High dose ascorbate has been found to selectively target cancer cell lines by inducing production of hydrogen peroxide. This is particularly relevant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HHC), where the ability to induce tumor cell death has been compromised. Rouleau et al investigate the mechanism by which ascorbate targets HHC tumor cells, and they subsequently present the case of a patient treated with ascorbate and sorafenib with a significant regression in bony metastasis.
Free Radic Biol Med. 2016 Mar 29. pii: S0891-5849(16)30010-7. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.03.031.Synergistic effects of ascorbate and sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma: New insights into ascorbate cytotoxicity.
Abstract
We investigated the mechanism of selective ascorbate-induced cytotoxicity in tumor cells, including Hep G2 cells, compared to primary hepatocytes. H2O2 formation was required for ascorbate cytotoxicity, as extracellular catalase treatment protected tumor cells. H2O2 generated by glucose oxidase treatment also caused cell killing, but treatment with a pharmacological dose (5-20 mM) of ascorbate was significantly more cytotoxic at comparable rates of H2O2 production, suggesting that ascorbate enhanced H2O2 cytotoxicity. This was further supported by the finding that ascorbate at a non-cytotoxic dose (1 mM) enhanced cell killing caused by glucose oxidase. Consistent with this conclusion, ascorbate treatment caused deregulation of cellular calcium homeostasis, resulting in massive mitochondrial calcium accumulation. Ascorbate acted synergistically with the chemotherapeutic sorafenib in killing Hep G2 cells, but not primary hepatocytes, suggesting adjuvant ascorbate treatment can broaden sorafenib’s therapeutic range. Sorafenib caused mitochondrial depolarization and prevented mitochondrial calcium sequestration. Subsequent ascorbate addition further deregulated cellular calcium homeostasis promoting cell death. Additionally, we present the case of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had prolonged regression of a rib metastasis upon combination treatment with ascorbate and sorafenib, indicating that these studies have direct clinical relevance.
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