哌立福新对食管癌细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的研究不同浓度的哌立福新对食管癌细胞增殖及凋亡的影响,探讨哌立福新阻断蛋白激酶B（Akt）信号通路对食管癌细胞生长的抑制作用。方法将不同浓度的蛋白激酶B抑制剂哌立福新加入到人食管癌细胞Ecal09中,采用M3T法测定细胞毒性,流式细胞仪测定细胞凋亡率,Western Bloting法检测食管癌细胞中蛋白激酶B、mTOR、GSK-3β蛋白表达。结果哌立福新对人食管癌细胞Eca109有明显抑制作用并能诱导食管癌细胞凋亡。MTF结果显示,随着浓度的升高和时间的延长,抑制作用增强,并诱导人食管癌细胞Eca109凋亡,呈剂量一时问效应关系;流式细胞术显示,不同浓度哌立福新作用于人食管癌细胞Eca10924、48、72、96小时后,凋亡率随着时间的延长和浓度的升高而增大,15μmol／L作用48小时后凋亡率最大为51．3％;Western Bloting结果显示,蛋白激酶B、mTOR、GSK-3β在人食管癌细胞Eca109中均有表达,哌立福新作用后表达显著降低。结论哌立福新能显著抑制食管癌细胞增殖并诱导其凋亡。     

磁性纳米控释紫杉醇对食管癌Eca109细胞株生长的影响

目的:观察不同浓度磁性纳米控释紫杉醇对食管癌细胞Eca109的影响及与不同化疗药物的对比.方法:取对数生长期的食管癌Eca109细胞作细胞增殖抑制实验,实验组分别给予不同浓度的磁性纳米控释紫杉醇和5-氟尿嘧啶、泰素,同时设立二甲基亚砜(DMSO)和RPMI1640液对照,测定24,48,72h三个时间段的吸光度值,计算抑制率.经不同浓度的磁性纳米控释紫杉醇作用72h后,用电镜观察细胞超微结构,同时用流式细胞仪测定细胞周期和细胞凋亡.结果:MTT实验显示磁性纳米控释紫杉醇可抑制食管癌细胞增殖,与5-氟尿嘧啶,泰素相比,具有缓释性(P<0.01);电镜可发现药物作用组细胞核固缩、解聚以及凋亡小体;流式细胞仪检测显示G1峰前有明显的凋亡峰;细胞周期分析提示磁性纳米控释紫杉醇可将Eca109细胞阻滞于G2-M期,且与浓度相关.结论:磁性纳米控释紫杉醇对人食管癌细胞Eca109的生长有明显的抑制作用,使细胞分裂阻滞于G2-M期,并诱导细胞凋亡,且具有缓释效果.     

过表达AnnexinA2抑制食管癌Eca109细胞增殖和迁移

目的探讨AnnexinA2的表达对人食管癌细胞Eca109增殖、迁移、细胞周期和凋亡的影响。方法采用基因过表达技术上调Eca109细胞中AnnexinA2的表达,qRT-PCR和Western blot技术检测AnnexinA2 mRNA和蛋白水平变化;赛唑蓝(MTT)比色法研究其对Eca109细胞的存活、增殖能力的影响;采用划痕实验观察其对细胞迁移能力的影响;流式细胞术检测其对Eca109细胞周期及细胞凋亡的影响。结果 qRT-PCR和Western blot检测提示Eca109细胞转染AnnexinA2过表达质粒后mRNA和蛋白质表达水平均显著增高;MTT实验表明AnnexinA2过表达组细胞的增殖能力明显低于对照组(P0.05),同时细胞迁移能力也显著下降(P0.05);AnnexinA2在Eca109细胞中高表达将细胞阻滞于G2/M期,对细胞凋亡没有影响。结论 AnnexinA2在食管癌细胞中呈低表达,上调AnnexinA2蛋白水平可以明显抑制食管癌细胞的增殖、迁移能力。     

