Synergistic effect of targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor and hyaluronan synthesis in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Worldwide, oesophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and has a very poor survival rate. In order to identify new tolerable treatment options for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), erlotinib was tested with moderate efficacy in phase I and II studies. As 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), an hyaluronan (HA) synthesis inhibitor showed anti-cancer effects in vitro, and in ESCC xenograft tumours, we investigated whether the anti-cancer effects of erlotinib could be augmented by combining it with 4-MU.

Experimental approach

ESCC cell lines were treated with erlotinib or gefitinib (1 μmol·L^-1 ) and 4-MU (300 μmol·L^-1 ), and the cell count, cell cycle progression and migration were determined as compared to the single agent

SUBMITTER: Kretschmer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4562515 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature