Systemic deuteration of SCID mice using the water-isotopologue deuterium oxide (D2O) inhibits tumor growth in an orthotopic bioluminescent model of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Jana Jandova, Jean Philippe Galons, David L. Dettman, Georg T. Wondrak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Since its initial discovery as a natural isotopologue of dihydrogen oxide (1H2O), extensive research has focused on the biophysical, biochemical, and pharmacological effects of deuterated water (2H2O [D2O, also referred to as “heavy water”]). Using a panel of cultured human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells we have profiled (i) D2O-induced phenotypic antiproliferative and apoptogenic effects, (ii) redox- and proteotoxicity-directed stress response gene expression, and (iii) phosphoprotein-signaling related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and MAP-kinase stress response pathways. Differential array analysis revealed early modulation of stress response gene expression in both BxPC-3 and PANC-1 PDAC cells elicited by D2O (90%; ≤6 h; upregulated: HMOX1, NOS2, CYP2E1, CRYAB, DDIT3, NFKBIA, PTGS1, SOD2, PTGS2; downregulated: RUNX1, MYC, HSPA8, HSPA1A) confirmed by independent RT-qPCR analysis. Immunoblot-analysis revealed rapid (≤6 h) onset of D2O-induced MAP-kinase signaling (p-JNK, p-p38) together with ER stress response upregulation (p-eIF2α, ATF4, XBP1s, DDIT3/CHOP). Next, we tested the chemotherapeutic efficacy of D2O-based drinking water supplementation in an orthotopic PDAC model employing firefly luciferase-expressing BxPC-3-FLuc cells in SCID mice. First, feasibility and time course of systemic deuteration (30% D2O in drinking water; 21 days) were established using time-resolved whole-body proton magnetic resonance imaging and isotope-ratio mass spectrometry-based plasma (D/H)-analysis. D2O-supplementation suppressed tumor growth by almost 80% with downregulated expression of PCNA, MYC, RUNX1, and HSP70 while increasing tumor levels of DDIT3/CHOP, HO-1, and p-eIF2α. Taken together, these data demonstrate for the first time that pharmacological induction of systemic deuteration significantly reduces orthotopic tumor burden in a murine PDAC xenograft model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)598-612
Number of pages15
JournalMolecular Carcinogenesis
Volume62
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • BxPC-3-luciferase reporter cell
  • bioluminescent orthotopic xenograft
  • deuterium oxide
  • endoplasmic reticulum stress response
  • human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

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