Vitamin C selectively kills KRAS and BRAF mutant colorectal cancer cells by targeting GAPDH.

TitleVitamin C selectively kills KRAS and BRAF mutant colorectal cancer cells by targeting GAPDH.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsYun J, Mullarky E, Lu C, Bosch KN, Kavalier A, Rivera K, Roper J, Chio IIn Christi, Giannopoulou EG, Rago C, Muley A, Asara JM, Paik J, Elemento O, Chen Z, Pappin DJ, Dow LE, Papadopoulos N, Gross SS, Cantley LC
JournalScience
Volume350
Issue6266
Pagination1391-6
Date Published2015 Dec 11
ISSN1095-9203
KeywordsAdenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein, Animals, Ascorbic Acid, Cell Line, Tumor, Colorectal Neoplasms, Dehydroascorbic Acid, Female, Glucose Transporter Type 1, Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Phosphorylating), Glycolysis, Humans, Mice, Mice, Mutant Strains, Mice, Nude, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf, Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras), ras Proteins, Reactive Oxygen Species, Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
Abstract

More than half of human colorectal cancers (CRCs) carry either KRAS or BRAF mutations and are often refractory to approved targeted therapies. We found that cultured human CRC cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations are selectively killed when exposed to high levels of vitamin C. This effect is due to increased uptake of the oxidized form of vitamin C, dehydroascorbate (DHA), via the GLUT1 glucose transporter. Increased DHA uptake causes oxidative stress as intracellular DHA is reduced to vitamin C, depleting glutathione. Thus, reactive oxygen species accumulate and inactivate glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Inhibition of GAPDH in highly glycolytic KRAS or BRAF mutant cells leads to an energetic crisis and cell death not seen in KRAS and BRAF wild-type cells. High-dose vitamin C impairs tumor growth in Apc/Kras(G12D) mutant mice. These results provide a mechanistic rationale for exploring the therapeutic use of vitamin C for CRCs with KRAS or BRAF mutations.

DOI10.1126/science.aaa5004
Alternate JournalScience
PubMed ID26541605
PubMed Central IDPMC4778961
Grant ListT32 CA062948 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG048284 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
S10 RR022615 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States
K22 CA181280 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P01 CA117969 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P01 CA120964 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P01 CA120964-07 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
K08 CA198002 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
KL2 TR000458 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
/ / Howard Hughes Medical Institute / United States
P01 CA117969-09 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P30 CA045508 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000457 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States