title: Oxythiamine and dehydroepiandrosterone induce a G1 phase cycle arrest in Ehrlich's tumor cells through inhibition of the pentose cycle.
abstract: Transketolase (TK) reactions play a crucial role in tumor cell nucleic acid ribose synthesis utilizing glucose carbons, yet, current cancer treatments do not target this central pathway. Experimentally, a dramatic decrease in tumor cell proliferation after the administration of the TK inhibitor oxythiamine (OT) was observed in several in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Here, we demonstrate that pentose cycle (PC) inhibitors, OT and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), efficiently regulate the cell cycle and tumor proliferation processes. Increasing doses of OT or DHEA were administered by daily intraperitoneal injections to Ehrlich's ascites tumor hosting mice for 4 days. The tumor cell number and their cycle phase distribution profile were determined by DNA flow histograms. Tumors showed a dose dependent increase in their G0-G1 cell populations after both OT and DHEA treatment and a simultaneous decrease in cells advancing to the S and G2-M cell cycle phases. This effect of PC inhibitors was significant, OT was more effective than DHEA, both drugs acted synergistically in combination and no signs of direct cell or host toxicity were observed. Direct inhibition of PC reactions causes a G1 cell cycle arrest similar to that of 2-deoxyglucose treatment. However, no interference with cell energy production and cell toxicity is observed. PC inhibitors, specifically ones targeting TK, introduce a new target site for the development of future cancer therapies to inhibit glucose utilizing pathways selectively for nucleic acid production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raïs
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Comin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puigjaner
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brandes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Creppy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saboureau
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ennamany
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Boros
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cascante
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000494:pharmacology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010119:Oxythiamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010429:Pentoses / Q000378:metabolism*; D014174:Transketolase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D010429:Pentoses; D010119:Oxythiamine; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D014174:Transketolase