Pinl抑制剂Juglone对食管癌EC1细胞增殖的抑制作用

目的:测定Pin1抑制剂(Juglone)对食管癌细胞EC1生长增殖的影响,探讨Juglone的抗肿瘤作用.方法:体外培养人食管癌细胞系EC1,用MTT试验观察细胞生长增殖状况,流式细胞仪检测细胞周期以及细胞凋亡.结果:MTT试验表明,Juglone对EC1细胞生长有明显的抑制作用,且抑制作用随作用浓度和作用时间增加而增强.流式细胞仪检测表明,加入Juglone培养48 h后,EC1细胞出现G2期阻滞.Juglone药物(10、20、30 μmol/L)培养48 h后,EC1细胞的凋亡率明显增加,与对照组相比有统计学意义(9.06%,32.88%,53.18% vs 8.77%.均P<0.05).结论:Pin1抑制剂Juglone可以通过抑制Pin1表达从而抑制食管癌细胞的增殖,Pin1抑制剂有望成为新型的抗肿瘤治疗靶点.     

莪术醇联合顺铂对人食管癌109细胞凋亡以及细胞核因子-κB 表达的影响

目的：研究中药莪术醇联合顺铂对食管癌109细胞系的增殖凋亡、核因子（NF）-κB表达的影响,探讨莪术醇抗肿瘤的分子机制。方法将不同浓度莪术醇、顺铂、莪术醇和顺铂联合作用于食管癌109细胞,用噻唑蓝比色法（MTT 法）检测细胞增殖,流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡, Western blot 法检测作用48小时后细胞 NF-κB 蛋白的表达情况。结果不同浓度莪术醇、顺铂均对食管癌细胞均有抑制增殖、促进凋亡作用,抑制率、凋亡率呈明显浓度依耐性;联合用药后抑制率、凋亡率显著提高,差异有统计学意义（P ＜0．05）;4个浓度的莪术醇与顺铂（2．5 mg／L）作用食管癌48小时后 NF-κB 的表达量随浓度增加而下降,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P ＜0．05）。结论中药莪术醇对人食管癌109细胞株有明显抑制增殖,诱导凋亡的作用,其机制可能与下调NF-κB 蛋白的表达有关。     

miR-545-3p抑制食管癌细胞Eca109和TE-1生长的机制研究

目的探讨miR-545-3p抑制食管癌细胞Eca109和TE-1生长的机制。方法以食管癌细胞Eca109和TE-1作为研究对象,转染miR-NC(对照组)或miR-545-3p(实验组);荧光实时定量聚合酶链反应(qRT-PCR)和蛋白质印迹法(Western blotting)检测细胞周期蛋白依赖激酶4(CDK4)、细胞周期素D1(Cyclin D1)和p21活化蛋白激酶2(PAK2)mRNA及蛋白表达水平;流式细胞术检测细胞周期和细胞凋亡变化;细胞增殖实验(MTS法)和集落形成实验检测细胞增殖能力。结果过表达miR-545-3p后,CDK4、Cyclin D1和PAK2 mRNA及蛋白的表达明显下调(P0.05),促进细胞周期的进展和细胞凋亡的增加(P0.05),明显抑制食管癌细胞的增殖能力(P0.05)。结论miR-545-3p通过靶向干扰CDK4、Cyclin D1和PAK2的表达来抑制食管癌细胞的生长,是食管癌基因治疗的潜在靶点。     

siRNA干扰PDCD4表达对人食管鳞状细胞癌细胞株Eca109的影响

背景:研究发现PDCD4是一种新的肿瘤抑制基因,其表达与多种肿瘤的恶性转化相关。然而,PDCD4在食管鳞状细胞癌中的作用尚未完全明确。目的:探讨沉默PDCD4表达对食管鳞状细胞癌细胞株Eca109体外增殖、迁移、凋亡能力的影响。方法:选择未转染的Eca109细胞(空白对照组)、转染无义序列的Eca109细胞(阴性对照组)和转染PDCD4 siRNA的Eca109细胞(si-PDCD4组),采用蛋白质印迹法检测PDCD4蛋白表达,CCK-8法检测细胞增殖能力,平板单克隆形成实验检测细胞克隆形成能力,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率,Transwell细胞迁移实验检测细胞迁移能力。结果:与空白对照组、阴性对照组相比,si-PDCD4组细胞中PDCD4蛋白表达降低(P0.05),细胞增殖能力增强(P0.05),细胞克隆形成数目增多(P0.05),细胞凋亡率降低(P0.05),细胞迁移能力增强(P0.05)。结论:PDCD4 siRNA可在体外促进食管鳞状细胞癌Eca109细胞的增殖、迁移,并抑制细胞凋亡,为食管鳞状细胞癌的诊治提供了新的实验依据。     

