Control of cellular proliferation by modulation of oxidative phosphorylation in human and rodent fast-growing tumor cells

• Published in: Toxicology and applied pharmacology Vol. 215; no. 2; pp. 208 - 217
• Main Authors: RODRIGUEZENRIQUEZ, S, VITALGONZALEZ, P, FLORESRODRIGUEZ, F, MARINHERNANDEZ, A, RUIZAZUARA, L, MORENOSANCHEZ, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.09.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic drugs; AS-30D hepatoma cells; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Glycolysis; Glycolysis - drug effects; HeLa cells; HeLa Cells - drug effects; HeLa Cells - metabolism; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Medical sciences; Metabolic therapy; Mitochondria - drug effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; Oxidative phosphorylation; Oxidative Phosphorylation - drug effects; Rats; Toxicology; Tumors; HeLa cells; Glycolysis; Antineoplastic drugs; Metabolic therapy; AS-30D hepatoma cells; Oxidative phosphorylation; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Cell proliferation; Drug; Rodentia; Hepatic disease; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Malignant tumor; Metabolism; In vitro; Hela cell line; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Treatment; Animal; Modulation; Digestive diseases; Tumor cell
• ISSN: 0041-008X; 1096-0333
• DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2006.02.005

The relationship between cell proliferation and the rates of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in HeLa (human) and AS-30D (rodent) tumor cells was evaluated. In glutamine plus glucose medium, both tumor lines grew optimally. Mitochondria were the predominant source of ATP in both cell types (66–75%), despite an active glycolysis. In glucose -free medium with glutamine, proliferation of both lines diminished by 30% but oxidative phosphorylation and the cytosolic ATP level increased by 50%. In glutamine-free medium with glucose, proliferation, oxidative phosphorylation and ATP concentration diminished drastically, although the cells were viable. Oligomycin, in medium with glutamine plus glucose, abolished growth of both tumor lines, indicating an essential role of mitochondrial ATP for tumor progression. The presumed mitochondrial inhibitors rhodamines 123 and 6G, and casiopeina II-gly, inhibited tumor cell proliferation and oxidative phosphorylation, but also glycolysis. In contrast, gossypol, iodoacetate and arsenite strongly blocked glycolysis; however, they did not affect tumor proliferation or mitochondrial metabolism. Growth of both tumor lines was highly sensitive to rhodamines and casiopeina II-gly, with IC 50 values for HeLa cells lower than 0.5 μM, whereas viability and proliferation of human lymphocytes were not affected by these drugs (IC 50 > 30 μM). Moreover, rhodamine 6G and casiopeina II-gly, at micromolar doses, prolonged the survival of animals bearing i.p. implanted AS-30D hepatoma. It is concluded that fast-growing tumor cells have a predominantly oxidative type of metabolism, which might be a potential therapeutic target.