No abstract

Enhancing of radioresponsiveness of tumors by using radiosensitizers is a promising approach to increase the efficacy of radiation therapy. Recently, the ethanolic extract of the medicinal plant, Derris scandens Benth has been identified as a potent radiosensitizer of human colon cancer HT29 cells. However, cell death mechanisms underlying radiosensitization activity of D scandens extract have not been identified. Here, we show that treatment of HT-29 cells with D scandens extract in combination with gamma irradiation synergistically sensitizes HT-29 cells to cell lethality by apoptosis and mitotic catastrophe. Furthermore, the extract was found to decrease Erk1/2 activation. These findings suggest that D scandens extract mediates radiosensitization via at least two distinct modes of cell death and silences pro-survival signaling in HT-29 cells.

NBS1 fulfills important functions for the maintenance of genomic stability and cellular survival. Mutations in the NBS1 (Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome 1) gene are responsible for the Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) in humans. The symptoms of this disease and the phenotypes of NBS1-defective cells, especially their enhanced radiosensitivity, can be explained by an impaired DNA double-strand break-induced signaling and a disturbed repair of these DNA lesions. We now provide evidence that NBS1 is also important for cellular survival after oxidative or alkylating stress where it is required for the proper initiation of base excision repair (BER). NBS1 downregulated cells show reduced activation of poly-(adenosine diphosphate-ribose)-polymerase-1 (PARP1) following genotoxic treatment with H(2)O(2) or methyl methanesulfonate, indicating impaired processing of damaged bases by BER as PARP1 activity is stimulated by the single-strand breaks intermediately generated during this repair pathway. Furthermore, extracts of these cells have a decreased capacity for the in vitro repair of a double-stranded oligonucleotide containing either uracil or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine to trigger BER. Our data presented here highlight for the first time a functional role for NBS1 in DNA maintenance by the BER pathway.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a destructive malignancy with a poor prognosis and lack of effective medical treatment. Radiotherapy is an alternative treatment for patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. However, there are limited data on the radiation responsiveness of individual cholangiocarcinoma cells, which is a key factor that influences radiation treatment outcome. In this study, we found that cholangiocarcinoma cell lines differ remarkably in their radiosensitivity. The variation of radiosensitivity of cholangiocarcinoma cells correlates with their p53 status and existing G1 and/or G2 checkpoint defects. We also demonstrated the potential of checkpoint kinase Chk1/2 inhibition on the enhancement of the radiosensitivity of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Thus, this study provides useful information for predicting radiation response and provides evidence for the enchantment of radiotherapeutic efficiency by targeting checkpoint kinase Chk1/2 in some subpopulations of cholangiocarcinoma patients.