rshCD_（40）L、IFN-γ对食管癌Eca109、Eca9706、TE13细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的观察可溶性重组人CD40L（rshCD40L）、IFN-γ对食管癌Eca109、Eca 9706、TE13细胞增殖和凋亡的影响。方法取正常培养的食管鳞癌细胞株Eca109、Eca 9706、TE13,分别用PBS、100 U/ml IFN-γ、100 ng/ml rsh-CD40L、100 U/ml IFN-γ＋100 ng/ml rshCD40L培养,分别为A、B、C、D组。用MTT法测算各组细胞增殖抑制率,用TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡率。结果 C组Eca109、Eca9706、TE13细胞增殖抑制率分别为40.6%±4.2%、31.5%±5.7%、44.6%±6.7%,明显高于A、B组（P均〈0.05）;D组分别为56.7%±4.9%、41.2%±6.2%、51.6%±5.2%,均高于C组（P均〈0.05）。C组Eca109、Eca9706、TE13细胞凋亡率分别为33.6%±3.7%、30.5%±2.8%和37.6%±4.9%,明显高于A、B组（P均〈0.05）;D组分别为43.7%±4.7%、34.2%±5.1%、41.5%±5.7%,均高于C组（P均〈0.05）。结论 rshCD40L能促进食管癌Eca109、Eca9706、TE13细胞凋亡,并抑制其增殖。IFN-γ可增强这一作用。     

钼对人食管癌细胞ECA-109的化疗增敏作用及对食管癌干细胞p75NTR的影响

目的:探讨钼对食管癌细胞ECA-109化疗敏感性的影响及对食管癌干细胞p75NTR作用.方法:本实验选用人食管癌细胞(esophageal cancer cells,ECCs)ECA-109.设计分为4组:空白对照组、顺铂组、单纯加钼组、顺铂加钼组,后3组均采用不同的浓度进行试验.用MTT法检测各组对人食管癌细胞ECA-109的生长抑制作用;流式细胞仪检测各组p75NTR百分率的变化.结果:顺铂组各浓度对食管癌细胞ECA-109有一定的抑制作用,且对食管癌干细胞也有不同程度的抑制作用,并且随着给药浓度和时间的增加均呈增强趋势;单纯加钼组对食管癌细胞ECA-109和对食管癌干细胞的抑制作用均不明显;顺铂加钼组对食管癌细胞ECA-109和食管癌干细胞的抑制作用则明显增强,与单用同浓度顺铂组及空白对照组比较有差异性(P<0.05),且呈一定的浓度、时间依赖性.结论:钼可明显增强顺铂对食管癌细胞ECA-109和食管癌干细胞的抑制作用,而单用钼则达不到理想的效果,说明钼可作为化疗增敏剂,为其作为食管癌化疗的辅助剂提供了实验依据.     

玉竹提取物B对人食管癌细胞Eca-109增殖与凋亡的影响

目的观察玉竹提取物B（EB-PAOA）对人食管癌细胞Eca-109增殖与凋亡的影响。方法将体外培养的Eca-109细胞与不同浓度的EB-PAOA共育,采用MTT法检测Eca-109细胞增殖抑制率,采用流式细胞仪检测Eca-109细胞凋亡率。结果随着EB-PAOA浓度增大、作用时间延长,Eca-109细胞的增殖抑制率逐渐升高（P均〈0.05）,呈时间、剂量依赖性;随着EB-PAOA浓度增加,Eca-109细胞凋亡率逐渐增加,呈一定浓度依赖性（P均〈0.05）。结论EB-PAOA能够抑制人食管癌细胞Eca-109的增殖,并诱导其凋亡。     

