Folic Acid Supplementation Increases Survival and Modulates High Risk HPV-induced Phenotypes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells and Correlates with p53 mRNA Transcriptional Down-regulation

Authors

Michael Moody, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Oanh Le, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Megan Rickert, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Jeremy Manuele, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Sarah Chang, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Gary Robinson, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Jeffrey Hajibandeh, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
John Silvaroli, College of Sciences, University of Nevada
Mark A. Keiserman, University of Medicine and DentistryFollow
Christine J. Bergman, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Karl Kingsley, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2012

Publication Title

Cancer Cell International

Volume

12

Abstract

Background: Although the primary risk factors for developing oral cancers are well understood, less is known about the relationship among the secondary factors that may modulate the progression of oral cancers, such as high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and folic acid (FA) supplementation. This study examined high-risk HPV and FA supplementation effects, both singly and in combination, to modulate the proliferative phenotypes of the oral cancer cell lines CAL27, SCC25 and SCC15.Results: Using a comprehensive series of integrated in vitro assays, distinct effects of HPV infection and FA supplementation were observed. Both high-risk HPV strains 16 and 18 induced robust growth-stimulating effects in CAL27 and normal HGF-1 cells, although strain-specific responses were observed in SCC25 and SCC15 cells. Differential effects were also observed with FA administration, which significantly altered the growth rate of the oral cancer cell lines CAL27, SCC15, and SCC25, but not HGF-1 cells. Unlike HPV, FA administration induced broad, general increases in cell viability among all cell lines that were associated with p53 mRNA transcriptional down-regulation. None of these cell lines were found to harbor the common C677T mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), which can reduce FA availability and may increase oral cancer risk.Conclusion: Increased FA utilization and DNA hypermethylation are common features of oral cancers, and in these cell lines, specifically. The results of this study provide further evidence that FA antimetabolites, such as Fluorouracil (f5U or 5-FU) and Raltitrexed, may be alternative therapies for tumors resistant to other therapies. Moreover, since the incidence of oral HPV infection has been increasing, and can influence oral cancer growth, the relationship between FA bioavailability and concomitant HPV infection must be elucidated. This study is among the first preclinical studies to evaluate FA- and HPV-induced effects in oral cancers, both separately and in combination, which provides additional rationale for clinical screening of HPV infection prior to treatment.

Keywords

Folate; Human papillomavirus; Oral cancer

Repository Citation

Moody, M., Le, O., Rickert, M., Manuele, J., Chang, S., Robinson, G., Hajibandeh, J., Silvaroli, J., Keiserman, M. A., Bergman, C. J., Kingsley, K. (2012). Folic Acid Supplementation Increases Survival and Modulates High Risk HPV-induced Phenotypes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells and Correlates with p53 mRNA Transcriptional Down-regulation. Cancer Cell International, 12
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2867-12-10