Synergistic antitumour activity of HDAC inhibitor SAHA and EGFR inhibitor gefitinib in head and neck cancer: a key role for ΔNp63α.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression is associated with the development of head and neck cancer (HNC) and represents one of the main therapeutic targets for this disease. The use of EGFR inhibitors has limited efficacy due to their primary and acquired resistance, partially because of increased epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). The HDAC inhibitor SAHA has been shown to revert EMT in different tumours, including HNC. In this study, we investigated the cooperative role of SAHA and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib in both HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNC cell lines.

Methods

A panel of 12 HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNC cell lines were screened for cell viability upon treatment with SAHA, gefitinib and the combination of the

SUBMITTER: Citro S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6461861 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature