Cytotoxicity of Ascorbic Acid in a Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (WiDr): In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Ana Catarina Mamede Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Ana Salomé Pires Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Ana Margarida Abrantes Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Sónia Dorilde Tavares Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Ana Cristina Gonçalves Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Applied Molecular Biology and Hematology Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

João Eduardo Casalta-Lopes Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Ana Bela Sarmento-Ribeiro Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Applied Molecular Biology and Hematology Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Jorge Manuel Maia Faculty of Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

Maria Filomena Botelho Biophysics Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research on Light and Image (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

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Abstract

Vitamin C, available in its reduced form (ascorbic acid; AA) and in its oxidized form (dehydroascorbic acid; DHA), may act in physiological conditions as an antioxidant or pro-oxidant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of pharmacological doses of AA in a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (WiDr) in vitro, through spectrophotometry, clonogenic assays and flow cytometry, and in vivo with xenotransplanted Balb/c nu/nu mice. The results show that the reduced form of vitamin C induces an anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effect in adenocarcinoma colorectal cells under study. The results obtained in vivo after treatment with AA showed a large reduction in the rate of tumor growth. Such understanding can guide decisions about which colorectal cancer patients might potentially benefit from vitamin C pharmacologic therapy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank CIMAGO (Center of Investigation in Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology) and Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra for all the support given to this work.

The first and second authors contributed equally to this work.

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Cytotoxicity of Ascorbic Acid in a Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (WiDr): In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

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Cytotoxicity of Ascorbic Acid in a Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (WiDr): In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

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