Genome-Scale Modeling of NADPH-Driven ?-Lapachone Sensitization in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate differential nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced (NADPH) production between radiation-sensitive and -resistant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines and whether these differences are predictive of sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic ?-lapachone.

Results

We have developed a novel human genome-scale metabolic modeling platform that combines transcriptomic, kinetic, thermodynamic, and metabolite concentration data. Upon incorporation of this information into cell line-specific models, we observed that the radiation-resistant HNSCC model redistributed flux through several major NADPH-producing reactions. Upon RNA interference of canonical NADPH-producing genes, the metabolic network can further reroute flux through alternate NADPH biosynthesis pathways in a cell line-specific manner. Model predictions of perturbations in cellular NADPH production after gene knockdown match well with experimentally verified effects of ?-lapachone treatment on NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio and cell viability. This computational approach accurately predicts HNSCC-specific oxidoreductase genes that differentially affect cell viability between radiation-responsive and radiation-resistant cancer cells upon ?-lapachone treatment.

Innovation

Quantitative genome-scale metabolic models that incorporate multiple levels of biological data are applied to provide accurate predictions of responses to a NADPH-dependent redox cycling chemotherapeutic drug under a variety of perturbations.

Conclusion

Our modeling approach suggests differences in metabolism and ?-lapachone redox cycling that underlie phenotypic differences in radiation-sensitive and -resistant cancer cells. This approach can be extended to investigate the synergistic action of NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 bioactivatable drugs and radiation therapy. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 937-952.

SUBMITTER: Lewis JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6104251 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature