Activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway is known to induce tumor radioresistance. In the current study, we examined the ability of 17AAG, which decreases the levels of Hsp90 client proteins including components of the PI3K-Akt pathway, to sensitize radioresistant human squamous cell carcinoma cells to Xirradiation. Human squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (SQ20B, SCC61 and SCC13) were incubated for 16 h at 37°°°°C in medium containing 17AAG. Radiation sensitivity was determined by clonogenic assays, and protein levels were examined by western blotting. Apoptosis was determined in monolayer cells by AO/EB double staining and in spheroids using the TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. 17AAG (0.2 µ µ µ µM) enhanced the radiosensitivity more effectively in radioresistant SQ20B and SCC13 cells than in radiosensitive SCC61 cells. However, in all three cell lines, 17AAG increased radiation-induced apoptosis by reducing the expression of EGFR and ErbB-2 and inhibiting the phosphorylation of Akt. Furthermore, 17AAG (1 µ µ µ µM) sensitized SQ20B spheroids to radiation, and inhibition of Akt activation by 17AAG increased radiation-induced apoptosis in spheroids. The findings suggest that 17AAG effectively sensitizes radioresistant cells to radiation by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway. Targeting the PI3K-Akt pathway with 17AAG could be a useful strategy for radiosensitization of carcinomas. (Cancer Sci 2005; 96: 911-917) R adiation therapy is commonly used for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck because of its minimal cosmetic effects and its ability to preserve voice in laryngeal cancer. However, treatment failure correlates with a poorer prognosis and decreased patient survival.The EGFR family contributes to resistance to radiation and chemotherapy in many human tumors, including head and neck cancer.(1-14) ErbB-2, a member of the EGFR family, is also overexpressed in 30% of breast tumors as well as in a significant number of other cancers. (15,16) Blockade of the EGFRmediated signaling pathway enhances the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation and several chemotherapeutic agents.The PI3K-Akt pathway is a major downstream pathway initiated by activation of the EGFR family members. (17)(18)(19)(20)(21) This pathway plays an important role in cell growth and survival. (22,23) The serine/threonine kinase Akt (also known as protein kinase B) is thought to be a downstream target of PI3K. Akt activation is responsible for desensitizing cells to apoptotic stimuli. This occurs by regulation of the transcriptional activity of both Forkhead family members (24,25) and NF-κB, (26,27) and through phosphorylation and inactivation of the apoptotic machinery including Bcl-2 homolog, Bad (28,29) and caspase-9.(30) Furthermore, Akt is amplified or overexpressed in a wide variety of human tumors.(31-33) PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene, is thought to negatively regulate the PI3K-Akt pathway.(34-36) Mutations causing PTEN to be functionally inactive are frequently detected in many human cancers and enhance Akt activity.(37) Akt acti...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the radiosensitizing effect of geldanamycin (GA), an inhibitor of heat shock protein 90, on tumour cells and normal cells. We tested the effect of a combination of GA and radiation on cell survival, PI3K/Akt-related proteins and apoptosis induction. GA sensitized tumour cells to radiation in preference to normal cells. In addition, a combination of radiation and GA abolished Akt activities and strongly enhanced the induction of apoptosis in tumour cells which depend on Akt protein activities for cell survival. The present data support the hypothesis that GA sensitizes tumour cells by modulating the balance among mitogenic, antiproliferative and apoptotic pathways. Targeting Hsp90 in tumour cells may lead to the development of new radiosensitizing strategies in radiotherapy.
Objective: Intracellular signaling of activin and transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) is thought to be mediated by the same molecules (Smad2/3 and Smad4). Although differentiation of murine erythroleukemia F5-5.fl cells is induced by activin, it is not induced by TGF-b, suggesting that at some point TGF-b signaling is defective. The aim of this study was to investigate the unresponsiveness of An erythrodifferentiation assay using F5-5.fl cells would be useful for measuring net activin activity because it would not be necessary to consider endogenous activins and BMPs.
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