miR-377-5p enhances radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cell line TE-1 by inhibiting AKT1/GSK-3β signaling pathway

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-377-5p on the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cell line TE-1. Methods Esophageal cancer cell line TE-1 was transfected with miR-377-5p mimic and miR-377-5p mimic NC to construct the TE-1 cells overexpressing miR-377-5p. After the transfected TE-1 cells were exposed to ionizing radiation, radiobiological parameters(D0,Dq,SF2) were detected by plate colony formation assay. Cell invasion ability was assessed by Transwell chamber assay, Cell migration ability was evaluated by cell scratch assay, Cell viability was assessed by CCK8 assay. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry, Western blot. The phosphorylation levels of AKT1 and GSK-3βwere measured by Western blot. Results At the doses of 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy, the colony formation rate in each group was significantly decreased (all P<0.05), and the colony formation rate at the same irradiation dose in the miR-377-5p mimic group was significantly lower than that in the miR-377-5p mimic NC group (P<0.05). Compared with the miR-377-5pmimic NC group, the D0, Dq and SF2 at 2Gy were decreased significantly in the miR-377-5pmimic group (all P<0.05), and the radiosensitization ratio(D0 ratio) was 1.34. After 0 Gy ionizing radiation, the invasion, migration and proliferation abilities of TE-1 cells were significantly decreased, the level of cell apoptosis was significantly increased, the cell cycle was arrested in G1 phase, and the phosphorylation levels of AKT1 and GSK-3β were significantly decreased in the miR-377-5pmimic group (all P<0.05). Following 4 Gy irradiation, cell invasion, migration, proliferation abilities were decreased, the level of cell apoptosis was increased significantly, the G1 phase was significantly extended and the phosphorylation levels of AKT1 and GSK-3β were also decreased significantly in the miR-377-5pmimic group (all P<0.001). Conclusion miR-377-5p can increase the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cell line TE-1, which may be due to the inhibition of the AKT1/GSK-3β signaling pathway.