Modern radiation therapy strives to minimize injury to organs while increasing the anticancer effects. The present study aimed to investigate the radiosensitizing effects of everolimus and to examine the molecular mechanisms responsible for everolimus‑mediated radiosensitization. Radiation in combination with everolimus (30 nM) sensitized Ras-transformed cells to radiation in vitro. Radiation induced apoptotic markers (sub-G1 cell accumulation, membrane inversion and DNA fragmentation) and treatment with everolimus did not promote radiation-induced apoptosis. However, LC3-II expression increased following combination treatment with everolimus and radiation, and the radiosensitizing effects of everolimus were reversed following transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Beclin 1. In addition, the protein levels of activated S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) were significantly reduced following treatment with everolimus, and the phosphorylation of factor 4E binding protein 1 (4EBP1) was suppressed following combination treatment. Taken together, our data demonstrate that everolimus sensitizes Ras-transformed cells to radiation in vitro. Everolimus-mediated radiosensitization is associated with the autophagy pathway. Thus, everolimus is a novel radiosensitizing agent with potential for use in cancer radiotherapy.

Increased cellular expression of haptoglobin is associated with EMT in oral cancer cell lines and this phenomenon could be exaggerated with IL-6. Cellular expression of haptoglobin is related to locoregional recurrence rate in buccal cancer patients.

BackgroundActivation of Ras oncogene in human tumors is associated with radiation-associated metastatic potential. Although ionizing radiation is one important method of cancer treatments, it has been shown to enhance matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity and facilitates a more aggressive cancer phenotype. Our previous studies showed that andrographolide with lower dose rates of radiation could inhibit RAS-transformed cancer metastasis in vivo; however, the molecular mechanisms are not yet clear. In this study, we aimed to explore the anti-metastatic effect of andrographolide combined with radiation on Ras-transformed cells.MethodsRAS-transformed cells were treated with andrographolide in the presence or absence of irradiation (2–4 Gy) or angiotensin II to examine cell invasion. In vivo tumorigenesis assays were also performed. The MMP-2 activity was detected by using Gelatin zymography. Signal transduction of NF-κB subunit, p65 and phosphor-ERK 1/2, were examined by using Western blotting analysis.ResultsTreatment with andrographolide inhibited migration of Ras-transformed cells. Andrographolide treatment with radiation significantly inhibited cancer metastasis in vivo. We found that andrographolide exhibited anti-migration and anti-invasive ability against cancer metastasis via inhibition of MMP2 activity rather than affected MMP-9 and EMT. In addition, combined andrographolide with radiation appeared to be more effective in reducing MMP-2 expression, and this effect was accompanied by suppression of ERK activation that inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that andrographolide enhances the anti-metastatic effect of radiation in Ras-transformed cells via suppression of ERK–mediated MMP-2 activity.