Inhibition of glutathione metabolism can limit the development of pancreatic cancer

Pharmacological inhibitors of glutathione synthesis and circulation, such as buthionine-sulfoximine, inhibit glutathione metabolism. These drugs decrease the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer, inhibit tumor stem cell survival, and reduce chemotherapy resistance. Nevertheless, buthionine-sulfoximine also decreases the content of glutathione in normal cells, disrupts the balance between reactive oxygen species and glutathione, and eventually induces cell apoptosis. Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and has a poor prognosis. Consequently, the use of biomarkers to screen high-risk patients can be an effective method.

Key Words: Cancer stem cells, Chemoresistance, Pancreatic cancer, Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Redox

Core Tip: To reduce side effects, pharmacological inhibitors of glutathione synthesis and circulation, such as buthionine-sulfoximine and 6-aminonicotinamide, can be assessed by in vivo models of pancreatic cancer. Evaluating the impact of different organs on metabolic processes and the invasiveness of cancer stem cells may provide new avenues for therapeutics targeting tumor metabolism.

• Citation: Cai PY, Ma ML, Zhang YF, Zhou ZX, Wang Y, He LP, Wang W. Inhibition of glutathione metabolism can limit the development of pancreatic cancer. World J Stem Cells 2022; 14(5): 362-364
• URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-0210/full/v14/i5/362.htm
• DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4252/wjsc.v14.i5.362