Docetaxel shows radiosensitization in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2005-05, Vol.11 (19), p.2990-2993
• Main Authors: Geng, Chang-Xin, Zeng, Zhao-Chong, Wang, Ji-Yao, Xuan, Shi-Ying, Lin, Chong-Mao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brief Reports; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - radiotherapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - radiation effects; Docetaxel; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Oxidation-Reduction; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Taxoids - pharmacology; 放射敏化; 放射治疗; 肝细胞癌; 肿瘤细胞
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i19.2990

AIM: To determine the radiosensitizing potential of docetaxel in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells and its mechanisms. METHODS: SMMC-7721 cells were incubated with docetaxel at 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 nmoL/L for 24 h and at 0.125 and 0.25 nmol/L for 48 h before irradiation. Radiation doses were given from 0 to 10 Gy. Cell survival was measured by a standard clonogenic assay after a 9-d incubation. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) are detected after being given the same dose of docetaxel for the same time. RESULTS: The sensitization enhancement ratios (SER)for SMMC-7721 cells determined at the 50% survival level were 1.15, 1.21 and 1.49 at 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 nmol/L for pre-incubation of 24 h, respectively; the SER were 1.42, 1.67 at 0.125 and 0.25 nmol/L, for pre-incubation of 48 h, respectively. The ROS of SMMC-7721 cells increased and GSH decreased after pretreatment with the same doses of docetaxel for 24 or 48 h. CONCLUSION: A radiosensitizing effect of docetaxel could be demonstrated unambiguously in this cell line used. In addition, our data showed that the mechanism of radiopotentiation by docetaxel probably does not involve a G2/M block in SMMC-7721 cells, and ROS generation and GSH deletion may play a key role in the radiosensitizing effect of docetaxel.