Hyperthermia with different temperatures inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis through the EGFR/STAT3 pathway in C6 rat glioma cells

Malignant gliomas are a group of aggressive neoplasms among human cancers. The curative effects of current treatments are finite for improving the prognosis of patients. Hyperthermia (HT) is an effective treatment for cancers; however, the effects of HT with different temperatures in treatment of MG and relevant mechanisms remain unclear. MTT assay and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining were used for investigating the proliferation and apoptosis of C6 cells, respectively. Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of proteins. Ultrasonography was employed to evaluate the tumor formation rate, growth rate, angiogenesis rate and degree of hardness of tumors in vivo. The authors certified that HT with 42–46°C × 1 h, 1 t could inhibit proliferation, promote apoptosis, reduce tumor formation rate, growth rate, angiogenesis rate, degree of hardness of tumors, ischemic tolerance and anoxic tolerance, and have synergy with temozolomide in C6 cells. Long-term HT (43°C × 1 h, 1 t/5 d, 90 d) did not cut down the sensitivity of C6 cells to HT, and sustainably inhibited the proliferation of C6 cells. Furthermore, the authors proved HT produced these effects primarily through inhibition of the EGFR/STAT3/HIF-1A/VEGF-A pathway.