Impact of hypoxia on dichloroacetate (DCA) induced apoptosis

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The ability of cells to detect and respond properly to stressful conditions is important for cell survival under a variety of physiological situations, such as temporary changes in blood flow. Cancer cells are able to use these responses to enhance their ability to survive and grow under conditions that might kill normal cells. Recently, it was reported that cancer cells could be selectively killed by treating them with a drug known as DCA. DCA is thought to work by disrupting the way cancer cells use glucose to make energy, something that most cancer cells do differently from normal cells. We have preliminary evidence that, although DCA can kill cancer cells under 'normal' conditions, it actually helps them survive better in stressful environments. We plan to study this effect in detail to determine the cellular pathways used by cancer cells to avoid dieing under these conditions. We hope the information we obtain will help us understand how all cells (normal and cancer) adapt to stressful conditions in healthy and diseased tissue.