PMID: 16619511Apr 20, 2006Paper

Prestimulation of head and neck cancer cells with growth factors enhances treatment efficacy

Anticancer Research
Markus HambekRainald Knecht

Abstract

In recent years, new chemotherapy regimens with promising activity, especially in first-line therapy (induction chemotherapy) of head and neck cancer (SCCHN), have been developed. Nevertheless, a major problem concerning the response of SCCHN to chemotherapy is the high percentage of resting cells (G0-phase cells) being resistant to chemotherapy. To overcome this phenomenon, the capacity of several cytokines to switch on cells into the division cycle and progress to the chemosensitive phases (S-, M-phases) was investigated. Interleukin-6, serotonin, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were used to stimulate G0-phase squamous cell cancer cells (Detroit 562, A431, UM-SCC 10B) for re-entry into the cell cycle to enhance the response to cisplatin. The proportion of G0-phase cells was detected through multicolor FACS analysis and Ki-67 staining. Cell cycle re-entry was most effective after combination treatment with serotonin + EGF. The proportion of G0-phase cells was significantly reduced after stimulation with serotonin + EGF (p < 0.05). Corresponding to cell cycle re-entry, the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin was significantly (p < 0.04) enhanced in the prestimulated compared to the cont...Continue Reading

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