Pharmacological treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a partial efficacy. Augmented Na+ content and water retention are observed in human cancers and offer unexplored targets for anticancer therapies. Na+ levels are evaluated upon treatments with the antibiotic cation ionophore Monensin by fluorimetry, ICP-MS, 23Na-MRI, NMR relaxometry, confocal or time-lapse analysis related to energy production, water fluxes and cell death, employing both murine and human HCC cell lines, primary murine hepatocytes, or HCC allografts in NSG mice. Na+ levels of HCC cells and tissue are 8-10 times higher than that of healthy hepatocytes and livers. Monensin further increases Na+ levels in HCC cells and in HCC allografts but not in primary hepatocytes and in normal hepatic and extrahepatic tissue. The Na+ increase is associated with energy depletion, mitochondrial Na+ load and inhibition of O2 consumption. The Na+ increase causes an enhancement of the intracellular water lifetime and death of HCC cells, and a regression and necrosis of allograft tumors, without affecting the proliferating activity of either HCCs or healthy tissues. These observations indicate that HCC cells are, unlike healthy cells, energetically incapable of compensating and surviving a pharmacologically induced Na+ load, highlighting Na+ homeostasis as druggable target for HCC therapy.

Boosting intracellular sodium selectively kills hepatocarcinoma cells and induces hepatocellular carcinoma tumor shrinkage in mice

Baroni, Simona;Ruggiero, Maria Rosaria;Crich, Simonetta Geninatti
;
2023-01-01

Abstract

Pharmacological treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a partial efficacy. Augmented Na+ content and water retention are observed in human cancers and offer unexplored targets for anticancer therapies. Na+ levels are evaluated upon treatments with the antibiotic cation ionophore Monensin by fluorimetry, ICP-MS, 23Na-MRI, NMR relaxometry, confocal or time-lapse analysis related to energy production, water fluxes and cell death, employing both murine and human HCC cell lines, primary murine hepatocytes, or HCC allografts in NSG mice. Na+ levels of HCC cells and tissue are 8-10 times higher than that of healthy hepatocytes and livers. Monensin further increases Na+ levels in HCC cells and in HCC allografts but not in primary hepatocytes and in normal hepatic and extrahepatic tissue. The Na+ increase is associated with energy depletion, mitochondrial Na+ load and inhibition of O2 consumption. The Na+ increase causes an enhancement of the intracellular water lifetime and death of HCC cells, and a regression and necrosis of allograft tumors, without affecting the proliferating activity of either HCCs or healthy tissues. These observations indicate that HCC cells are, unlike healthy cells, energetically incapable of compensating and surviving a pharmacologically induced Na+ load, highlighting Na+ homeostasis as druggable target for HCC therapy.
2023
6
1
574
589
https://trebuchet.public.springernature.app/get_content/540717d5-d8cc-41db-89ce-e2aed5cb4be2
hepatocellular carcinoma, Cell death, Sodium homeostasis, water fluxes, cation ionophores, treatment, NMR
Clemente, Nausicaa; Baroni, Simona; Fiorilla, Simone; Tasso, Francesco; Reano, Simone; Borsotti, Chiara; Ruggiero, Maria Rosaria; Alchera, Elisa; Corr...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Monensin_CommBiol23.pdf

Accesso aperto

Tipo di file: PDF EDITORIALE
Dimensione 7.53 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
7.53 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1906630
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact