Mitochondrial-Targeted Decyl-Triphenylphosphonium Enhances 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Mediated Oxidative Stress and Clonogenic Killing of Multiple Myeloma Cells

PLoS One. 2016 Nov 30;11(11):e0167323. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167323. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Therapeutic advances have markedly prolonged overall survival in multiple myeloma (MM) but the disease currently remains incurable. In a panel of MM cell lines (MM.1S, OPM-2, H929, and U266), using CD138 immunophenotyping, side population staining, and stem cell-related gene expression, we demonstrate the presence of stem-like tumor cells. Hypoxic culture conditions further increased CD138low stem-like cells with upregulated expression of OCT4 and NANOG. Compared to MM cells, these stem-like cells maintained lower steady-state pro-oxidant levels with increased uptake of the fluorescent deoxyglucose analog. In primary human MM samples, increased glycolytic gene expression correlated with poorer overall and event-free survival outcomes. Notably, stem-like cells showed increased mitochondrial mass, rhodamine 123 accumulation, and orthodox mitochondrial configuration while more condensed mitochondria were noted in the CD138high cells. Glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) induced ER stress as detected by qPCR (BiP, ATF4) and immunoblotting (BiP, CHOP) and increased dihydroethidium probe oxidation both CD138low and CD138high cells. Treatment with a mitochondrial-targeting agent decyl-triphenylphosphonium (10-TPP) increased intracellular steady-state pro-oxidant levels in stem-like and mature MM cells. Furthermore, 10-TPP mediated increases in mitochondrial oxidant production were suppressed by ectopic expression of manganese superoxide dismutase. Relative to 2-DG or 10-TPP alone, 2-DG plus 10-TPP combination showed increased caspase 3 activation in MM cells with minimal toxicity to the normal hematopoietic progenitor cells. Notably, treatment with polyethylene glycol conjugated catalase significantly reduced 2-DG and/or 10-TPP-induced apoptosis of MM cells. Also, the combination of 2-DG with 10-TPP decreased clonogenic survival of MM cells. Taken together, this study provides a novel strategy of metabolic oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity of MM cells via 2-DG and 10-TPP combination therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Cell Death / drug effects*
  • Cell Hypoxia / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Deoxyglucose / pharmacology*
  • Drug Interactions
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glycolysis / genetics
  • Humans
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Onium Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Prognosis
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

  • Onium Compounds
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • decyltriphenylphosphonium
  • Deoxyglucose
  • Glucose