Reuters Health Information (2004-11-12): 3-Bromopyruvate completely eradicates advanced cancers in rats Science
3-Bromopyruvate completely eradicates advanced cancers in rats
Last Updated: 2004-11-12 14:50:10 -0400 (Reuters Health)
By Will Boggs, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Treatment with
3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) completely eradicates advanced cancers in rats
that have an enhanced capacity to metabolize glucose to lactic acid,
according to a report in the November 5th Biochemical and Biophysical
Research Communications.
"3-BrPA targets the cancer phenotype that forms the basis of one of
the most commonly used techniques worldwide to diagnose human cancers,
i.e., Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning," Dr. Peter L.
Pedersen from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore,
Maryland told Reuters Health.
"Specifically, this phenotype is the capacity of many tumors,
particularly the most aggressive type, to consume more glucose than
normal cells and metabolize it to lactic acid, which is then
transported out of cancer cells," he explained.
Dr. Pedersen and colleagues seeded hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
cells with this phenotype into young rats and then examined the effects
of treatment with 3-BrPA after the tumors reached 2-3 cm size.
In HCC cells, 3-BrPA induced depletion of ATP and loss of viability,
the authors report, whereas normal hepatocytes were resistant to 3-BrPA.
In female rats, HCC cells growing internally in the abdominal cavity
and all advanced tumors projecting externally regressed and disappeared
after 3-BrPA treatment, the report indicates.
Similarly, the researchers note, 3-BrPA treatment also brought the
regression and disappearance of all moderately advanced and advanced
solid tumors growing in the upper backs of test animals.
There has been no recurrence of tumors for at least 7 months in these test animals.
"No matter how large or aggressive (advanced) the tumor may appear,
it may be possible to defeat it completely in the future with the right
chemical agent," Dr. Pedersen said. "Our studies provide 'proof of
principle' that this can be done repeatedly in an animal model."
"Dr. Young Ko has shown already that several human breast cancer
cell lines are killed by 3-BrPA, and in future studies she will examine
the effect of 3-BrPA on advanced breast cancers growing in an animal
model," Dr. Pedersen said. "She will be examining also the effect of
3-BrPA on aggressive metastatic cancers."
Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;324:268-274.
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