Ammonium ions improve the survival of glutamine-starved hybridoma cells. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abusneina, Abdelmuhsen; Gauthier, Eric
• Is Part Of: Cell & bioscience. Volume 6:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 10
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Ammonium -- Apoptosis -- Caspase -- Glutamine -- Glutaminolysis -- Hybridoma; Biology -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1186/s13578-016-0092-8
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-3701

Abstract

Abstract Background As a consequence of a reprogrammed metabolism, cancer cells are dependent on the amino acidl -glutamine for their survival, a phenomenon that currently forms the basis for the generation of new, cancer-specific therapies. In this paper, we report on the role which ammonium ions, a product of glutaminolysis, play on the survival ofl -glutamine-deprived Sp2/0-Ag14 mouse hybridoma cells. Results The supplementation ofl -glutamine-starved Sp2/0-Ag14 cell cultures with either ammonium acetate or ammonium chloride resulted in a significant increase in viability. This effect did not depend on the ability of cells to synthesizel -glutamine, and was not affected by the co-supplementation with α-ketoglutarate. When we examined the effect of ammonium acetate and ammonium chloride on the induction of apoptosis by glutamine deprivation, we found that ammonium salts did not prevent caspase-3 activation or cytochrome c leakage, indicating that they did not act by modulating core apoptotic processes. However, both ammonium acetate and ammonium chloride caused a significant reduction in the number ofl -glutamine-starved cells exhibiting apoptotic nuclear fragmentation and/or condensation. Conclusion All together, our results show that ammonium ions promote the survival ofl -glutamine-deprived Sp2/0-Ag14 cells and modulate late-apoptotic events. These findings highlight the complexity of the modulation of cell survival byl -glutamine, and suggest that targeting survival-signaling pathways modulated by ammonium ions should be examined as a potential anti-cancer strategy.