Effects of Cyclic Acute and Chronic Hypoxia on Expression Level of Metabolism Related Genes in a Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line

This work aims to characterize cycling hypoxia induced changes in metabolism related genes expression in pancreatic cancer cell line. PANC1were exposed to either 7 hours cycles of hypoxia every other day for 20 cycles cyclic acute hypoxia, or to 72 hours cycles of hypoxia once a week for 5 cycles cyclic chronic hypoxia. Gene expression changes were profiled using RT PCR and compared to cells under normoxia. Western blotting analysis confirmed upregulation of hypoxia inducible factor 1 α, glucose 6 phosphate isomerase gene, and ribokinase gene. Genes encoding glycolysis enzymes were upregulated under cyclic acute more than chronic hypoxia including hexokinase2 and phosphoglycerate kinase1. Genes encoding pentose phosphate pathway enzymes transketolase and transaldolase were upregulated similarly. Genes encoding pyruvate dehydrogenases that block pyruvate flow to TCA cycle were significantly upregulated. Exposure of PANC1 cells to acute hypoxia results in upregulation of genes that shift cells metabolism toward glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways in adaptation to hypoxic stress The present study was designed to mimic short term and long-term cycling hypoxic conditions in tumors, and to characterize metabolism related gene changes that may occur in pancreatic cancer cells in response to cyclic acute or chronic hypoxia using PANC1 cell line which represents a pancreatic ductal adenosarcoma