Cancer cells generate protons (H + ) that are extruded to the extracellular medium mainly via the Na + /H + exchanger 1 (NHE1), which regulates intracellular pH (pHi) and cell proliferation. In primary cultures of human ascites-derived ovarian cancer cells (haOC) we assayed whether NHE1 was required for pHi modulation and cell proliferation. Human ovary expresses NHE1, which is higher in haOC and A2780 (ovarian cancer cells) compared with HOSE cells (normal ovarian cells). Basal pHi and pHi recovery (following a NH 4 Cl pulse) was higher in haOC and A2780, compared with HOSE cells. Zoniporide (NHE1 inhibitor) caused intracellular acidification and pHi recovery was independent of intracellular buffer capacity, but reduced in NHE1 knockdown A2780 cells. Zoniporide reduced the maximal proliferation capacity, cell number, thymidine incorporation, and ki67(marker of proliferation) fluorescence in haOC cells. SLC9A1 (for NHE1) amplification associated with lower overall patient survival. In conclusion, NHE1 is expressed in human ovarian cancer where it has a pro-proliferative role. Increased NHE1 expression and activity constitute an unfavourable prognostic factor in these patients.Keywords: NHE1; pHi; human; ovarian cancer; cell proliferation
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IntroductionOvarian cancer is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages [1,2]. Cancer cells generate protons (H + ) [3], which are released by membrane transport systems resulting in low extracellular pH (pHo), i.e., acidity, but high intracellular pH (pHi), i.e., alkalization [4]. The membrane transport systems involved in pHi control include the sodium (Na + )/H + exchangers (NHEs) [5][6][7][8]. NHE isoform 1 (NHE1) predominates and plays critical roles in cancer [4,[8][9][10]. NHE1 activity causes intracellular alkalization and extracellular acidification [4,11]. Since NHE1 inactivation reduces proliferation of human tumour gastric [12] and small lung cancer [13] cells, NHE1 may act as a pro-proliferative factor in human tumour cells.Mechanisms of pHi control in the human ovary or ascites-cancer cells are unknown [8]. Since non-human ovary cells exhibit NHEs activity [14][15][16][17][18], NHE1 may control the pHi in the human ovary. However, there are not reports addressing expression or activity of NHE1 in human ovarian cancer cells [8]. In this study, we show that functional NHE1 is expressed in human ovarian cancer cells playing a critical role in pHi recovery and cell proliferation. Thus, NHE1 expression and activity are factors that could result in pHidependent modulation of human ovarian cancer cells proliferation. The latter could be relevant to the reduced survival of patients suffering from this disease.
Materials and methods
Study groupsPatients included in this study (3 patients) coursed with ovarian cancer (high degree of ovarian serous papillary carcinoma stage IIIC or IV, and endometrioid mix type carcinoma with high degree serous differentiation) and were all subjected to primary A C C E P T E ...