ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of the vector carrying short hairpin RNA targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (shRNA-EGFR) on the radiosensitivity of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenografts in nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>shRNA-EGFR was transfected into human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE1 via Lipofectamine 2000. The transfected cells were collected for quantitative RT-PCR detection of the expression level of EGFR mRNA. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of EGFR protein. CNE1 cells were inoculated into nude mice and the tumor volume was measured every 2 days. shRNA-EGFR was intratumorally injected in the mice, and 16 days after radiotherapy, the mice were sacrificed and tumors examined for radiosensitivity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>shRNA-EGFR was effectively delivered via Lipofectamine 2000 into CNE cells to result in a significant downregulation of EGFR mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.05). A significant difference was noted in the tumor volume and weight in the tumor-bearing nude mice between shRNA-EGFR plus radiotherapy group and the control, exclusive radiotherapy and shRNA-EGFR groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>shRNA-EGFR combined with radiotherapy can effectively inhibit the growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in nude mice. shRNA-EGFR can enhance sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma to radiotherapy.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Mice, Nude , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms , Genetics , Radiotherapy , RNA, Catalytic , Genetics , RNA, Small Interfering , Genetics , Radiation Tolerance , Genetics , ErbB Receptors , Genetics , Transfection , Xenograft Model Antitumor AssaysABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the changes of radiosensitivity of CNE1, a well differentiated squamous cell line of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and CNE2, a poorly differentiated squamous cell line of NPC, after treatment with chemotherapeutic agents.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CNE1 and CNE2 cells with and without treated by adriamycin (ADM) were irradiated by X-ray and the radiosensitivity changes of ADM-treated cells were analyzed according to the cell survival curve generated by colony formation assay.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>Radiosensitivity of CNE1 cells increased after ADM treatment, but that of CNE2 cells decreased, suggesting that different treatment regimens should be planned for advanced squamous cell NPC of different pathological types.</p>