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3,3'-Diindolylmethane Enhances Chemosensitivity of Multiple Chemotherapeutic Agents in Pancreatic Cancer

Department of Pathology, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan

Requests for reprints: Fazlul H. Sarkar, Department of Pathology, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 740 HWCRC, 4100 John R. Street, Detroit, MI 48201. Phone: 313-576-8329; Fax: 313-576-8389; E-mail: fsarkar{at}med.wayne.edu

Key Words: 3,3'-diindolylmethane • chemosensitization • pancreatic cancer

Clinical management of pancreatic cancer is a major problem, which is in part due to both de novo and acquired resistance to conventional therapeutics. Here, we present in vitro and in vivo preclinical evidence in support of chemosensitization of pancreatic cancer cells by 3,3-diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural compound that can be easily obtained by consuming cruciferous vegetables. DIM pretreatment of pancreatic cancer cells led to a significantly increased apoptosis (P < 0.01) with suboptimal concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents (cisplatin, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin) compared with monotherapy. It is known that resistance to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer is associated with constitutively activated nuclear factor-B (NF-B), which becomes further activated by chemotherapeutic drugs. Our data provide mechanistic evidence for the first time showing that DIM potentiates the killing of pancreatic cancer cells by down-regulation of constitutive as well as drug-induced activation of NF-B and its downstream genes (Bcl-xL, XIAP, cIAP, and survivin). Most importantly, using an orthotopic animal model, we found reduction in tumor size (P < 0.001) when DIM was given in combination with oxaliplatin compared with monotherapy. This was accompanied by loss of phospho-p65 and down-regulation of NF-B activity and its downstream genes (Bcl-xL, survivin, and XIAP), which correlated with reduced cell proliferation (as assessed by Ki-67 immunostaining of tumor specimens) and evidence of apoptosis [as assessed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymease cleavage and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining]. These results provide strong in vivo evidence in support of our hypothesis that DIM could abrogate chemotherapeutic drug (cisplatin, gemcitabine, and/or oxaliplatin)–induced activation of NF-B, resulting in the chemosensitization of pancreatic tumors to conventional therapeutics. [Cancer Res 2009;69(13):5592–600]