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Updated: May 6, 2026
Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
[Irradiation induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in vitro]
Guo Li1, Yong Liu, Zhong-wu Su
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Objective:
To investigate the irradiation induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in vitro.
Methods:
NPC CNE-2 cells with radioresistance (CNE-2-Rs) were established by exposure to gradiently increased dose of irradiation. CCK-8 cell viability kits, colony formation assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis were used to confirm the capacity of radioresistance of CNE-2-Rs cells. Invert microscope was used to monitor the morphological changes and western blot was applied to detect the expression of epithelial cell marker E-cadherin and mesenchymal cell marker Vimentin during the phase of CNE-2 exposure to irradiation.
Results:
Irradiation exposure successfully induced the radioresistance of CNE-2 cells. After exposed to irradiation, the survival rate in CNE-2-Rs was higher than that in CNE-2 by CCK-8 assays. No significant difference of proliferation ability was observed between the CNE-2 and CNE-2-Rs pre-radiotherapy, but a higher proliferation ability in the CNE-2-Rs post-radiotherapy. By using the colony forming assay, the parameters of CNE-2 and CNE-2-Rs in multi-target single-hit and linear quadratic model were obtained and the data demonstrated that parameters mean lethal dose (D0) , quasi-thres hold dose (Dq) , surrival fraction in 2Qy (SF2) and mean inctivation dose (MID) value increased, α and α/β value decreased (P < 0.05) . At the same time, the CNE-2-Rs cells showed higher percentage of cells in S and G2 phase (P < 0.05) . In terms of biomorphology, CNE-2-Rs cells were more narrow, long strips or fusiform shapes, stretched out tentacles, and the contacts between them were loosened. When radiation dose accumulated to 24 Gy, an over-expression of Vimentin was observed in treated cells, while E-cadherin was down-regulated (P < 0.01) .
Conclusions:
NPC cells present with typical morphorlogical and biomolecular changes of EMT during exposure to irradiation, indicating the potential critical roles of EMT in the malignant behavior of radioresistance in NPC.
