Objective  To investigate the effect of MRE11 on the proliferation and apoptosis of esophageal squamous cancer cells and its molecular mechanism.

Methods  MRE11 expression was downregulated by MRE11 siRNA transfection in esophageal squamous cancer cells. The AKT agonist SC79 (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 1.8, 2 μg/ml) were used to treat cells with MRE11 inhibition for 24 h. Overexpression vector pcDNA.3.1-c-myc was constructed and co-transfected cells with MRE11 siRNA. Western blot method was used to detect the protein expressions of MRE11, p-AKT and c-myc in esophageal squamous cancer cells Ec9706 and TE-1. The Annexin-V FITC/PI kit was used to detect the apoptosis of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells; the activity of caspase-3 was detected by the Caspase-3 activity detection kit; the proliferation of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells was tested by the BrdU method.

Results  The protein expressions of MRE11 in Ec9706 and TE-1 cells were significantly increased, compared with human esophageal epithelial Het-1A cells. After MRE11 siRNA transfection, AKT phosphorylation and the protein expressions of MRE11 and c-myc were significantly decreased in esophageal squamous cancer cells. MRE11 inhibition significantly promoted the apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in Ec9706 and TE-1 cells, while inhibited the proliferation of Ec9706 and TE-1 cells. SC79 (1.5, 1.8 and 2 μg/ml) significantly increased AKT phosphorylation in MRE11-suppressed esophageal squamous cancer cells, and reversed the inhibitory effects of MRE11 inhibition on c-myc protein expression and cell proliferation and the promoting effect on cell apoptosis. Overexpression of c-myc inhibited the inhibitory effect of MRE11 down-regulation on cell proliferation and the promotion on caspase-3 activity.

Conclusion  MRE11 inhibition could effectively inhibit the proliferation of esophageal squamous cancer cells and promote cell apoptosis by regulating AKT and c-myc.