鼻咽癌相关基因 BRD7 对鼻咽癌细胞CNE1的影响

为了研究BRD7基因对鼻咽癌细胞CNE1的影响,通过脂质体转染方法,将BRD7基因导入NPC细胞株CNE1细胞中.通过细胞生长曲线发现该基因能够抑制CNE1细胞的生长.为了探讨可能的作用机制,进而采用蛋白质组技术研究该基因对鼻咽癌蛋白质表达谱的影响,从而研究该基因在CNE1中的地位和作用.通过对过表达BRD7基因后鼻咽癌细胞系CNE1的蛋白质表达谱改变的研究,鉴定出19个差异表达蛋白,这些蛋白质包括:BCCIP (BRCA2 and CDKN1A(p21(Waf1/Cipl)),FHL2(four and a half LIM domains 2),Chloride channel regulatory protein;Hin-1(high-in-normal-1),WISP-1(connective tissue growth factor related protein),SREC-4(scavenger receptor expressed by endothelial cells-2),folate receptor.这些差异蛋白涉及到基因表达调控、细胞黏附等众多的事件.从另一个侧面研究了BRD7基因与鼻咽癌的关系,扩展了BRD7基因的研究范围,并进一步充实了该基因做为鼻咽癌候选抑瘤基因的证据.     

10种ABC转运蛋白在鼻咽癌顺铂耐药细胞系中的表达

为研究鼻咽癌细胞CNE2中顺铂耐药与10种ABC转运蛋白的关系,分别用顺铂、顺铂+5-氟脲嘧啶来诱导CNE2耐药,在脱药培养2个月后通过MTT法测定细胞的生长曲线及其与顺铂的量效关系和耐药指数,同时,通过荧光定量PCR法检测耐药细胞与敏感细胞中10种ABC转运蛋白mRNA表达的差异,并通过免疫细胞化学法验证．MTT法结果提示,成功诱导出两株分别对顺铂、顺铂+5-氟脲嘧啶耐药的细胞株(分别命名为CNE2/DDP、CNE2/DDP+5Fu),耐药指数分别为2.58和5.31,ABCC2在两株耐药细胞株中表达均上调,分别为2.50和4.08倍,免疫细胞化学法结果表明,ABCC2在两株耐药细胞中表达均增强,同时ABCC2还可在CNE2/DDP+5Fu细胞核中表达．上述结果表明ABCC2在CNE2细胞对顺铂的耐药性中可能发挥着重要的作用．     

小干扰RNA抑制APP的表达对鼻咽癌CNE2细胞增殖和迁移的影响

为了探索淀粉样蛋白前体(amyloid precursor protein,APP)在人鼻咽癌CNE2细胞中的生物学功能,采用脂质体Lipofectamine 2000为载体将靶向APP的siRNA转染CNE2细胞,同时设置无义序列为阴性对照组,利用免疫荧光及Western-blot分别检测转染效率和APP蛋白水平的表达,采用噻唑蓝(methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide,MTT)和细胞划痕实验检测CNE2细胞的增殖与迁移能力。结果显示:干扰组的APP蛋白表达水平明显低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);干扰APP可抑制CNE2细胞的增殖和减缓划痕的愈合。以上结果提示应用siRNA干扰技术能有效降低鼻咽癌CNE2细胞APP蛋白表达,抑制细胞增殖和迁移能力,为鼻咽癌的基因治疗提供了新思路。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂TSA抑制鼻咽癌CNE2细胞生长及对Skp2表达的影响

目的研究曲古抑菌素A（TSA）体外对鼻咽癌细胞CNE2的抑制作用及S期激酶相关蛋白2（Skp2）基因表达的影响,并探讨其作用机制。方法采用MTT法观察不同浓度TSA对CNE2细胞的生长抑制作用;采用RT-PCR分析TSA作用前后及不同TSA浓度下鼻咽癌细胞中细胞周期调控基因Skp2的表达。结果不同浓度的TSA对CNE2细胞有明显的生长抑制作用,并呈现一定的量效关系;同时,TSA可降低CNE2细胞Skp2的基因表达,且这种表达与剂量有一定关系。结论TSA能明显抑制CNE2细胞的增殖．其作用机制与细胞周期调控基因Skp2异常表达有关。     

