Assessing the Role of Ketolytic Enzymes in Lung Cancer Progression.

Authors: Torin Steele, Wilma Hofmann, Joseph Wahba

SUNY Campus: SUNY Buffalo

Presentation Type: Oral

Location: UUW 324

Presentation #: 3

Timeslot: Session C 1:45-2:45 PM

Abstract: In contrast to normal cells, cancer cells are thought to depend on glucose for their energy needs. However, therapies which target glucose deprivation have shown mixed results. This suggests that cancers might differ in their metabolic requirements and ability to utilize alternative sources of energy like ketone bodies. The objective of this study is to determine variations in energy requirements across a panel of Lung Cancer lines concerning their ability to utilize ketone bodies for energy. To this purpose, cells were cultured in the presence of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3-HBA), a key ketone body, under glucose starvation conditions followed by analysis of cell growth as well as expression of selected ketolytic enzymes by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Our results suggest significant differences among lung cancer cell lines in their ability to use ketone bodies for energy. We also found significant correlation between the expression of ketolytic enzymes and survival under glucose starvation conditions with provided 3-HBA. This suggests that lung cancers differ in their glucose requirements. We show that only some cancers can use ketone bodies in place of glucose as an energy source. Our data further suggests that the expression of ketolytic enzymes can function as markers to distinguish between these types and could be used to identify cancers that respond to dietary treatments involving glucose starvation. Further studies into the role of ketolytic enzymes may offer insights into the susceptibility of certain cancers to treatments such as targeted gene therapies or gluconeogenesis inhibitors