Silencing FAM135B enhances radiosensitivity of esophageal carcinoma cell

FAM135B (family with sequence similarity 135, member B) is related to the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the role played by the gene in radiosensitivity remains unknown. Herein, we examined the relationship between FAM135B and radiosensitivity. According to the results, FAM135B is highly expressed in ESCC cells, and ESCC cells with high levels of FAM135B are resistant to irradiation. Silencing FAM135B inhibits colony formation capability and cell cycle protein expression (pP53, CDK1), promotes cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase following irradiation. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing analysis demonstrates that FAM135B regulates downstream PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and western blot verifies the result. One of the mechanisms of increasing radiosensitivity by silencing FAM135B expression in ESCC cells may be achieved by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Silencing FAM135B shows synergy with PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitor (rapamycin) in increasing radiosensitivity, regulating the expression of cell cycle protein and inducing apoptosis of ESCC cells. The results indicate that FAM135B could be a potential treatment target for ESCC in management of radiosensitivity.