title: Silencing of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor enhances the radiation sensitivity of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent fatal cancer worldwide, and the number of deaths due to this disease is increasing. Due to ESCC resistance to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, new therapies are urgently needed for the improvement of ESCC patient clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eca-109 and TE-1 cells were transfected with 100 nM IGF-1r siRNA, and a combination of IGF-1r siRNA and radiation therapy was tested in vitro and in vivo. The effects of IGF-1r siRNA were determined through Western blotting and flow cytometry experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After radiotherapy, the number of IGF-1r siRNA-transfected Eca-109 cells decreased by approximately 67.3%, and a 78.9% reduction was observed in the transfected TE-1 cells. In addition, the Eca-109 and TE-1 cells that were irradiated following IGF-1r knockdown contained 16.2% and 20.3% apoptotic cells, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the current study suggest that IGF-1r knockdown may enhance the radiation sensitivity of ESCC and increase the therapeutic effects of radiation both in vitro and in vivo. These results provide strong evidence that the targeted application of siRNA will enable the development of new therapeutic strategies for the clinical treatment of ESCC patients.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Wenhua Western Road 107, Jinan 250012 Shandong Province, China. guxiaomengff@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaomeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000235:genetics*; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1