Effects of heavy water (D2O) on human pancreatic tumor cells.
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer constitutes an entity which is difficult to treat and, therefore, mostly fatal. Since heavy water (deuterium oxide, D2O) was shown to be active in various cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo, we now investigated its effects in human pancreatic tumor cells.


METHODS
The cytotoxic effects of D2O were examined in three pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3 and PANC-1). Induction of apoptosis was determined by Hoechst/propidium iodide double staining and cell cycle distribution was investigated by FACS analysis.


RESULTS
Employing a clonogenic assay, D2O yielded IC50 values of 15%, 18% and 27% in AsPC-1, PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells, respectively, and led to the induction of apoptosis when compared to untreated controls. Moreover, D2O caused a cell cycle arrest in the G2-M-phase (BxPC-3, PANC-1) or in the S-phase (AsPC-1).


CONCLUSIONS
It is hoped that D2O might offer an additional option for the treatment of pancreatic carcinomas.
Hartmann
Johannes
J
Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Bader
Yvonne
Y
Horvath
Zsuzsanna
Z
Saiko
Philipp
P
Grusch
Michael
M
Illmer
Christoph
C
Madlener
Sibylle
S
Fritzer-Szekeres
Monika
M
Heller
Nicole
N
Alken
Rudolf-Giesbert
RG
Szekeres
Thomas
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017666:Deuterium Oxide