Radiotherapy Enhancement with Electroporation in Human Intestinal Colon Cancer HT-29 Cells

Yadollahpour, Ali; Rezaee, Zohre; Bayati, Vahid; Tahmasebi Birgani, Mohammad Javad; Negad Dehbashi, Fereshteh

doi:10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.5.1259

Radiotherapy Enhancement with Electroporation in Human Intestinal Colon Cancer HT-29 Cells

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

² Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.5.1259

Abstract

Background: The efficiency of radiotherapy for tumors can be enhanced with different radiosensitizers. Previous
studies have shown that electroporation (EP) can sensitize some cancer cell lines to ionizing radiation (IR). HT-29
is a radiation resistant colorectal cancer cell line, representative of a cancer type which is the second cause of cancer
mortalities in developed countries. The present study aimed to evaluate radiosensitizing effects of EP on HT-29 cells
in vitro exposed to 6 MV X-ray photon beams. Methods: HT-29 cells were exposed to a 6 MV X-ray photon beam
as the control or to a combination of electroporation and irradiation. The response of cells was evaluated by colony
formation assay and survival curves. Results: The survival fraction of the HT-29 cells was significantly decreased by
electroporation prior to radiotherapy. A single electric pulse increased colorectal HT-29 cancer cell sensitivity to megavoltage
radiation by a factor of 1.36. Conclusion: Our findings showed that EP before radiotherapy can significantly
enhance tumor cell sensitivity. This combined treatment modality should be assessed for its applicability in clinic settings
for employment against radioresistant cancers. However, to facilitate achieving this goal, many different tumors with
a broad range of radiosensitivities should be evaluated.

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