β-hydroxybutyrate does not influence viability and clonogenicity of A549 lung cancer cells

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The metabolic shift from catabolism of carbohydrates to lipids results in production of ketone bodies leading to a state called ketosis. Ketosis via ketone supplement or ketogenic diet has been proposed as a non-toxic therapeutic option for a broad range of malignancies. Although the clinical impact of ketogenic diet is well-documented, the effect of ketone bodies on cancer cell biology is not clear for some cancers including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the effects of the most prominent ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate, on a NSCLC cell line, A549. 
 Methods: A549 cell line was utilized as the in vitro model in this study. The effects of different β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations on cell viability were measured via sulforhodamine-B (SRB) viability assay. Long term effects of ketosis were evaluated via colony formation assay. Finally, the effect of β-hydroxybutyrate on cell migration was determined via scratch assay. 
 Results: Our results suggest that introduction of β-hydroxybutyrate in physiologically relevant concentrations into the cell culture media does not influence cell viability, clonogenicity or migration. 
 Conclusion: β-hydroxybutyrate has been previously demonstrated to induce, inhibit or does not influence the viability of different cell lines but there is no report regarding its effects on NSCLC cells. Here we report that physiologically relevant concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate have no effect on viability, clonogenicity and migration of A549 cells.