Overcoming radio-resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via hypermethylation of PIK3C3 promoter region mediated by KDM5B loss

Many patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are inoperable because of old age or the advanced stage of the disease; thus radio- and chemotherapy are believed as the standard treatments for these patients. However, due to the radio-resistance of tumor cells that may develop during radiotherapy, results remain unsatisfactory. In this article, the possible relationship between the expression of lysine demethylase 5B (KDM5B) and ESCC radio-resistance is clarified, and the underlying mechanism is evaluated. Using the GSE75241 microarray, we identified KDM5B as a potential oncogene in ESCC. KDM5B was overexpressed in ESCC patients and cells. Inhibition of KDM5B enhanced the H3K4me3 methylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3 (PIK3C3) promoter and induced the expression of PIK3C3. Knockdown of KDM5B or overexpression of PIK3C3 in KYSE-150 and TE-10 cells promoted apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and increased sensitivity to radiotherapy. Silencing of PIK3C3 attenuated the promoting effect of sh-KDM5B on the sensitivity of ESCC cells to radiotherapy. The inhibition of sh-KDM5B in radio-resistance of ESCC cells was also reproduced in vivo. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that reduced expression of KDM5B has a critical role in promoting ESCC radio-sensitivity by upregulating PIK3C3, suggesting KDM5B may function as an oncogene in ESCC.