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Article
BITC Sensitizes Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis
Cancer Growth and Metastasis
  • Christina A. Wicker
  • Ravi P. Sahu
  • Kashmira Kulkarni-Datar
  • Sanjay K. Srivastava
  • Thomas L. Brown, Wright State University - Main Campus
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-20-2010
Abstract

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive cancer with a greater than 95% mortality rate and short survival after diagnosis. Chemotherapeutic resistance hinders successful treatment. This resistance is often associated with mutations in codon 12 of the K-Ras gene (K-Ras 12), which is present in over 90% of all pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Codon 12 mutations maintain Ras in a constitutively active state leading to continuous cellular proliferation. Our study determined if TRAIL resistance in pancreatic adenocarcinomas with K-Ras 12 mutations could be overcome by first sensitizing the cells with Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC). BITC is a component of cruciferous vegetables and a cell cycle inhibitor. BxPC3, MiaPaCa2 and Panc-1 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines were examined for TRAIL resistance. Our studies show BITC induced TRAIL sensitization by dual activation of both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

Citation Information
Christina A. Wicker, Ravi P. Sahu, Kashmira Kulkarni-Datar, Sanjay K. Srivastava, et al.. "BITC Sensitizes Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis" Cancer Growth and Metastasis Vol. 2009 Iss. 2 (2010) p. 45 - 55 ISSN: 1179-0644
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/thomas_brown/46/