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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Esophageal Cancer | Primary research

Raltitrexed increases radiation sensitivity of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells

Authors: Wen-Xiu Ding, Shu Liu, Jian-Xin Ma, Juan Pu, Hai-Jing Wang, Shu Zhang, Xin-chen Sun

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Radiation therapy remains an important therapeutic modality, especially for those patients who are not candidates for radical resection. Many strategies have been developed to increase the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer, with some success.

Methods

This study was conducted to determine whether raltitrexed can enhance radiosensitivity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). ESCC cell lines 24 h were incubated with raltitrexed or DMSO with or without subsequent irradiation. Cell Counting Kit assay-8 assay and clonogenic survival assay were used to measure the cell proliferation and radiosensitization, respectively. Flow cytometry was utilized to examine cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution in different groups. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to detect deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double-strand breaks. In addition, the expression levels of proteins that are involved in radiation induced signal transduction including Bax, Cyclin B1, Cdc2/pCdc2, and Cdc25C/pCdc25C were examined by western blot analysis.

Results

The results indicated that raltitrexed enhanced radiosensitivity of ESCC cells with increased DNA double-strand breaks, the G2/M arrest, and the apoptosis of ESCC cells induced by radiation. The sensitization enhancement ratio of 1.23–2.10 was detected for ESCC cells with raltitrexed treatment in TE-13 cell line. In vitro, raltitrexed also increased the therapeutic effect of radiation in nude mice.

Conclusion

Raltitrexed increases the radiosensitivity of ESCC. This antimetabolite drug is promising for future clinical trials with concurrent radiation in esophageal cancer.
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Metadata
Title
Raltitrexed increases radiation sensitivity of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells
Authors
Wen-Xiu Ding
Shu Liu
Jian-Xin Ma
Juan Pu
Hai-Jing Wang
Shu Zhang
Xin-chen Sun
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-019-0752-y

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