JNK MAPK信号通路在食管癌细胞系Eca-109细胞中的作用机制

目的探讨c-jun氨基末端激酶1/2（c-jun N-teuninal kinase,JNK 1/2）信号通路在食管癌细胞系Eca-109细胞中的作用。方法体外培养Eca-109细胞,以特异性JNK信号转导通路抑制剂SP600125处理Eca-109细胞;RT-PCR的方法检测JNK1和JNK2基因的表达,Western blot法检测JNK和p-JNK蛋白的表达,MTT（3-（4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide）法检测细胞增殖,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。结果 Eca-109细胞经SP600125分别处理24h和48 h后,分别与对照组比较,JNK1 mRNA的表达无统计学差异（均P〉0.05）,JNK2 mRNA的表达也无统计学差异（均P〉0.05）,但活化的JNK即P-JNK1/2蛋白的表达显著减少,细胞的增殖显著被抑制,细胞的凋亡率有统计学差异（均P〈0.05）。结论 JNK信号通路可能在Eca-109细胞的发生发展中发挥重要作用。     

An investigation of the effects of the MEK inhibitor U0126 on apoptosis in acute leukemia

Blockade of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK1/2), part of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been shown, in some instances, to cause apoptosis in leukemic blast cells. However, studies are contradictory and have often been based mainly on inhibition of cell growth in a limited number of cell lines. This investigation examined the effect of the potent MEK inhibitor U0126 alone and in combination with Ara-C on apoptosis in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cell lines, patient acute leukemic and nonleukemic samples. Apoptosis was assessed flow cytometrically using Apo2.7 and AnnexinV antibodies which detect apoptosis at the mitochondrial and cell membrane levels, respectively. The proapoptotic effect of the inhibitor varied across the five cell lines tested, from highly significant induction of apoptosis to no apparent response. A possible synergistic effect with the combined use of U0126 and Ara-C was observed in one cell line only. The proapoptotic effect of U0126 in the most sensitive cell line appeared to be related to CD34 positivity. Cells from leukemic patients showed considerable sensitivity in two of four cases with a similar association with CD34 expression being evident. Interestingly, control cells did not show a significant effect when exposed to the inhibitor. These results suggest that U0126 may offer a potential alternative to standard chemotherapy with a particular role in the most primitive types of leukemia, these being often the most resistant to standard chemotherapy.     

腺病毒介导RA538及反义c-myc在不同细胞系中作用及其机制

目的比较重组RA538,反义c-myc及LacZ腺病毒(adenovirus,AV)对不同靶细胞的转染效率、生物学特性并探讨其作用的分子机制.方法以人胃癌细胞(SGC7901)、食管癌细胞(EC109)及人胚肺二倍体细胞(2BS)系为靶细胞,采用LacZ基因转染X-gal染色、形态学观察、MTT,RT-PCR等方法,研究重组RA538,反义c-myc及LacZ AV对上述细胞的转染效率,生物学作用及其分子机制.结果 AV-LacZ进行重组腺病毒转导效率检测显示其对SGC7901,2BS细胞具有很高的转导效率,对EC109细胞转导效率较低.AV-RA538及AV-ASc-myc对SGC7901细胞能产生明显的生长抑制效应并诱导凋亡,其生长抑制率分别为76.3%和44.1%.AV-RA538及AV-ASc-myc对SGC7901细胞内源性c-myc,bcl-2基因的表达具有抑制作用.AV-RA538及AV-ASc-myc对EC109细胞及2BS细胞无明显的生长抑制及凋亡诱导作用,AV-RA538对EC109及2BS细胞中内源性c-myc,bcl-2基因的表达无调节作用.结论 AV载体转导效率很高,能实现目的基因在转导细胞中的高水平表达,但对不同靶细胞的转染效率存在差别.AV-RA538,AV-ASc-myc对SGC7901的生长抑制及凋亡诱导作用可能是通过AV的高效转导及抑制c-myc,bcl-2的表达而实现的.AV-RA538,AV-ASc-myc对食管癌、2BS细胞系无类似作用可能与其对上述细胞的转导的作用及内源性基因表达的作用有关.     

