[Expression of Notch1 gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC9706 and its effect on cell apoptosis].
OBJECTIVE
Notch1 signaling pathway is closely associated with carcinogenesis and plays a key role in cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. This study was to investigate the expression of Notch1 gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell line EC9706 and its effects on cell apoptosis.


METHODS
The expression of Notch1 gene in EC9706 cells was detected by immunocytochemistry. Notch1 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1-Notch1 (termed pcNICD) was constructed and transfected into EC9706 cells; pcDNA3.1 was also transfected as control. After transfection, the expression of Notch1 in EC9706 cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry (FCM).


RESULTS
The expression of Notch1 gene was detected in EC9706 cells. The mRNA and protein expression of Notch1 gene in pcNICD-transfected EC9706 cells were significantly increased by about 3 folds of those in untreated and pcDNA3.1-transfected cells (P<0.01). However, there was no difference in Notch1 expression between untreated and pcDNA3.1-transfected EC9706 cells (P>0.05). The apoptosis rate was significantly higher in pcNICD-transfected EC9706 cells than in untreated and pcDNA3.1-transfected cells (P<0.01); there was no prominent difference between untreated and pcDNA3.1-transfected EC9706 cells (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The activated Notch1 signaling pathway gives rise to the apoptosis of EC9706 cells, suggesting that Notch1 gene may be a new therapeutic target for ESCC.
Lu
Zhao-Ming
ZM
Laboratory for Cell Biology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, P. R. China.
Liu
Hong-Tao
HT
Xu
Pei-Rong
PR
Hou
Gui-Qin
GQ
Xue
Le-Xun
LX
D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection
C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051881:Receptor, Notch1