Background: Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is a fatal human cancer due to its exceptional resistance to all current anticancer therapies. The cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is significantly overexpressed in PaCa and seems to play an important role in cancer resistance to anticancer treatment. The inhibition of HO-1 sensitized PaCa cells to chemo- and radiotherapy in vitro. Therefore, we investigated the effects of HO-1 and its metabolites biliverdin, carbon monoxide and iron on PaCa cells. PaCa cell lines with divergent HO-1 expression patterns were used in a murine orthotopic cancer model. HO-1 expression and activity was regulated by zinc (inhibition) and cobalt (induction) protoporphyrin. Furthermore, the influence of cellular HO-1 levels and its metabolites on effects of standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine was tested in vivo and in vitro.
Results: High HO-1 expression in PaCa cell lines was associated with increased chemoresistance in vitro. Chemoresistance to gemcitabine was increased during HO-1 induction in PaCa cells expressing low levels of HO-1. The inhibition of HO-1 activity in pancreatic tumors with high HO-1 boosted chemotherapeutic effects in vivo significantly. Furthermore, biliverdin and iron promoted PaCa resistance to chemotherapy. Consequently, specific iron chelation by desferrioxamine revealed profound anticancerous effects.
Conclusion: In summary, the inhibition of HO-1 and the chelation of iron in PaCa cells were associated with increased sensitivity and susceptibility of pancreatic tumors to chemotherapy in vivo. The metabolites biliverdin and iron seem to be involved in HO-1-mediated resistance to anticancer treatment. Therefore, HO-1 inhibition or direct interference with its metabolites may evolve new PaCa treatment strategies.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1476-4598-8-37 | DOI Listing |
Pharmaceuticals (Basel)
December 2024
Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi 832003, China.
The Chansu injection (CSI), a sterile aqueous solution derived from Chansu, is applied in clinical settings to support antitumor and anti-radiation treatments. CSI's principal active components, bufadienolides (≥90%), demonstrate potential effects on pancreatic cancer (PDAC), but their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the antitumor effects and pathways associated with CSI in PDAC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMolecules
December 2024
Laboratory of Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry (LCCE), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Matter Sciences, University of Batna 1, Batna 05000, Algeria.
Twelve compounds (-), kaempferol (), luteolin (), luteolin 4'--xyloside (), luteolin 4'--β-glucoside (), quercetin 4'--β-xyloside (), kaempferol-3--[6″--(E)-p-coumaroyl]-β-D-glucoside (-tiliroside) (), protocatechuic acid (), gallic acid (), methyl gallate (), ethyl gallate (), shikimic acid-3--gallate (), and 3,3',4'-tri--methyl-ellagic acid 4-sulfate (), were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of (Cav.) Pers (synonym: C. Presl.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Università del Salento, Via Provinciale per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
This study examined the response to cisplatin in BxPC-3, Mia-Paca-2, PANC-1, and YAPC pancreatic cancer lines with different genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, and the mechanisms associated with their resistance. BxPC-3 and MIA-PaCa-2 cell lines were the most sensitive to cisplatin, while YAPC and PANC-1 were more resistant. Consistently, in cisplatin-treated BxPC-3 cells, the cleavage patterns of pro-caspase-9, -7, -3, and PARP-1 demonstrated that they were more sensitive than YAPC cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Oncol
December 2024
Research Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Various therapeutic strategies have been developed to treat Pancreatic Cancer (PaCa). Unfortunately, most efforts have proved unfruitful, as the poor prognosis observed in this disease has only attained little improvement in the past 40 years. Recently, deeper understanding of the immune system and its interaction with malignant tumors have allowed significant advances in immunotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFEBS Open Bio
January 2025
Cell Biology Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashiosaka-shi, Japan.
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