人参皂甙Rh2对食管癌Eca-109细胞caspase3、caspase8基因的影响

目的:探讨人参皂甙Rh2诱导人食管癌Eca-109细胞凋亡过程中caspase3、caspase8凋亡调节基因的相互关系及可能的作用机制.方法:应用MTT法测定其对细胞的生长抑制作用,流式细胞术分析人参皂甙Rh2作用后细胞凋亡及增殖的变化,应用免疫细胞化学及Western blot技术检测用药前后凋亡相关基因caspase3、caspase8蛋白表达的变化.结果:人参皂甙Rh2对人食管癌Eca-109细胞有生长抑制作用,并呈时效和量效依赖关系.流式细胞仪分析结果发现,食管癌Eca-109细胞在DNA组方图上出现典型的亚二倍体峰即凋亡峰,在细胞周期中的分布也发生了明显的变化,其48h凋亡率明显高于对照组(19.10%±2.12% vs 2.10%±0.87%,P<0.01).免疫细胞化学及Western blot技术结果显示,20mg/L人参皂甙Rh2作用72h后食管癌Eca-109细胞caspase3、caspase8蛋白表达明显升高(0.35±0.04 vs 0.10±0.02,0.84±0.06 vs 0.31±0.11,均P<0.05).结论:人参皂甙Rh2具有诱导食管癌Eca-109细胞凋亡和抑制细胞...     

不同转移潜能食管癌细胞株裸鼠模型的建立

背景：食管癌的转移率较高,是导致患者死亡的主要原因,但其机制仍不完全清楚。目的：建立具有不同转移潜能的高侵袭能力食管癌细胞株亚系裸鼠模型。方法：应用Transwell侵袭小室从食管癌细胞株Eca-109中筛选出高侵袭能力的食管癌细胞株亚系。观察母系和亚系细胞形态,MTT法检测细胞增殖能力的变化,划痕法检测细胞迁移能力。将食管癌Eca-109细胞及其亚系Eca-109 T4细胞分别皮下注射于裸鼠体内诱导移植瘤模型,观察成瘤率、成瘤时间、肿瘤生长情况。结果：成功从食管癌Eca-109细胞株中筛选出高侵袭能力的食管癌细胞株亚系Eca-109 T4,两者细胞形态无明显差异。与Eca-109细胞相比,Eca-109 T4细胞增殖能力和划痕愈合能力均明显增强。Eca-109组和Eca-109 T4组裸鼠成瘤率均为100%,与Eca-109组相比,Eca-109 T4组裸鼠成瘤时间更早且瘤体生长更快。结论：成功建立了不同转移潜能的高侵袭能力食管癌细胞株亚系裸鼠成瘤模型,为食管癌转移的进一步研究提供了理想模型。     

Dual blockade of the Hedgehog and ERK1/2 pathways coordinately decreases proliferation and survival of cholangiocarcinoma cells

Purpose The Hedgehog (Hh) and pERK1/2 pathways participate in the tumorigenesis of various tissues, but there has been no report on the involvement of these two pathways in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Hh pathway inhibitor, cyclopamine, and MEK inhibitor, U0126, as a single agent or in combination on CCA cell proliferation and survival. Methods Seven CCA cell lines were treated with cyclopamine and/or U0126, and cell proliferation was determined by WST-1 assay. The cell cycle was investigated by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. The expression levels of several cell cycle-related genes were determined by western blot analyses. Results Cyclopamine decreased cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase, while U0126 decreased the proliferation of CCA cells with KRAS mutation stronger than with wild-type KRAS. The combination of both inhibitors had an additive antiproliferative effect, particularly in cells with KRAS mutation, and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in the CCA cells. The expression levels of cell cycle-related proteins that are targets of the two pathways, such as cyclin D1 and cyclin B1, were strongly decreased in some CCA cell lines after combined inhibitor treatment. Conclusion Our results suggest that the Hedgehog and ERK1/2 pathways are important for CCA cell proliferation, and simultaneous inhibition of the two pathways may lead to stronger decreases in cell growth and viability in a subset of CCA cases.     

