Inhibition of Glutamine Cellular Uptake Contributes to the Cytotoxic Effect of Xanthohumol in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

Breast cancer constitutes the most incident cancer and one of the most common causes of cancer-related death. “Glutamine addiction”, an important metabolic feature of cancer cells, is dependent on supply of this amino acid from external sources. In this study, the effect of several polyphenols (catechin, epicatechin, EGCG, catechin:lysine, naringenin, hesperidin, malvidin, delphinidin, kaempferol, quercetin, rutin, myricetin, resveratrol, xanthohumol, and chrysin) upon glutamine (3H-GLN) uptake by human breast epithelial adenocarcinoma cell lines with distinct characteristics (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) was assessed. Several polyphenols interfere with 3H-GLN uptake by both cell lines. Xanthohumol markedly decreases total and Na+-dependent 3H-GLN uptake and showed a cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effect in MDA-MB-231 cells. Xanthohumol is as an uncompetitive inhibitor of Na+-dependent 3H-GLN uptake and inhibits GPNA (L-γ-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide)-sensitive, both ASCT2 (alanine, serine, cysteine transporter 2)-mediated and non-ASCT2-mediated 3H-GLN uptake. Xanthohumol does not interfere with the transcription rates of ASCT2. The cytotoxic effect of xanthohumol, but not its anti-proliferative effect, is GPNA-sensitive and related to ASCT2 inhibition. Combination of xanthohumol with the breast cancer chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin results in an additive anti-proliferative, but not cytotoxic effect. We conclude that targeting glutamine uptake might constitute a potential interesting strategy for triple-negative breast cancer.