Synergistic lethal effects of cetuximab combined with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in laryngeal squamous carcinoma cells / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the sensitivity of cetuximab induced apoptosis in laryngeal squamous carcinoma cells Hep-2, and to evaluate the synergistic killing effects and regulation mechanism of cetuximab alone or cetuximab in combination with chemotherapeutic agents (cisplatin) or radiation means on Hep-2 cells.@*METHOD@#To investigate the cytotoxicities of cetuximab, cisplatin and radiation, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used for the detection of cell growth inhibition ratio, and fluorescence activated cell sorter FACS for the apoptotic rate and cell cycle distribution.@*RESULT@#Cetuximab had inhibitive effect on Hep-2 cells within a certain range of concentration in a time- and dose-dependence manner. The inhibition concentration 50% (IC50) of cetuximab on Hep-2 cells for 24 h was 1 036.84 microg/ml. For application of cisplatin and radiation, the apoptotic rate of Hep-2 cell was higher by combining with cetuximab than their single or combined administration. Moreover, the cell cycle arrested at G0/G1 phase.@*CONCLUSION@#Laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells was sensitive to the cetuximab induced apoptosis. Cetuximab combined with cisplatin and/or radiation can increase the antiproliferative effects on Hep-2 cells. These findings suggest the synergistic combination of cetuximab and cytotoxic agents was sequence depended.