DNA-PKcs基因沉默抑制人乳腺上皮细胞对低剂量辐射损伤的修复

DNA-PKcs作为DNA依赖性蛋白激酶(DNA-PK)的催化亚基在DNA双链断裂(DSBs)的非同源末端重组(NHEJ)通路中起重要的作用。本实验以人乳腺上皮细胞株MCF10F为研究对象,通过siRNA技术抑制细胞内DNA-PKcs的表达,用50cGy137CS照射细胞,测定细胞生长曲线以确定细胞对低剂量辐射(LDR)的敏感性,同时检测DNA修复相关蛋白表达的变化,旨在探讨DNA依赖蛋白激酶(DNA-PKcs)基因沉默对人乳腺上皮细胞株MCF10F低剂量辐射敏感性的影响及机制。结果显示:转染特异性siRNA可使人乳腺上皮细胞(MCF10F)DNA-PKcs基因沉默,增殖受到明显的抑制;50cGyγ射线辐射可使乳腺细胞内DNA-PKcs、Ku80、ATM、P53等DNA修复相关蛋白表达增多,但DNA-PKcs基因沉默细胞(MCF10Fpk)中,这些蛋白表达显著低于对照组(MCF10Fmock)。以上结果提示,DNA-PKcs基因沉默可引起乳腺细胞对低剂量辐射敏感性增加,其原因可能与相关DNA修复蛋白表达减少有关。     

顺铂诱导人鼻咽癌细胞CNE1、CNE2后的辐射敏感性

为研究鼻咽癌细胞CNE1、CNE2多药耐药与辐射敏感性的关系,通过体外逐渐增加顺铂浓度的方法诱导鼻咽癌细胞CNE1、CNE2,MTT法分析环孢霉素A、IFN单药及联合应用对多药耐药的逆转倍数,克隆形成实验分析顺铂诱导鼻咽癌细胞CNE1、CNE2多药耐药前后辐射敏感性的改变,同时研究环孢霉素A、IFN逆转耐药处理对辐射敏感性的影响。结果显示,环孢霉素A、IFN联合应用逆转倍数明显高于单药应用,鼻咽癌CNE1细胞经顺铂诱导后辐射敏感性无明显改变,鼻咽癌CNE2细胞经顺铂诱导后辐射敏感性下调,环孢霉素A、IFN逆转耐药处理可以部分恢复其辐射敏感性。     

槲皮素对鼻咽癌CNE2细胞的增殖抑制和诱导凋亡作用

本研究以人鼻咽癌细胞CNE2为研究对象,探讨了槲皮素在鼻咽癌细胞CNE2中抑制细胞增殖、诱导细胞凋亡的效果和分子机制。本研究采用细胞增殖检测试剂盒-8(CCK-8)实验测定了槲皮素在CNE2细胞中的半数抑制浓度(IC50);并采用Ca依赖性磷脂结合蛋白Annexin V和荧光染料碘化丙啶(PI)双染的方法,检测了槲皮素诱导CNE2细胞凋亡的情况;然后采用平板克隆实验,评价了槲皮素对CNE2细胞克隆形成能力的影响;最后采用免疫印迹法,检测了槲皮素对CNE2细胞中凋亡标志分子、Wnt通路及其下游靶标分子的作用。结果表明,槲皮素不仅呈浓度依赖性诱导CNE2细胞凋亡,也呈浓度依赖性阻遏Wnt信号通路、下调其靶标蛋白c-Myc和Survivin的表达,进而抑制CNE2细胞的恶性增殖。综上所述,本研究发现了槲皮素抑制鼻咽癌细胞增殖、诱导鼻咽癌细胞凋亡的效果,并阐明了其分子机制,提供了槲皮素作为鼻咽癌临床治疗候选药物的实验数据。     

抑癌基因PTEN在鼻咽癌细胞株中表达的研究

目的:检测人鼻咽癌细胞株中PTEN表达情况,探讨鼻咽癌细胞中PTEN表达与细胞分化程度的关系。方法:进行细胞株的培养,采用流式细胞仪和共聚焦显微镜检测方法对细胞中PTEN的表达进行定位定量检测。结果:两种细胞株均有PTEN的表达,表达强度和分布与分化程度有关,分化越好,表达越高,流式细胞仪检测PTEN在细胞株中表达强弱顺序为CNE1>CNE2,阳性表达细胞数CNE1>CNE2差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);激光共聚焦扫描显微镜检测PTEN主要表达在细胞核和细胞浆,分布与分化程度有关,细胞核表达强度CNE1相似文献   

鼻咽癌相关新基因NPCEDRG表达对CNE2细胞生长的影响

为研究鼻咽癌相关新基因NPCEDRG的功能,探讨其对鼻咽癌细胞生长特性的影响,利用Tet-on调控系统,建立受强力霉素(deoxycycline,Dox)诱导NPCEDRG基因表达的CNE2细胞系.运用RT-PCR选择背景表达低、诱导活性高的细胞克隆,以不同浓度Dox诱导CNE2/Tet/TRE-NPCEDRG细胞,确定Dox的最佳诱导浓度.借助形态学观察、细胞生长曲线、软琼脂克隆形成试验和流式细胞仪分析等方法,对Dox诱导NPCEDRG高表达后CNE2细胞的生物学行为进行了检测.结果显示,NPCEDRG高表达后CNE2细胞增殖速度显著减慢(P<0.05),克隆形成能力显著降低(P<0.01),瘤细胞群体中处于G0/G1期细胞数增加,S期细胞数减少,细胞阻滞于G0/G1期.Tet调控NPCEDRG基因表达CNE2细胞系成功建立,恢复NPCEDRG表达能部分逆转CNE2的恶性表型,证明NPCEDRG是一个鼻咽癌相关的抑瘤基因.     

ZnPcH1介导的光动力疗法对鼻咽癌CNE1细胞凋亡相关基因的影响

初步探讨基于新型光敏剂znPcHl的光动力疗法(ZnPcH1-PDT)对鼻咽癌CNE1细胞凋亡相关基因的影响.采用片段化DNA分析与TUNEL方法检测细胞凋亡,采用RT-PCR法检测c-myc、端粒酶逆转录酶蛋白催化亚单位(htert)、survivin、caspase-3 mRNA的表达变化.研究发现PDT后,CNE1细胞呈现凋亡特征性的梯形条带,PDT作用后24 h、48 h,细胞发生原位凋亡率分别为53.38%、67.46%;CNE1细胞的c-myc、htert、survivin mRNA表达下调,caspaser-3 mRNA表达上调呈时间依赖性增强.结果提示PDT能诱导CNE1细胞凋亡,PDT通过下调c-myc、htert、survivin mRNA的表达、上调caspase-3 mRNA的表达而发挥作用.     

5-Azacytidine Enhances the Radiosensitivity of CNE2 and SUNE1 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Possibly by Altering DNA Methylation

The radioresistance of tumor cells remains a major cause of treatment failure in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Recently, several reports have highlighted the importance of epigenetic changes in radiation-induced responses. Here, we investigated whether the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-azaC) enhances the radiosensitivity of NPC cells. The NPC cell lines CNE2 and SUNE1 were treated with 1 μmol/L 5-azaC for 24 h before irradiation (IR); clonogenic survival was then assessed. Tumor growth was investigated in a mouse xenograft model in vivo. The apoptosis, cell cycle progression and DNA damage repair were examined using flow cytometry, immunofluorescent staining and western blotting. Promoter methylation and the expression of four genes epigenetically silenced during the development of NPC were evaluated by pyrosequencing and real-time PCR. We found that pretreatment with 5-azaC significantly decreased clonogenic survival after IR compared to IR alone; the sensitivity-enhancement ratio of 5-azaC was 1.4 and 1.2 for CNE2 and SUNE1 cells, respectively. The combined administration of 5-azaC and IR significantly inhibited tumor growth in the mouse xenograft model, and enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis in vitro compared to 5-azaC alone or IR alone. 5-AzaC also decreased promoter methylation and upregulated the expression of genes which are epigenetically silenced both in vitro and in vivo in NPC. Thus, 5-azaC enhance the radiosensitivity of both the CNE2 and SUNE1 cell lines, possibly by altering DNA methylation levels and increasing the ability of irradiated cells to undergo apoptosis. The use of 5-azaC combined with IR maybe represent an attractive strategy for the treatment of NPC.     

A novel Rhein derivative: Activation of Rac1/NADPH pathway enhances sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells to radiotherapy

Radiation resistance and recurrent have become the major factors resulting in poor prognosis in the clinical treatment of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). New strategies to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy have been focused on the development of radiosensitizers and searching for directly targets that modulated tumor radiosensitivity. A novel potential radiosensitizer 1,8-Dihydroxy −3-(2′-(4″-methylpiperazin-1″-yl) ethyl-9,10-anthraquinone −3-carboxylate (RP-4) was designed and synthesized based on molecular docking technology, which was expected to regulate the radiosensitivity of tumor cells through targeting Rac1. In order to assess the radiosensitization activity of RP-4 on NPC cells, the highly differentiated CNE1 and poorly differentiated CNE2 cells NPC lines were employed. According to the results, RP-4 showed higher binding affinity toward the interaction with Rac1 than lead compounds. We found that RP-4 could inhibit cell viability and proliferation in CNE1 and CNE2 cells and significantly induced apoptosis after non-toxic concentration of RP-4 combined with 2Gy irradiation. RP-4 could effectively modulated the radiosensitivity both CNE1 cells and CNE2 cells through activating Rac1/NADPH signaling pathway and its downstream JNK/AP-1 pathway. What's more, Rac1/NADPH signaling pathway were significantly activated in Rac1-overexpressed CNE1 and CNE2 cells after treated with RP-4. Taken together, Rac1 and its downstream pathway may probably be the direct targets of RP-4 in regulating radiosensitivity of NPC cells, our finding provided a novel strategy for the development of therapeutic agents in response to tumorous radiation resistance.     

Tetrandrine enhances radiosensitivity through the CDC25C/CDK1/cyclin B1 pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

The increasing resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma to irradiation makes the exploration of effective radiosensitizers necessary. Tetrandrine is known to be an antitumor drug, but little is known regarding its radiosensitization effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We investigated the effect of combined treatment of irradiation and maximum non-cytotoxic doses of tetrandrine on the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines CNE1 and CNE2. The maximum non-cytotoxic doses of tetrandrine in CNE1 and CNE2 cells were assessed using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The radiosensitization of cells receiving the maximum non-cytotoxic doses of tetrandrine was assessed by evaluating cell proliferation and DNA damage repair using MTT, clonogenic, comet assays and detection of caspase-3 and phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX). The cell cycle was assessed by flow cytometry, and protein expression was detected by western blot analysis. The maximum non-cytotoxic doses of tetrandrine in CNE1 and CNE2 cells were 1.5 μmol/L and 1.8 μmol/L, respectively. When cells were exposed to irradiation and the maximum non-cytotoxic doses of tetrandrine, the survival fraction was decreased. DNA damage and γ-H2AX levels markedly increased. Moreover, tetrandrine abrogated the G2/M phase arrest caused by irradiation. Combined treatment with the maximum non-cytotoxic dose of tetrandrine and irradiation caused suppression of the phosphorylation of CDK1 and CDC25C and increase in the expression of cyclin B1. The study in vivo also showed that the maximum non-cytotoxic dose of tetrandrine could reduce tumor growth in xenograft tumor model. Our results suggest that the maximum non-cytotoxic dose of tetrandrine can enhance the radiosensitivity of CNE1 and CNE2 cells and that the underlying mechanism could be associated with abrogation of radiation-induced G2/M arrest via activation of the CDC25C/CDK1/Cyclin B1 pathway.     

Identification of the proteins related to p53-mediated radioresponse in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by proteomic analysis

Radiotherapy is the primary treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), and p53 is closely associated with the radiosensitivity of cancer, but the molecular mechanisms of p53-mediated radioresponse in NPC remains unclear. We previously established NPC CNE2sip53 cell line with p53 knockdown and paired control cell line CNE2/pSUPER, which provides a cell model system to investigate mechanisms of p53-mediated radioresponse in NPC. In this study, we first compared the radiosensitivity of CNE2sip53 and CNE2/pSUPER by a clonogenic survival assay, cell growth assay, and Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry analysis of apoptotic cells. The results showed that the radiosensitivity of CNE2sip53 was significantly lower than that of CNE2/pSUPER, indicating that p53 plays a role in mediating NPC radiosensitivity. To search for the proteins associated with the p53-mediated radioresponse in NPC, a proteomic approach was performed to identify the radioresponsive proteins in CNE2sip53 and CNE2p/SUPER, respectively, and then the difference of radioresponsive proteins in CNE2sip53 and CNE2p/SUPER was compared. As a result, 14 differential radioresponsive proteins were identified in the two cell lines, 4 proteins of which were conformed by Western blot. Among them, 9 and 5 proteins were identified solely from CNE2p/SUPER and CNE2sip53, respectively. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction analysis showed that 7 differential radioresponsive proteins identified only in CNE2p/SUPER were related to p53 protein. Our results suggest that the differential radioresponsive proteins unique to CNE2p/SUPER may be involved in p53-mediated radioresponse in NPC, which will be helpful for elucidating the mechanisms of p53-mediated NPC cellular response to radiotherapy.     

Interference effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on targets of nuclear factor kappaB signal transduction pathways activated by EB virus encoded latent membrane protein 1

AIM: To elucidate the interference effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on targets of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) signal transduction pathway activated by EB virus encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines. METHODS: The survival rates of CNE1 and CNE-LMP1 cell lines after the EGCG treatment were determined by MTT assay. NF-kappaB activation in CNE1 and CNE-LMP1 cells after EGCG treatment was analyzed by promoter luciferase reporter system. And then nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB (p65) after the EGCG treatment was analyzed by immunofluorescence and western blotting. Meanwhile, the changes of IkappaBalpha phosphorylation were observed after the EGCG treatment. EGFR promoter activity was analyzed by promoter luciferase reporter system and EGFR phosphorylation was observed by western blotting after the EGCG treatment. RESULTS: EGCG inhibited the survival rates of CNE1 and CNE-LMP1 cells and NF-kappaB activation caused by LMP1 in CNE-LMP1 cells. EGCG also suppressed the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB (p65) and IkappaBalpha phosphorylation. Meanwhile, EGCG inhibited EGFR promoter activity and EGFR phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: EGCG inhibited not only the dose-dependent survival rate of NPC cells, but also the dose-dependent activation of NF-kappaB. This inhibition of LMP1-caused NF-kappaB activation was mediated via the phosphorylative degradation of its inhibitory protein IkappaBalpha, and then EGCG inhibited EGFR activity which was a downstream gene from NF-kappaB. This study suggests that interference effect of EGCG on targets of signal transduction pathway plays an important role in the anticancer function.     

Identification Keratin 1 as a cDDP-resistant protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines

Multidrug resistance (MDR) to anticancer drugs is a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy of tumors. Understanding the molecular basis to chemoresistance is likely to provide better treatment. Cell lines resistant to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CNE2/cDDP) were established from human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines CNE2. Comparative proteomics involving 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and ESI-Q-TOF-MS were performed on protein extracted from CNE2 and CNE2/cDDP cell lines to screen drug resistance-related proteins. Keratin 1 (KRT1), cathepsin D (CTSD) and annexin a5 (ANXA5) were identified as three proteins showing higher expression in CNE2/cDDP compared to CNE2. Furthermore, suppression of KRT1 expression by siRNA resulted in decreased MDR in siRNA-CNE2/cDDP cells. And upregulation of KRT1 could result in increased of drug resistance in NPC cell lines. Taken together, KRT1 protein and its activity levels were higher in cDDP-resistant NPC cell lines compared to their parental cell lines. These data clearly linked KRT1 and cDDP resistance mechanisms. KRT1 could serve as a biomarker for chemotherapy sensitivity of NPC.     

Involvement of DNA-dependent protein kinase in regulation of stress-induced JNK activation.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is composed of a 460-kDa catalytic subunit and the regulatory subunits Ku70 and Ku80. The complex is activated on DNA damage and plays an essential role in double-strand-break repair and V(D)J recombination. In addition, DNA-PK is involved in S-phase checkpoint arrest following irradiation, although its role in damage-induced checkpoint arrest is not clear. In an effort to understand the role of DNA-PK in damage signaling, human and mouse cells containing the DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs proficient) were compared with those lacking DNA-PKcs for c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity that mediates physiologic responses to DNA damage. The DNA-PKcs-proficient cells showed much tighter regulation of JNK activity after DNA damage, while the level of JNK protein in both cell lines remained unchanged. The JNK proteins physically associated with DNA-PKcs and Ku70/Ku80 heterodimer, and the interaction was significantly stimulated after DNA damage. Various JNK isoforms not only contained a DNA-PK phosphorylation consensus site (serine followed by glutamine) but also were phosphorylated by DNA-PK in vitro. Together, our results suggest that DNA damage induces physical interaction between DNA-PK and JNK, which may in turn negatively affect JNK activity through JNK phosphorylation by DNA-PK.     

Specific targeting of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE1 by C225-conjugated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles with magnetic resonance imaging

An accurate definition of clinical target volume (CTV) is essential for the application of radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment. A novel epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting contrast agent (C225-USPIO) was designed by conjugating ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles with cetuximab (C225), to non-invasively define the CTV of tumor. The immunobinding activity of C225-USPIO to NPC cell line CNE1 was confirmed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The time-dependent accumulation of C225-USPIO in CNE1 cells was evaluated using Prussian blue staining. Targeted internalization and subcellular localization of C225-USPIO was confirmed by transmission electron microscope. The results indicated that C225-USPIO specifically bound to EGFR on the surface of CNE1 cells and was taken up into the cell. The uptake of C225-USPIO by CNE1 cells increased significantly with time, when compared with human IgG-USPIO. In addition, 4.7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that C225-USPIO had a capacity to accumulate in the CNE1 cells, with a resultant marked decrease in MRI T2-weighted signal intensity over time. These findings imply that C225-USPIO has the potential as an MRI contrast agent and can be employed to non-invasively detect early-stage NPC with EGFR overexpression. This provides sufficient theoretical basis for commencing in vivo experiments with the compound.     

A Ku80 fragment with dominant negative activity imparts a radiosensitive phenotype to CHO-K1 cells

DNA non-homologous end joining, the major mechanism for the repair of DNA double-strands breaks (DSB) in mammalian cells requires the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), a complex composed of a large catalytic subunit of 460 kDa (DNA-PKcs) and the heterodimer Ku70–Ku80 that binds to double-stranded DNA ends. Mutations in any of the three subunits of DNA-PK lead to extreme radiosensitivity and DSB repair deficiency. Here we show that the 283 C-terminal amino acids of Ku80 introduced into the Chinese hamster ovary cell line CHO-K1 have a dominant negative effect. Expression of Ku(449–732) in CHO cells was verified by northern blot analysis and resulted in decreased Ku-dependent DNA end-binding activity, a diminished capacity to repair DSBs as determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and decreased radioresistance determined by clonogenic survival. The stable modifications observed at the molecular and cellular level suggest that this fragment of Ku80 confers a dominant negative effect providing an important mechanism to sensitise radioresistant cells.