Role of epidermal growth factor receptor expression level in cetuximab cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity effect against A549 lung cancer cell line / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression level in cetuximab cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effect against A549 lung cancer cell line.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A549 cell line and NKTm cells were used as the target cell and the effector cell, respectively. pEGFR-EGFP plasmids were transfected into A549 cells by nucleofector method. EGFR expression levels were measured by immunohistochemistry. The ADCC activity induced by cetuximab was assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A549 cells transfected with pEGFR-EGFP plasmids expressed higher level of EGFR protein on membrane and were more sensitive to ADCC activity mediated by cetuximab (P<0.05). The inhibition rate of A549 cells showed no significant difference between transfection group and wild-type group when treated with cetuximab alone (P> 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EGFR expression level influences the sensitivity of A549 lung cancer cell line to ADCC activity mediated by cetuximab but not to cetuximab alone.</p>