Abstract
This study evaluated the in vitro effect of L-canavanine on cell cycle progression in the two human pancreatic cancer cells lines PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2. After 72 h of exposure to L-canavanine, the percentage of cells in the radiosensitive G2/M phase of the cell cycle increased 6-fold in PANC-1 cells and 4-fold in MIA PaCa-2 cells, when compared to untreated cells. The capacity of L-canavanine to redistribute cells into the G2/M phase of the cell cycle was both concentration- and time-dependent. Since many drugs that cause cells to accumulate in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle are effective radiosensitization agents, the potential of L-canavanine to synergistically enhance the effects of ionizing radiation also was evaluated. The interaction between these treatment modalities was quantified using the median-effect equation and combination index analysis. L-Canavanine was found to be synergistic with radiation when either PANC-1 or MIA PaCa-2 cells were exposed to L-canavanine for 72 h prior to irradiation. These results suggest that L-canavanine in combination with radiation may have clinical potential in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Bence, A.K., Adams, V.R. & Crooks, P.A. L-Canavanine as a radiosensitization agent for human pancreatic cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem 244, 37–43 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022435202066
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022435202066