Nimotuzumab abrogates acquired radioresistance of KYSE-150R esophageal cancer cells by inhibiting EGFR signaling and cellular DNA repair

Abstract

Hai Liu,1 Weifang Yang,2 Huaping Gao,3 Tingting Jiang,1 Bengxin Gu,1 Qinghua Dong,4 Wenhong Xu,5 Shixiu Wu,6 Xiaonan Sun1 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Sir Run Run Shaw Institute of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Taizhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pharmacy, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Wushan District, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Background: Acquired radioresistance of cancer is common after repeated irradiation and often leads to treatment failure. This study aimed to examine the effects of nimotuzumab on acquired radioresistance in human esophageal carcinoma cells and to investigate its underlying mechanisms. Methods: The radioresistant human esophageal carcinoma cell line KYSE-150R was generated by using fractionated irradiation. KYSE-150R cells were pretreated with or without nimotuzumab before ionizing radiation. Cell growth and colony formation were measured to quantitate the effects of radiation. The γ-H2AX foci assay was employed to determine cellular DNA-repairing capacity. The phosphorylation of key molecules involved in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway and cellular DNA repair was measured by Western blot analysis. Results: Nimotuzumab enhanced radiation-induced inhibition on cell growth and clonogenic survival in KYSE-150R cells. The average number of γ-H2AX foci increased in the irradiated cells treated with nimotuzumab. Nimotuzumab inhibited phosphorylation of the EGFR and its downstream molecules AKT and ERK. Phosphorylation of the DNA repair-related proteins DNA-PKcs, ATM, and RAD51 was also inhibited by nimotuzumab. Conclusions: These results indicate that nimotuzumab can inhibit key cancer survival mechanisms, the EGFR signaling pathway, and DNA repair and thereby reverse acquired radioresistance in KYSE-150R cell line. Keywords: nimotuzumab, esophageal cancer, EGFR, radiation