The Effect of Cisplatin on GATA2 and GATA6 Gene Expression in Head and Neck Cancer Cell Lines
ABSTRACT
Objective:
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) constitutes over 90% of malignancies in the head and neck region and remains a significant clinical burden due to high mortality and resistance to therapy. Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in HNSCC treatment; however, its effectiveness is often limited by resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cisplatin on GATA2 and GATA6 expression in two HNSCC cell lines.
Materials and Methods:
The HNSCC cell lines, HSC3 and SCC47, were exposed to varying concentrations of cisplatin to assess cytotoxic effects, with cell viability evaluated using the MTS assay. Based on the results, the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) were determined as 2.18 µM for HSC3 and 5.6 µM for SCC47 at 48 hours post-treatment. Subsequent experiments involved treating each cell line with its corresponding IC₅₀ dose for 48 hours. Total RNA was then isolated using the TRIzol reagent, and complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized for downstream analysis. Quantification of GATA2 and GATA6 gene expression was performed via quantitative PCR (qPCR) using TaqMan probes, with ACTB as the housekeeping gene. Relative gene expression levels of GATA2 and GATA 6 were calculated using the comparative ΔΔCt method.
Results:
GATA6 expression was significantly upregulated (approximately 3-fold) following cisplatin treatment, whereas GATA2 levels remained unchanged compared to untreated controls in HSC3 cells. In contrast, SCC47 cells showed a modest increase in both GATA2 and GATA6 expression; however, these changes did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
Cisplatin modulates the expression of GATA2 and GATA6 in a cell line-dependent manner in HNSCC. The observed upregulation of GATA6 in the more cisplatin-sensitive HSC3 line may be associated with treatment response. However, this association remains correlative, and further functional studies are required to establish causality. These preliminary findings warrant additional investigation to clarify whether GATA2 and GATA6 could serve as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets in cisplatin-treated HNSCC.
Keywords:
HNSCC,
cisplatin,
GATA2,
GATA6,
gene expression.
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