Effect of ECRG2 in combination with cisplatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of EC9706 cells

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of esophageal cancer-related gene 2 (ECRG2) protein in combination with cisplatin (DDP) on the proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. A 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to examine the effects of ECRG2 alone and ECRG2 in combination with DDP on the proliferation of EC9706 esophageal cancer cells. Hoechst 33258 staining was performed to analyze the effects of ECRG2 alone and ECRG2 in combination with DDP on apoptosis in the EC9706 cells. The expression levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) mRNA and protein were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. The results from the MTT assay revealed that ECRG2 inhibited the proliferation of EC9706 cells and that ECRG2 in combination with DDP had a greater inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. The antiproliferative effects were time- and concentration-dependent, within a certain range of concentrations. The Hoechst 33258 staining results demonstrated that the number of apoptotic cells following treatment with ECRG2 in combination with DDP for 24 h was higher than that following treatment with ECRG2 alone for the same duration. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR results revealed that the expression levels of Bax mRNA and protein were upregulated in cells treated with ECRG2 in combination with DDP compared with those in cells treated with ECRG2 alone. Thus, ECRG2 in combination with DDP had an enhanced inhibitory effect on EC9706 cell proliferation compared with that of ECRG2 alone, and an increased inductive effect on EC9706 cell apoptosis, possibly due to the upregulation of the expression of Bax.

Metformin Induced AMPK Activation, G0/G1 Phase Cell Cycle Arrest and the Inhibition of Growth of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas In Vitro and In Vivo

“…This study was approved and monitored by the Ethics Committees of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou Medical University. Human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, EC109 [ 18 , 19 ] and EC9706 [ 20 , 21 ], were obtained from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and from The Cell Bank of Type Culture Collection of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS, Shanghai). Cells (1 × 10 5 ) were grown in RPMI1640 medium (ICN; Biomedicals Inc.) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum, 100 units/ml penicillin and 100 units/ml streptomycin (Invitrogen).…”

Preparation, characterization, and anticancer effects of an inclusion complex of coixol with β-cyclodextrin polymers

“…Cell morphology was observed under 340 nm excitation light using an inverted microscope (Olympus Company, Japan) (Song et al. 2014 ).…”

ECRG2/SPINK7 Tumor Suppressor as Modulator of DNA Damage Response

“…Thus, restoring ECRG2 expression and function in cancer cells is of great interest and an attractive therapeutic strategy. Several recent studies have investigated the effect of synthetic ECRG2 polypeptides on cultured cancer cells [ 66 , 67 ]. ECRG2 is a small protein of 85 amino acids; thus, its production is amenable to chemical synthesis.…”

“…ECRG2 is a small protein of 85 amino acids; thus, its production is amenable to chemical synthesis. Studies by Song et al [ 66 , 68 ] showed that synthetic ECRG2 alone (8.5 µg/L) killed esophageal cancer cells (EC9706) in cell cultures by ~18–25% at 24 and 72 h time intervals. The synthetic ECRG2 was also able to enhance cisplatin-induced cell death in cisplatin-resistant esophageal cancer cells [ 67 ].…”