title: Antitumor activity from the combined application of poly(I:C) and chemotherapeutics in human metastatic pharyngeal cell lines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) activation in tumor cells induces apoptosis. We investigated the effect of TLR3 ligand (poly(I:C)) in combination with chemotherapeutics applied to human pharyngeal carcinoma cells as a possible antitumor therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human pharyngeal cancer cell lines were studied (FaDu and Detroit 562). Cytotoxicity assays and apoptosis assays (annexin V staining and caspase 3/7 activity measurements) were used to investigate the cytotoxic effects. By using TLR3 siRNA we confirmed that the observed effect is TLR3-dependent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the combined application of poly(I:C) and chemotherapeutics (cisPt, HU, 5-FU and MTX) has a stronger inhibitory effect on cell growth in tumor cells expressing functional TLR3 as compared with a single treatment. This is a result of TLR3-dependent apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that a combined application of the two agents already being used in tumor therapy could lower the necessary dosage of chemotherapeutics, leading to fewer side effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matijević
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kirinec
authors.forename: Jasminka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pavelić
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011070:Poly I-C