ABSTRACT
Objective To study the relationship between glutamine metabolism and radiotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods The glutaminase 1 (GLS1) knockout CNE1,6-10B cell lines and the control cell lines were established by lentivirus transfection technology.The CNE2 cell lines with GLS1 overexpression and control cell lines were established by liposome transfection technology.BPTES,one of Glutamine enzyme inhibitors,was used to inhibit the activity of GLS1.Glutamine/Glutamate(Gln/Glu) and Glu kits were used to detect glutamine metabolism in NPC cells;in vitro radiation clone formation experiment and flow cytometre mediated apoptosis assay were adopted to detect the effects of glutamine metabolism modulation on NPC radiosensitivity.Western blot and autophagic puncta monitor assay were carried out to detect the effects of glutamine metabolism modulation on autophagy status in NPC cells.Results Inhibiting the glutamine metabolism led to decreased clone formation,increased apoptotic rates,and decreased autophagic level in NPC cells;while activating the glutamine metabolism led to increased clone formation,decreased apoptotic rates and increased autophagic level in NPC cells.Conclusions The reduction of glutamine metabolism inhibits autophagy and increases radio sensitivity of NPC.