Overexpression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase supports dichloroacetate as a candidate for cutaneous melanoma therapy

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Helena Populo (Author) Other; Regina Caldas (Author) Other; Lopes, JM (Author) FMUP; Joana Pardal (Author) Other; Valdemar Maximo (Author) Other; Paula Soares (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets

Vol. 19

Pages: 733-745

ISSN: 1472-8222

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 24 Citations

Scopus - 25 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-56E

DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2015.1045416

Abstract (EN): Objective: We aimed to verify if there is evidence to consider dichloroacetate (DCA), which inhibits the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and reverts the metabolic shift of cancer cells from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, as a promising drug for therapy of cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients. Research design and methods: We assessed the expression profile of PDK 1, 2 and 3 in a series of melanoma samples, to verify if melanoma tumors express the DCA targets, if this expression correlates with the activation of important signaling cascades for melanomagenesis and also with the prognosis of melanoma patients. We also established the sensitivity of melanoma cell lines to DCA treatment, by assessing their metabolic alterations, proliferation and survival. Results: We observed that both PDK 1 and 2 isoforms are overexpressed in CM compared to nevi, this expression being associated with the expression of the mTOR pathway effectors and independent of the BRAF mutational status. Melanoma cell lines treated with DCA showed a shift in metabolism, that is, a decrease in glucose consumption and lactate production, downregulation of proliferation, an increase of apoptosis and a decrease in mTOR pathway activation. Conclusion: Our results suggest that PDK expression may play a role in melanoma development and that DCA can be useful for CM therapy, alone or in combination with mTOR inhibitors.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13