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Apoptin enhances radiation-induced cell death in poorly responding head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells

Remilio A L Schoop1, Elizabeth M E Verdegaal, Robert J Baatenburg de Jong

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
|October 31, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Chicken anaemia virus-derived apoptin protein enhances radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. This protein sensitizes radioresistant tumors, increasing cell death when combined with irradiation.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Head and neck cancer treatment outcomes remain poor, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Radiotherapy resistance in tumors is a significant clinical challenge.
  • Combining irradiation with apoptosis-inducing agents is a promising approach to sensitize radioresistant tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of chicken anaemia virus-derived apoptin in combination with irradiation for human head and neck squamous carcinoma cell lines.
  • To determine if apoptin can sensitize radioresistant cancer cells to irradiation-induced apoptosis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized radiosensitive SCC61 and radioresistant SQD9 human head and neck squamous carcinoma cell lines.
  • Administered concurrent irradiation and apoptin treatment.
  • Assessed mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3 cleavage as markers of apoptosis.
  • Evaluated cell death using a colony survival assay.

Main Results:

  • Concurrent irradiation and apoptin treatment induced mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3 cleavage in both cell lines.
  • Irradiation alone did not induce these apoptosis markers in radioresistant SQD9 cells.
  • Combined apoptin and irradiation significantly increased cell death, particularly in radioresistant SQD9 cells, compared to irradiation alone.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptin treatment effectively enhances radiotherapy outcomes for head and neck cancers.
  • Apoptin shows particular promise in overcoming radioresistance in squamous cell carcinomas.
  • This strategy offers a potential new therapeutic option for patients with poorly responding tumors.

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