Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly malignancy with regard to mortality and prognosis, and the 5-year survival rate for all patients diagnosed with ESCC remains poor. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms of ESCC tumorigenesis and progression is of great importance to improve treatment of this disease. In this study, we demonstrated that the glutathione metabolism pathway is highly enriched in ESCC cells compared with normal esophageal epithelial cells in an in vivo mouse model. In addition, treatment with L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) to deplete glutathione decreased the ESCC tumor burden in mice, thus demonstrating the critical role of glutathione metabolism in ESCC progression. BSO treatment also led to decreased cell proliferation and activation of cell apoptosis in ESCC. Finally, BSO treatment blocked NF-κB pathway activation in ESCC. Our study reveals a new pathway that regulates ESCC progression and suggests that inhibition of glutathione metabolism may be a potential strategy for ESCC treatment.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial Cells ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Metabolism* ; Mice ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of compound troxerutin and porcine cerebroside injection on the prevention and treatment of peripheral neuropathy in the patients after chemotherapy.Methods Clinical data of 58 tumor patients who received chemotherapy in the hospital from Aug.2015 to Feb.2016 were collected for the study,and the patients were randomly divided into two groups:the treatment group (n =28) and the blank control group (n =28).The treatment group received compound troxerutin and porcine cerebroside injection at a dosage of 10ml,once a day,for a succession of 3 days.Assessments of peripheral neuropathy were made by CTCAE standards and the obtained results were analyzed and compared in the patients of the 2 groups both before and after 2 cycles of chemotherapy.Results The patients all completed medical follow-ups.Before therapy,there were no statistical differences in the classification of peripheral neuropathy in the patients of the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05).After therapy,statistical differences in the classification of peripheral neuropathy could be seen in the patients of the 2 groups(P ＞ 0.05).There were 15 patients with peripheral neuropathy before therapy.Analysis indicated that total effective rate of the treatment group was 75.00％,while that of the control treatment group was 0,and obvious statistical significance could be found when comparisons were made between the 2 groups (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Compound troxerutin and porcine cerebroside injection could produce good effect on the prevention and treatment of peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapy,and it was worth further clinical study by larger samples.