OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between sensitivity to cisplatin (DDP) and the expression of HSP70 in cervical cancer cells in vitro.

METHODSCervical cancer Hela229 cells treated with different concentrations of DDP and the HSP70 inhibitor (PFT-µ) were examined for cell viability using MTT assay and colony forming ability. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry with propidium iodide staining and DAPI staining, and JC-1 staining was used to determine mitochondrial membrane potential. The expressions of HSP70, Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 were measured with Western blotting. A nude mouse model bearing Hela229 cell xenograft was used to evaluate the effect of DDP and PFT-µ on tumor growth.

RESULTSHela229 cells expressed a higher level of HSP70 than normal cervical cells. The combined use of PFT-µ significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of DDP (P<0.01) and increased the cell apoptosis in Hela229 cells. JC-1 staining demonstrated that DDP combined with PFT-µ more obviously reduced mitochondrial membrane potential. DDP combined with PFT-µ more strongly lowered Bcl-2 expression and increased the expressions of casepase-3 and Bax than DDP alone. In the nude mouse model, PFT-µ significantly enhanced DDP sensitivity of Hela229 cell xenografts (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSInhibition of HSP70 expression can enhance the sensitivity of cervical cancer cell to DDP both in vivo and in vitro possibly by promoting cell apoptosis, suggesting the potential of HSP70 as a new target for gene therapy of cervical cancer.