title: Gemcitabine and carboplatin demonstrate synergistic cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells by inhibiting DNA synthesis and increasing cell apoptosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aims to investigate the subunit expression and enzyme activity of ribonucleotide reductase in cervical cancer patients, and detect the combined effect of the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor gemcitabine and the chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin on cervical cancer cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and cytidine 5'-diphosphate reduction assays, we tested the expression and activity of ribonucleotide reductase in cervical cancer patients. The antitumor activity of gemcitabine and/or carboplatin treatments to SiHa and CaSki human cervical cancer cell lines were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 viability assay, EdU incorporation assay, immunofluorescence assay, flow cytometry assay, and Western blotting methods. Additionally, synergistic efficacy was quantitatively analyzed using a combination index based on the Chou-Talalay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA levels of three ribonucleotide reductase subunits were all upregulated in the cervical cancer tissues compared with normal tissues (P<0.0001). Consistently, the protein expression and enzyme activity of ribonucleotide reductase were also increased in the cervical cancer tissues. Interestingly, gemcitabine inhibited DNA synthesis and carboplatin induced DNA damage. Further, the combined drug regime had a significant synergistic effect on inhibiting cervical cancer cell viability (log10[combination index] <0) via enhanced DNA damage and cell apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression and activity of ribonucleotide reductase was increased in cervical cancer. Our study demonstrated the synergistic cytotoxicity of gemcitabine and carboplatin, through inhibiting DNA synthesis and increasing cell apoptosis in cervical cancer cell lines. This evidence might provide a rational clue of their combined application to improve cervical cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, People's Republic of China ; Department of Gynecological Oncology, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guixiu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lingjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jimin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Oncology, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huizhen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhong
keywords: carboplatin; cervical cancer; gemcitabine; ribonucleotide reductase