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Title: Overexpression of IGF-I receptor in HeLa cells enhances in vivo radioresponse

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
;  [1];  [1]
  1. Oral Radiation Oncology, Department of Oral Restitution, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549 (Japan)

Insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase whose activation strongly promotes cell growth and survival. We previously reported that IGF-IR activity confers intrinsic radioresistance in mouse embryo fibroblasts in vitro. However, it is still unclear whether tumor cells overexpressing IGF-IR exhibit radioresistance in vivo. For this purpose, we established HeLa cells that overexpress IGF-IR (HeLa-R), subcutaneously transplanted these cells into nude mice, and examined radioresponse in the resulting solid tumors. HeLa-R cells exhibited typical in vitro phenotypes generally observed in IGF-IR-overexpressing cells, as well as significant intrinsic radioresistance in vitro compared with parent cells. As expected, the transplanted HeLa-R tumors grew at a remarkably higher rate than parent tumors. Histological analysis revealed that HeLa-R tumors expressed more VEGF and had a higher density of tumor vessels. Unexpectedly, a marked growth delay was observed in HeLa-R tumors following 10 Gy of X-irradiation. Immunostaining of HeLa-R tumors for the hypoxia marker pimonidazole revealed a significantly lower level of hypoxic cells. Moreover, clamp hypoxia significantly increased radioresistance in HeLa-R tumors. Tumor microenvironments in vivo generated by the IGF-IR expression thus could be a major factor in determining the tumor radioresponse in vivo.

OSTI ID:
21032993
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 363, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.09.070; PII: S0006-291X(07)02048-7; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English