Paclitaxel induces apoptosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by downregulating STAT3 phosphorylation at Ser727

Zhang,Xiaolong; Wu,Xiaoyi; Zhang,Fangling; Mo,Shouyong; Lu,Yuanyuan; Wei,Wei; Chen,Xiaoling; Lan,Linhua; Lu,Bin; Liu,Yongzhang

doi:10.3892/or.2017.5503

Paclitaxel induces apoptosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by downregulating STAT3 phosphorylation at Ser727

Authors:
- Xiaolong Zhang
- Xiaoyi Wu
- Fangling Zhang
- Shouyong Mo
- Yuanyuan Lu
- Wei Wei
- Xiaoling Chen
- Linhua Lan
- Bin Lu
- Yongzhang Liu
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Affiliations: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, P.R. China, Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Cancer Center, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, P.R. China, The Second Clinical Medical School, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, P.R. China
Published online on: March 13, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2017.5503
Pages: 2237-2244

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Abstract

Paclitaxel induces apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. However, the mechanism of paclitaxel inducing apoptosis in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains to be defined. In this study, we found that paclitaxel-induced apoptosis by increasing the relevant apoptosis protein expression and the release of cytochrome c via downregulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and phospho-STAT3 (Ser727). In addition, paclitaxel treatment of ESCC cells EC-1 and Eca-109 led to marked mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and significantly increasing of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, paclitaxel treatment resulted in the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. In conclusion, our findings reveal that paclitaxel induced apoptosis in both EC-1 and Eca-109 cells through the reduction of STAT3 and phospho‑STAT3 (Ser727) level, and suggest that paclitaxel may be of therapeutic potential in the treatment of ESCC through the induction of mitochondrial apoptosis in ESCC cells.

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