NMR-based metabolic profiling of human hepatoma cells in relation to cell growth by culture media analysis.

Metabolic profiling is a metabolomic approach that allows the characterization of metabolic phenotypes under specific set of conditions. In the present paper we investigated the metabolism of sparse and high density cultures in relation to different cell growth phases. Changes in the metabolome were evaluated by using 1H-NMR spectroscopy, correlation map and Multivariate Data Analysis on the net balances of metabolites in the medium. This approach allowed us to identify two different metabolic profiles in relation to the cell growth phases in subconfluence and confluence cultures. The results have been interpreted on the basis of patterns of correlations obtained in the two physiological cell states. Cells almost arrested in G0/G1 phase by contact dependent growth inhibition underwent changes in the channeling of amino acids utilization from synthetic to energetic purpose and in anaplerosis/cataplerosis regulation of the TCA cycle.

Zebrafish embryo proteins induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells (Caco2).

Previous studies have shown that proteins extracted from Zebrafish embryo share some cytostatic characteristics in cancer cells. Our study was conducted to ascertain the biological properties of this protein network. Cancer cell growth and apoptosis were studied in Caco2 cells treated with embryonic extracts. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Cell-cycle analysis in treated cells revealed a marked accumulation in the G(2)/M phase preceding induction of apoptosis. Embryo proteins induced a significant reduction in FLIP levels, and increased caspase-3 and caspase-8 activity as well as the apoptotic rate. Increased phosphorylated pRb values were obtained in treated Caco2 cells: the modified balance in pRb phosphorylation was associated with an increase in E2F1 values and c-Myc over-expression. Our data support previous reports of an apoptotic enhancing effect displayed by embryo extracts, mainly through the pRb/E2F1 apoptotic pathway, which thus suggests that Zebrafish embryo proteins have complex anti-cancer properties.