Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells

Abstract The poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is attributed to tumor microenvironment driven by hypoxia regulated carbonic anhydrase IX. Our study elucidates the ability of Methazolamide, a CAIX inhibitor to sensitize resistant PDAC cells. The effect of Methazolamide alone a...

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Main Authors: Jeevan Ghosalkar, Vinay Sonawane, Swati Achrekar, Kalpana Joshi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93388-5
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author Jeevan Ghosalkar
Vinay Sonawane
Swati Achrekar
Kalpana Joshi
author_facet Jeevan Ghosalkar
Vinay Sonawane
Swati Achrekar
Kalpana Joshi
author_sort Jeevan Ghosalkar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is attributed to tumor microenvironment driven by hypoxia regulated carbonic anhydrase IX. Our study elucidates the ability of Methazolamide, a CAIX inhibitor to sensitize resistant PDAC cells. The effect of Methazolamide alone and in combination with gemcitabine on proliferation, migration, tumor inhibition along with its impact on metastasis by influencing HIF-1α/PTEN/Glut1/Glut3 signalling through the expression of CAIX was assessed. Methazolamide induced cytotoxicity in several PDAC cells including patient derived with IC50 0.7–4.09 mM and 0.29–2.56 mM in monolayer and clonogenic assays respectively. Methazolamide alone and in combination significantly downregulated hypoxia induced expression of HIF-1α and CAIX together with proliferation (Ki-67, Cyclin D1), invasion (Rac-1, Snail), stem cell (Oct-4, Sox-2), angiogenesis (VEGF), glycolysis (Glut1, Glut3) and apoptosis (Bax, Bc1-2 and PTEN) markers in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells. In vivo study in PAXF 546L PDX model exhibited profound tumor growth inhibition with downregulation of CD34, Oct-4, Sox-2, C-myc, Nanog, Ki-67, and Rac-1 signalling. Considering inadequate availability of effective therapeutics and importance of CAIX in processes leading to aggressive behavior of PDAC, targeting it by using Methazolamide, a pre-approved drug in combination with gemcitabine represents promising therapeutic approach specifically in metastatic settings.
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spelling doaj-art-2f5f23c368df437f8ce6654396facef52025-08-20T01:51:31ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-93388-5Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cellsJeevan Ghosalkar0Vinay Sonawane1Swati Achrekar2Kalpana Joshi3Discovery Biology Division, Cipla Ltd.Discovery Biology Division, Cipla Ltd.Discovery Biology Division, Cipla Ltd.Discovery Biology Division, Cipla Ltd.Abstract The poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is attributed to tumor microenvironment driven by hypoxia regulated carbonic anhydrase IX. Our study elucidates the ability of Methazolamide, a CAIX inhibitor to sensitize resistant PDAC cells. The effect of Methazolamide alone and in combination with gemcitabine on proliferation, migration, tumor inhibition along with its impact on metastasis by influencing HIF-1α/PTEN/Glut1/Glut3 signalling through the expression of CAIX was assessed. Methazolamide induced cytotoxicity in several PDAC cells including patient derived with IC50 0.7–4.09 mM and 0.29–2.56 mM in monolayer and clonogenic assays respectively. Methazolamide alone and in combination significantly downregulated hypoxia induced expression of HIF-1α and CAIX together with proliferation (Ki-67, Cyclin D1), invasion (Rac-1, Snail), stem cell (Oct-4, Sox-2), angiogenesis (VEGF), glycolysis (Glut1, Glut3) and apoptosis (Bax, Bc1-2 and PTEN) markers in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells. In vivo study in PAXF 546L PDX model exhibited profound tumor growth inhibition with downregulation of CD34, Oct-4, Sox-2, C-myc, Nanog, Ki-67, and Rac-1 signalling. Considering inadequate availability of effective therapeutics and importance of CAIX in processes leading to aggressive behavior of PDAC, targeting it by using Methazolamide, a pre-approved drug in combination with gemcitabine represents promising therapeutic approach specifically in metastatic settings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93388-5PDACHypoxiaHIF-1αCarbonic anhydraseMethazolamideRepurposing
spellingShingle Jeevan Ghosalkar
Vinay Sonawane
Swati Achrekar
Kalpana Joshi
Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
Scientific Reports
PDAC
Hypoxia
HIF-1α
Carbonic anhydrase
Methazolamide
Repurposing
title Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
title_full Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
title_fullStr Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
title_full_unstemmed Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
title_short Pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a CAIX inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant PDAC cells
title_sort pharmacological inhibition of hypoxia induced acidosis employing a caix inhibitor sensitizes gemcitabine resistant pdac cells
topic PDAC
Hypoxia
HIF-1α
Carbonic anhydrase
Methazolamide
Repurposing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93388-5
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AT swatiachrekar pharmacologicalinhibitionofhypoxiainducedacidosisemployingacaixinhibitorsensitizesgemcitabineresistantpdaccells
AT kalpanajoshi pharmacologicalinhibitionofhypoxiainducedacidosisemployingacaixinhibitorsensitizesgemcitabineresistantpdaccells