Separate and concurrent use of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and 3-bromopyruvate in pancreatic cancer cells

Oncol Rep. 2013 Jan;29(1):329-34. doi: 10.3892/or.2012.2085. Epub 2012 Oct 17.

Abstract

Unrestrained glycolysis characterizes energy meta-bolism in cancer cells. Thus, antiglycolytic reagents such as 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) may be used as anticancer drugs. In the present study, we examined the anticancer effects of 2-DG and 3-BrPA in pancreatic cancer cells and investigated whether these effects were regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). To this end, 2-DG and 3-BrPA were administered to wild-type (wt) MiaPaCa2 and Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells that were incubated under hypoxic (HIF-1α-positive) or normoxic (HIF-1α-negative) conditions. In addition, 2-DG and 3-BrPA were also administered to si-MiaPaCa2 and si-Panc-1 cells that lacked HIF-1α as a result of RNA interference. Following drug exposure, cell population was measured using a viability assay. Both HIF-1α-positive and HIF-1α-negative MiaPaCa2 cells were further studied for their expression of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and for their contents of ATP and fumarate. In the viability assay, either 2-DG or 3-BrPA decreased the tested cells. Concurrent use of 2-DG and 3-BrPA resulted in a greater decrease of cells and also facilitated ATP depletion. In addition, 3-BrPA was seen to both decrease SOD1 and increase fumarate, which suggests that the reagent impaired the mitochondria. 3-BrPA also decreased both full-length PARP and cleaved PARP, which suggests that 3-BrPA-induced decrease in cell population was a result of cell necrosis rather than apoptosis. When HIF-1α was induced in wt-MiaPaCa2 cells by hypoxia, some effects of 2-DG and 3-BrPA were attenuated. We conclude that: i) concurrent use of 2-DG and 3-BrPA has better anticancer effects in pancreatic cancer cells, ii) 3-BrPA impairs the mitochondria of pancreatic cancer cells and induces cell necrosis, and iii) HIF-1α regulates the anticancer effects of 2-DG and 3-BrPA in pancreatic cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Antimetabolites / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Hypoxia / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Deoxyglucose / pharmacology*
  • Drug Synergism*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Fumarates / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / metabolism
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Pyruvates / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antimetabolites
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Fumarates
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex
  • Pyruvates
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • bromopyruvate
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Deoxyglucose
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases