Pharmacological Ascorbate Radiosensitizes Pancreatic Cancer

Cancer Res. 2015 Aug 15;75(16):3314-26. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-1707. Epub 2015 Jun 16.

Abstract

The toxicity of pharmacologic ascorbate is mediated by the generation of H2O2 via the oxidation of ascorbate. Because pancreatic cancer cells are sensitive to H2O2 generated by ascorbate, they would also be expected to become sensitized to agents that increase oxidative damage such as ionizing radiation. The current study demonstrates that pharmacologic ascorbate enhances the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation as seen by decreased cell viability and clonogenic survival in all pancreatic cancer cell lines examined, but not in nontumorigenic pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. Ascorbate radiosensitization was associated with an increase in oxidative stress-induced DNA damage, which was reversed by catalase. In mice with established heterotopic and orthotopic pancreatic tumor xenografts, pharmacologic ascorbate combined with ionizing radiation decreased tumor growth and increased survival, without damaging the gastrointestinal tract or increasing systemic changes in parameters indicative of oxidative stress. Our results demonstrate the potential clinical utility of pharmacologic ascorbate as a radiosensitizer in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Ascorbic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Cell Survival / radiation effects
  • Chemoradiotherapy
  • DNA Damage
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Glutathione Disulfide / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Linear Models
  • Mice, Nude
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / radiation effects
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Radiation, Ionizing
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects
  • Tumor Burden / genetics
  • Tumor Burden / radiation effects
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Glutathione
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Glutathione Disulfide