Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026

Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
Sorafenib sensitizes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells to ionizing radiation
Simon Laban1, Leonhard Steinmeister, Lisa Gleißner
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Germany; Laboratory of Radiobiology & Experimental Radiooncology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Germany.
Background And Purpose:
There is a great need to improve the outcome of locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC). Standard treatment includes a combination of surgery, radio- and chemotherapy. The addition of molecular targeting agents to conventional treatment may improve outcomes. In this study the Raf inhibitor sorafenib was used to increase the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cell lines.
Material And Methods:
In a panel of six cell lines (A549, FaDu, UTSCC 60A, UTSCC 42A, UTSCC 42B, UTSCC 29) radiosensitivity was measured by colony formation assay and apoptosis and cell cycle analysis were performed by flow cytometry. DNA repair was analyzed by 53BP1 immunohistochemistry.
Results:
Sorafenib added prior to irradiation resulted in an increased cellular radiosensitivity (DEF0.5=1.11-1.84). Radiosensitization was not caused by an enhanced rate of apoptosis or cell cycle effects. In contrast, sorafenib was shown for the first time to block the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB).
Conclusion:
Our data suggest that sorafenib may be used to overcome the radioresistance of HNSCC through the inhibition of DSB repair.
More Related Videos
12:03Multi-photon Imaging of Tumor Cell Invasion in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: July 25, 2011
09:32Drug-Induced Senescence in Liver Cells Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Associated Hepatotoxicity
Published on: October 17, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...