Enhanced radiosensitivity and G2/M arrest were observed in radioresistant esophageal cancer cells by knocking down RPA expression

Cell Biochem Biophys. 2014 Nov;70(2):887-91. doi: 10.1007/s12013-014-9995-3.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in radiosensitivity of radioresistant esophageal cancer cells (TE-1R) after disruption of replication protein A (RPA) expression and to explore the potential mechanism. A radioresistant human esophageal cancer cell line TE-1R was established by treating TE-1 cells with the radiation. Then, siRPA1 or -2 was transfected to TE-1R cells. The untransfected group (control) and nonsense short interfering RNA (siRNA) transfected group (NC) were used as controls. To investigate the radiosensitivity changes of TE-1R cells, the dose-survival curve was established by colony-forming assay, and the cell cycle distribution was measured by flow cytometry. (1) Comparing with control and NC groups, the protein expression of RPA1 and -2 decreased significantly 48 h after siRPA1 or -2 transfection. (2) The D 0, D q, and SF2 values reduced from 2.09, 1.70, and 0.85 in NC group to 1.67, 0.71, and 0.44 and 1.82, 0.89, and 0.51 in siRNA1 and siRPA2 transfected groups, respectively. The D q sensitization enhancement ratios (SERDq) were 2.39 and 1.91 in siRNA1 and siRPA2 transfected groups, respectively. (3) The G2/M arrest was significantly caused by siRPA1 or -2 transfection as compared with that in the NC group (t value was 2.827, 2.853, p < 0.05). Post transcriptional silencing of RPA1 or -2 via RNAi can enhance the radiosensitivity of human esophageal cancer cells TE-1R, and the potential mechanism may be related to the inhibition of post-radiation sublethal damage repair and the halted cell cycle progression at G2/M phase. Therefore, RPA may become a new target for radiosensitization enhancement in esophageal cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Damage / genetics
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics*
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / radiation effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / radiation effects
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques*
  • Humans
  • M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics*
  • M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / radiation effects
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Radiation Tolerance / genetics*
  • Radiation Tolerance / radiation effects
  • Replication Protein A / deficiency*
  • Replication Protein A / genetics*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Replication Protein A