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ABSTRACT: Background and purpose
Current therapies for head and neck cancer frequently are not curative, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. Thus, we studied whether inhibition of poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase (PARP), a key DNA repair enzyme, could improve efficacy of radiotherapy in human head and neck cancer.Materials and methods
UM-SCC1, UM-SCC5, UM-SCC6, and FaDu human head and neck cancer cellular susceptibility to the PARP inhibitor (PARPi) ABT-888 and/or radiation (IR) was assessed using colony formation assays. DNA damage was evaluated using the alkaline comet assay and immunostaining for ?-H2AX foci. Non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) mediated repair was measured using phospho-DNA-Pk foci. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) location was assessed by immunostaining. Poly ADP-Ribose polymerization (PAR) levels were assessed using immunoblotting.Results
Human head and neck cancer cells exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity with IR and ABT-888 compared to either agent alone. This increased susceptibility correlated with reduced nuclear EGFR, attenuation of NHEJ, and persistence of DNA damage following IR. Interestingly, a subset of head and neck cancer cells which had elevated basal PAR levels was susceptible to PARPi alone.Conclusions
Combining radiotherapy and PARP inhibition may improve outcomes and quality of life for head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Furthermore, this novel strategy may also be feasible in other tumor types. Moreover, PAR levels should be investigated as a potential biomarker for tumor susceptibility to PARP inhibition.
SUBMITTER: Nowsheen S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3157293 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Nowsheen Somaira S Bonner James A JA Yang Eddy S ES
Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology 20110628 3
<h4>Background and purpose</h4>Current therapies for head and neck cancer frequently are not curative, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. Thus, we studied whether inhibition of poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase (PARP), a key DNA repair enzyme, could improve efficacy of radiotherapy in human head and neck cancer.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>UM-SCC1, UM-SCC5, UM-SCC6, and FaDu human head and neck cancer cellular susceptibility to the PARP inhibitor (PARPi) ABT-888 and/or radiation (IR) was ass ...[more]