Role of stress-activated MAP kinase P38 in cisplatin- and DTT-induced apoptosis of the esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109

AIM: To study the role of P38 kinase in esophageal cancer cell apoptosis induced by genotoxin, cisplatin and the unfolded protein response (UPR) inducer, dithiothreitol (DTT). METHODS: Esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109 was cultured in RPMI 1640 medium to 70% confluency and treated with either cisplatin, DTT, or cisplatin plus DTT in the presence or absence of P38 inhibitor, SB203580. The untreated cells served as the control. The esophageal carcinoma cell apoptosis was detected by agarose gel DNA ladder analysis and quantified by flow cytometry. The P38 phosphorylation was detected by immunohis-tochemistry using antibodies specific to phosphorylated P38 protein. RESULTS: (1) Both cisplatin and DTT induced apoptosis in the esophageal cancer cell line Eca109 as shown by DNA ladder formation; (2) As detected by antibodies specific for the phosphorylated P38 protein (p-P38), both cisplatin and DTT treatments activated the stress-activated enzyme, MAP kinase P38. The number of positive cells was about 50% for the treatment groups, comparing to that of 10% for untreated group. DTT treatment, but not cisplatin treatment, induces nuclear localization of p-P38; (3) As measured by flow cytometry, inhibition of P38 activity by SB203580 blocks DTT- and cisplatin-induced apoptosis. The rates for DTT, cisplatin, and DTT plus cisplatin-induced apoptosis were 16.8%, 17.1%, and 21.4%, respectively. Addition of the SB compound during the incubation reduced the apoptotic rate to about 7.6% for all the treatment groups, suggesting that P38 activation is essential for cisplatin- and DTT-induced apoptosis in Eca109 cells. CONCLUSION: (1) Both DTT and cisplatin were able to induce apoptosis in esophageal cancer cell line Eca109; (2) P38 MAP kinase is essential for DTT- and cisplatin- induced apoptosis in Eca109 cells; (3) P38 activation may be the common signaling component relaying the multiple upstream signaling events to the downstream cell death program.     

Gene silencing of ß-catenin by RNAi inhibits cell proliferation in human esophageal cancer cells in vitro and in nude mice

ß-catenin, which is frequently overexpressed in a variety of human cancers including esophageal cancer, mediates cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. In the present study, we used a human U6 promoter-driven DNA-template approach to induce short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-triggered RNA interference to silence ß-catenin gene expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line Eca-109, and then evaluated its effects on the proliferation and growth of tumor cells in vitro and in nude mice. ß-catenin expression levels decreased markedly in Eca-109 cells transfected with a plasmid expressing shRNA for ß-catenin. Downregulation of ß-catenin was concomitantly accompanied by reduction of cyclin D1, colony formation, and growth inhibition of Eca-109 cells in vitro . The mechanism appears to be the G0/G1 phase arrest but not induction of apoptosis. In vivo , treatment of Eca-109 cells with ß-catenin shRNA greatly impeded tumor growth in nude mice. We conclude that plasmid vector-mediated ß-catenin RNA interference holds great promise as a novel treatment on human esophageal cancer with ß-catenin overexpression.     

Andrographolide radiosensitizes human esophageal cancer cell line ECA109 to radiation in vitro

To explore the radiosensitivity of andrographolide on esophageal cancer cell line ECA109. The inhibition effects of andrographolide were measured using 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Clonogenic survival assay was used to evaluate the effects of andrographolide on the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cells. Immunofluorescence was employed to examine Bax expression. The changes in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were assayed using flow cytometry. The expression of NF‐κb/Cleaved‐Caspase3/Bax/Bcl‐2 was measured using Western blot analysis. DNA damage was detected via γ‐H2AX foci counting. With a clear dose and time effects, andrographolide was found to inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cell line ECA109. The results of the clonogenic survival assay show that andrographolide could markedly enhance radiosensitivity (P < 0.05) with a sensitizing enhancement ratio of 1.28. Andrographolide caused a dose‐dependent increase in Cleaved‐Caspase3/Bax protein expression and a decrease in Bcl‐2/NF‐κb expression. Apoptosis in andrographolide‐treated ECA‐109 increased significantly compared with the apoptosis in the simple drug and radiation combined with drug groups (P < 0.001; P < 0.05). Moreover, compared with the independent radiation group, the andrographolide combined with radiation group increased the number of DNA double chain breaks. Andrographolide can increase the radiosensitivity of esophageal cell line ECA109. This result may be associated with the decrease in the NF‐κb level and the induced apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells.