AUTHOR=Kilic Ulkan , Sahin Kazim , Tuzcu Mehmet , Basak Nazli , Orhan Cemal , Elibol-Can Birsen , Kilic Ertugrul , Sahin Fikrettin , Kucuk Omer 

TITLE=Enhancement of Cisplatin Sensitivity in Human Cervical Cancer: Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 1 - 2014

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2014.00028

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2014.00028

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Cisplatin is one of the effective chemotherapeutics in the treatment of several types of cancers. However, in addition to the efforts against to its toxicity, the amelioration of cisplatin sensitivity is an important point in treatment of cervical cancer. To do so, additional substances such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol in green tea, have been used in combination with chemotherapeutics. We aimed to investigate the possible molecular pathways to potentiate cervical cancer cell (HeLa) growth inhibition by combination therapy of cisplatin and EGCG. HeLa cells were treated with EGCG (25 μM), cisplatin (250 nM), and their combination for 24 hours. Cell viability was determined by MTS Assay. We analyzed the expressions of NF-κB p65, COX-2, Nrf2, HO-1, p-mTOR, p-p70S6K1, p-4EBP1 and p-Akt by Western blot analysis. Herein, we have demonstrated that EGCG works synergistic with cisplatin in inhibiting growth of cervical cancer cells. EGCG improved efficacy of cisplatin treatment in HeLa cells by regulating NFκB p65, COX-2, p-Akt, and p-mTOR pathways, whereas it increased the expression levels of Nrf2/HO-1 in combined therapy. Our observations revealed that EGCG increases the sensitization of cisplatin to cervical cancer cells by inhibiting cell survival and inducing apoptosis.