부산대학교 도서관

Micro cell aggregates such as circulating tumor cell clusters or micro metastases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma putatively cause later recurrence or metastasis. For this study, cancer spheroids were obtained from a human oropharyngeal cancer cell line, T3M-1, through 3D culture to analyze resistance against chemo-radiotherapy in an in vitro model of micro cancer cell aggregates. Observations demonstrated that T3M-1 spheroids have resistance against cisplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation. The monolayer cell line T3M-1SMO was established with single cells separated from T3M-1 spheroids. T3M-1SMO was proven to lose resistance, suggesting that resistance of the spheroid is not irreversible. PCR array analysis was used to investigate the alteration of mRNA expression between monolayer culture and spheroids of T3M-1. The results demonstrated that the expression of CD82 and CXCR2 was increased in spheroids. Real-time PCR analyses confirmed that the expression of CD82 and CXCR2 was increased only in spheroids and not in T3M-1SMO cells. CD82 and CXCR2 can play important roles in spheroid formation. They are promising targets for overcoming the chemo-radio resistance of micro cancer cell aggregates in head and neck cancers.