Frits H.A. van Heijster1, Vincent Breukels1, Kees (C). J. Jansen2, Jack A. Schalken2, and Arend Heerschap1
1Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands, 2Urology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Citrate production by prostate cancer cell lines
LNCaP and VCaP were studied with 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Glucose acts
as carbon source for citrate production in LNCaP and VCaP cell lines, but not
aspartate, in contrast to expectation. Also pyruvate and glutamine can act as
carbon sources for citrate production in LNCaP. Anaplerosis via pyruvate
carboxylase is found to be low in these cells. Glutamine label only ends up in
citrate via isocitrate instead of downstream in the Krebs cycle. These typical
features of citrate metabolism might serve as valuable biomarkers for
transition from healthy prostate cells to malignant cells.
