1. Academic Validation
  2. Paclitaxel promotes mTOR signaling-mediated apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells by targeting MUC20

Paclitaxel promotes mTOR signaling-mediated apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells by targeting MUC20

  • Thorac Cancer. 2023 Sep 29. doi: 10.1111/1759-7714.15091.
Meng Li 1 2 Zhen Feng 1 2 Rui Han 3 Benchuang Hu 4 Renfeng Zhang 5 Hui Wang 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
  • 2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
  • 3 Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
  • 4 Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Jining, Jining, China.
  • 5 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of paclitaxel on the Apoptosis of esophageal Cancer cells in relation to MUC20.

Methods: RT-qPCR analysis, a CCK-8 assay, western blotting, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the Anticancer effects of paclitaxel treatment or OE-MUC20 in vitro and in vivo.

Results: The in vitro results showed that paclitaxel significantly induced MUC20 upregulation and that paclitaxel treatment or OE-MUC20 significantly decreased esophageal Cancer cell viability and increased mTOR signaling activation and Apoptosis. In addition, PKM2, a key downstream molecule of mTOR signaling, similarly showed significant upregulation after paclitaxel treatment in cells with OE-MUC20, and its expression was attenuated after treatment with mTOR inhibitors. In a nude mouse model, tumor growth was slow in the OE-MUC20 group and accelerated after inhibition of mTOR signaling.

Conclusion: These data suggest that MUC20 is an important target of paclitaxel in esophageal Cancer and promotes Apoptosis through activation of mTOR signaling.

Keywords

MUC20; drug target; esophageal cancer; mTOR signaling; paclitaxel.

Figures
Products
Inhibitors & Agonists
Other Products