Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Sensitize Pancreatic Cancer to Radiation Therapy through Oxidative Activation of the JNK Apoptotic Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Side effects of radiation therapy (RT) remain the most challenging issue for pancreatic cancer treatment. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) are currently being tested in pre-clinical trials as an adjuvant to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to RT and protect normal tissues from the harmful side effects. CONPs were not able to significantly affect RT-induced DNA damage in cancer cells, thereby ruling out sensitization through increased mitotic catastrophe. However, activation of c-Jun terminal kinase (JNK), a key driver of RT-induced apoptosis, was significantly enhanced by co-treatment with CONPs and RT in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and human pancreatic tumors in nude mice in vivo compared to CONPs or RT treatment alone. Further, CONP-driven increase in RT-induced JNK activity was

SUBMITTER: Wason MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6162528 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature