Molybdenum increases chemosensitivity of ECA-109 cells to cisplatin and cisplatin-induced inhibition of p75NTR expression in esophageal stem cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of molybdenum on the chemosensitivity of esophageal cancer ECA-109 cells to cisplatin and expression of p75NTR in esophageal stem cells.METHODS:ECA-109 cells were divided into four groups:blank control group,cisplatin group,molybdenum group,cisplatin plus molybdenum group.Cell proliferation was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay.The expression of p75NTR in human esophageal stem cells was examined by flow cytometry.RESULTS:Cisplatin reduced the percentage of p75NTR-positive cells and the proliferation of ECA-109 cells in a dose-dependent manner.Treatment with molybdenum alone had no significant influence on the proliferation of ECA-109 cells and the percentage of p75NTRpositive cells.However,treatment with molybdenum significantly enhanced the chemosensitivity of esophageal cancer ECA-109 cells to cisplatin and cisplatin-induced inhibition of p75NTR expression in esophageal stem cells when compared to cells incubated with cisplatin alone or blank control cells(all P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Molybdenum can increase the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on the proliferation of ECA-109 cells,which provides an experimental basis for the use of molybdenum as adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent for esophageal cancer.