NGF (100 ng/mL) significantly improved (1.4-fold) the survival of cultured UPCI-SCC090 cells after MMC-induced cell cycle arrest, while Detroit 562 cells with high levels of p75NTR did not even get arrested by single short MMC treatment. p75NTR in HNSCC might be related with NGF-independent therapy resistance, while NTRK1 might transduce a survival signal of NGF and contribute in this way to improved tumor cell survival after cell cycle arrest.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor and is overexpressed in up to 90% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cases.