title: [Role of epidermal growth factor receptor expression level in cetuximab cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity effect against A549 lung cancer cell line].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression level in cetuximab cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effect against A549 lung cancer cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  A549 cell line and NKTm cells were used as the target cell and the effector cell, respectively. pEGFR-EGFP plasmids were transfected into A549 cells by nucleofector method. EGFR expression levels were measured by immunohistochemistry. The ADCC activity induced by cetuximab was assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A549 cells transfected with pEGFR-EGFP plasmids expressed higher level of EGFR protein on membrane and were more sensitive to ADCC activity mediated by cetuximab (P<0.05). The inhibition rate of A549 cells showed no significant difference between transfection group and wild-type group when treated with cetuximab alone (P> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGFR expression level influences the sensitivity of A549 lung cancer cell line to ADCC activity mediated by cetuximab but not to cetuximab alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology,Chinese PLA General Hospital,Beijing 100853,China.
authors.forename: Jin-yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology,Chinese PLA General Hospital,Beijing 100853,China.
authors.forename: Shun-chang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology,Chinese PLA General Hospital,Beijing 100853,China.
authors.forename: Guo-qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology,Chinese PLA General Hospital,Beijing 100853,China.
authors.forename: Sheng-jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000068818:Cetuximab