Apatinib induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis and autophagy and potentiates cell sensitivity to paclitaxel via the IRE-1α–AKT–mTOR pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Our data showed that apatinib induced ER stress, autophagy and apoptosis in ESCC. Inhibiting autophagy by CQ enhanced apatinib-induced apoptosis. The combination of apatinib and CQ sensitized ESCC cells to paclitaxel to induce apoptosis through the IRE-1α-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, thus providing the basis for its use in innovative anticancer therapeutic strategies.