synergistic retarded tumor growth by TM treatment and IR, as well as the involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Our data showed that TM treatment sensitized human esophageal cancer cells to radiation via apoptosis and autophagy both in vitro and in vivo.

Therapeutic and Radiosensitizing Effects of Armillaridin on Human Esophageal Cancer Cells

Background. Armillaridin (AM) is isolated from Armillaria mellea. We examined the anticancer activity and radiosensitizing effect on human esophageal cancer cells. Methods. Human squamous cell carcinoma (CE81T/VGH and TE-2) and adenocarcinoma (BE-3 and SKGT-4) cell lines were cultured. The MTT assay was used for cell viability. The cell cycle was analyzed using propidium iodide staining. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential was measured by DiOC6(3) staining. The colony formation assay was performed for estimation of the radiation surviving fraction. Human CE81T/VGH xenografts were established for evaluation of therapeutic activity in vivo. Results. AM inhibited the viability of four human esophageal cancer cell lines with an estimated concentration of 50% inhibition (IC50) which was 3.4–6.9 μM. AM induced a hypoploid cell population and morphological alterations typical of apoptosis in cells. This apoptosis induction was accompanied by a reduction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. AM accumulated cell cycle at G2/M phase and enhanced the radiosensitivity in CE81T/VGH cells. In vivo, AM inhibited the growth of CE81T/VGH xenografts without significant impact on body weight and white blood cell counts. Conclusion. Armillaridin could inhibit growth and enhance radiosensitivity of human esophageal cancer cells. There might be potential to integrate AM with radiotherapy for esophageal cancer treatment.

A New Method for Identifying Stem-Like Cells in Esophageal Cancer Cell Lines

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) appear to resist chemo-radiotherapy and initiate tumor recurrence in patients. Isolation and further characterization of this subpopulation is important for targeting CSCs. Flow cytometry using Aldefluor, a fluorescent substrate of aldehyde dehydrogenase, has been used to isolate CSCs from various cancer cell lines. However, new techniques are needed to locate and identify CSCs in culture for live-cell analyses such as fluorescence microscopy without introducing artifacts during cell sorting and to observe CSC and non-CSC interactions. Previously, we characterized a distinct CSC subpopulation within human esophageal cancer cell lines (ESCC). In this study we introduce the attached-cell Aldefluor method (ACAM) to detect CSCs in ESCC cell lines (KY-5, KY-10, TE-1, TE-8, YES-1, YES-2). To validate this technique, we isolated CSCs from the YES-2 parental line using standard Aldefluor flow cytometry to create a cell line enriched in CSCs (YES-2CSC). This line showed significantly greater ACAM staining and higher CD44 levels than YES-2. ACAM also showed significantly higher ALDH activity in YES-2CSC than in YES-2S, a cell line that has a diminished CSC subpopulation after having survived treatment with curcumin. ACAM stained cells within tumorspheres made from the CSC-enriched line but not differentiating cells from the tumorspheres. This study also demonstrates a new method for generating and growing tumorspheres without the growth factor supplements normally used in medium to form tumorspheres. ACAM should be evaluated using other cancer cell lines to further substantiate its effectiveness and to characterize CSCs in culture through various imaging techniques.

Effects of metformin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human esophageal squamous cancer cell line Eca109

Effects of metformin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human esophageal squamous cancer cell line Eca109