Knockdown of end-binding protein 1 induces apoptosis in radioresistant A549 lung cancer cells via p38 kinase-dependent COX-2 upregulation

Oncology Reports
Jeong-Hwa BaekSang-Gu Hwang

Abstract

The role of end-binding protein 1 (EB1) in lung cancer tumorigenesis and radiotherapy remains poorly understood. In the present study, we observed that EB1 was highly expressed in lung tumor tissues compared with normal non-tumor tissues based on immunohistochemical analysis of lung cancer tissue samples obtained from human tissue microarrays. EB1 was also highly overexpressed in radioresistant lung and cervical cancer cells, which exhibited increased cell death after EB1 silencing. The cytotoxicity induced by EB1 gene knockdown was due to the activation and generation of reactive oxygen species by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Notably, this signaling cascade, however not nuclear factor-κB-mediated signaling, induced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, a key effector of apoptotic death. Our results provided new molecular evidence supporting the use of EB1 as a novel target in lung cancer therapy, especially in the case of radioresistance.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis

Apoptosis in Cancer

Apoptosis is an important mechanism in cancer. By evading apoptosis, tumors can continue to grow without regulation and metastasize systemically. Many therapies are evaluating the use of pro-apoptotic activation to eliminate cancer growth. Here is the latest research on apoptosis in cancer.