Butyrate Therapy for Poorly Differentiated Breast Cancer

Abstract

This project aimed to achieve butyric acidemia, and systemic inhibition of histone deacetylase in mice. Tributyrin (butyrate triglyceride) was used as a butyrate prodrug, while methylenecyclopropaneacetate (MCPA) inhibited butyrate metabolism. We monitored physiology and blood chemistry to assure survival during acidosis. Our hypothesis was that maintenance of butyrate blood levels between 1 and 5 mM would yield regression of xenografted tumors corresponding to butyrate hypersensitive breast cancer Previous experience with organicacidemias and hypoglycin (i.e., MCPA) poisoning suggested that prolonged exposure to such acids would lead to bone marrow depression and hair loss, but would be compatible with life. Butyric acidemia was dramatically accentuated by MOPA. However, long duration butyric acidemia was confounded by: 1) intraperitoneal tributyrin emulsion provided variable durations of butyrate release; 2) MCPA inhibition of butyrate catabolism proved limited in duration, and high plasma butyrate interfered with the ability to reattain inhibition by MOPA; and 3) support of blood pH and glucose in individual animals was confounded by low blood volume (relative to instrumentation) and the extended period of critical care required. MOPA had little effect on the antiproliferative effects or deacetylase-inhibitory activity of butyrate in cultured cells. Future studies will compare continuous infusion of monobutyrin/MCPA and deacetylase-inhibitory hydroxamates.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA388715

Entities

People

  • John A. Mcbain

Organizations

  • Dartmouth College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acid-Base Imbalance
  • Blood
  • Bone Marrow
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Culture Techniques
  • Cultured Cells
  • Emulsions
  • Medical Personnel
  • Metabolic Diseases
  • Metabolism
  • Neoplasms
  • Organic Acids

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).
  • Toxicology/Environmental Toxicology