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Nanog siRNA plus Cisplatin may enhance the sensitivity of chemotherapy in esophageal cancer

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Abstract

Background

Cancer stem cells are regarded as the origin of tumors that can proliferate, relapse, and metastasize. Nanog, with its capacity to maintain the pluripotency and regulate proliferation and prevent differentiation, is one of the most important core markers of cancer stem cells. Studying the role of Nanog in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), therefore, has important implications.

Methods

In the present study, we first detected the expression of Nanog in the ESCC and cell lines by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemisty. Then, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to block Nanog expression while evaluating the effect of Nanog siRNA on cell apoptosis and the combined effects with Cisplatin in ESCC cell lines.

Results

The results showed that both mRNA and protein-level Nanog are overexpressed in ESCC tissues compared with their normal counterparts, and the increased occurrence of Nanog expression was positively correlated with TNM stages and histopathological differentiation of ESCC patients (p < 0.01). At the same time, Nanog siRNA efficiently decreased Nanog expression and induced cell apoptosis. Treatment with Nanog siRNA in combination with Cisplatin, therefore, enhanced chemosensitivity.

Conclusion

The present study’s results suggest that detecting Nanog might be helpful for diagnosing ESCC, and Nanog siRNA combined with Cisplatin may be a feasible strategy to enhance the sensitivity of chemotherapy in patients with ESCC.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by Grants no. 2011225015 from the Science and Technology Project Foundation of Science and Technology Department of Liaoning Province of China, and No. Y2011Z001 from the Young Foundation of Liaoning Medical University of China, and No. Fy2011-01 from the Young Foundation of the First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University of China.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, N0. 2, Section 5 Rinmin Street, Guta Dist., Jingzhou City, 121001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Yaming Du, Zhiliang Liu & Zhongbin Wang

  2. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Leizhi Shi

  3. Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, N0. 2, Section 5 Rinmin Street, Guta Dist., Jingzhou City, 121001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Tianyi Wang

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  1. Yaming Du
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  2. Leizhi Shi
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  3. Tianyi Wang
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  4. Zhiliang Liu
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  5. Zhongbin Wang
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Correspondence to Zhongbin Wang.

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Du, Y., Shi, L., Wang, T. et al. Nanog siRNA plus Cisplatin may enhance the sensitivity of chemotherapy in esophageal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 138, 1759–1767 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1253-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1253-8

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