re-expression inhibits growth and enhances radiosensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Mei Tang,
Ru-yan Liu,
Cong Zhou,
Meng-zhen Yuan,
Dong-ming Wu,
Zhu Yuan,
Peng Zhang,
Jin-yi Lang
Affiliations
Mei Tang
Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
Ru-yan Liu
Department of oncology, FuLing Central Hospital, Chongqing, China
Cong Zhou
Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
Meng-zhen Yuan
Department of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Dong-ming Wu
Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
Zhu Yuan
Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China
Peng Zhang
Department of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Jin-yi Lang
Department of Radiation Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Although radiation therapy is the primary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radioresistance remains a major obstacle to successful treatment in many cases, and the exact underlying molecular mechanisms are still ill-defined. EMP2 , epithelial membrane protein-2, was a recently identified potential oncogene involved in multiple biological processes including cell migration and cell proliferation. This study was to explore the potential relationship between EMP2 expression, nasopharyngeal carcinoma genesis, and radioresistance. EMP2 expression status in 98 nasopharyngeal carcinoma clinical samples was examined by immunohistochemical staining. As a result, most of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumor samples were weakly or negatively stained, while paired adjacent normal tissues were moderately or strongly stained. Moreover, patients with higher expression of EMP2 had significant longer survival times. EMP2 re-expression suppresses cell growth, induces S-phase cell cycle arrest, and promotes radiosensitivity and apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. These results support that loss of EMP2 is common, and its re-expression may serve as an approach to enhance radiation sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.