Targeting EME 1 Increases the Sensitivity of Camptothecin in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells

Essential meiotic structure-specific endonuclease 1 (EME1) is integral to the maintenance of genomic stability in various cancers. However, its biological role and expression profile of this molecule in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain to be explored. In this study, we found that EME1 was overexpressed in NPC specimens compared to adjacent noncancerous tissues and was correlated with poorer overall survival outcomes. Furthermore, EME1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo, with a corresponding sensitization to either camptothecin (CPT) or olaparib, evidenced by a further suppression of proliferation upon drug treatment. Notably, silencing EME1 significantly increased the sensitivity of NPC cell lines to CPT by enhancing ATM-CHEK2 phosphorylation and inducing nuclear abnormalities. Collectively, our findings suggest that combining EME1 modulation with agents such as CPT or olaparib could be an effective treatment strategy for NPC patients.