Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder caused by impaired phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). This condition results in hyperphenylalaninemia and elevated levels of abnormal phenylalanine metabolites, among which is phenylacetic acid/phenylacetate (PA). In recent years, PA and its analogs were f...

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Main Authors: Neil Sidell, Lijuan Hao, Marzia Pasquali, J David McDonald
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2009-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004292&type=printable
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author Neil Sidell
Lijuan Hao
Marzia Pasquali
J David McDonald
author_facet Neil Sidell
Lijuan Hao
Marzia Pasquali
J David McDonald
author_sort Neil Sidell
collection DOAJ
description Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder caused by impaired phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). This condition results in hyperphenylalaninemia and elevated levels of abnormal phenylalanine metabolites, among which is phenylacetic acid/phenylacetate (PA). In recent years, PA and its analogs were found to have anticancer activity against a variety of malignancies suggesting the possibility that PKU may offer protection against cancer through chronically elevated levels of PA. We tested this hypothesis in a genetic mouse model of PKU (PAH(enu2)) which has a biochemical profile that closely resembles that of human PKU. Plasma levels of phenylalanine in homozygous (HMZ) PAH(enu2) mice were >12-fold those of heterozygous (HTZ) littermates while tyrosine levels were reduced. Phenylketones, including PA, were also markedly elevated to the range seen in the human disease. Mice were subjected to 7,12 dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) carcinogenesis, a model which is sensitive to the anticancer effects of the PA derivative 4-chlorophenylacetate (4-CPA). Tumor induction by DMBA was not significantly different between the HTZ and HMZ mice, either in total tumor development or in the type of cancers that arose. HMZ mice were then treated with 4-CPA as positive controls for the anticancer effects of PA and to evaluate its possible effects on phenylalanine metabolism in PKU mice. 4-CPA had no effect on the plasma concentrations of phenylalanine, phenylketones, or tyrosine. Surprisingly, the HMZ mice treated with 4-CPA developed an unexplained neuromuscular syndrome which precluded its use in these animals as an anticancer agent. Together, these studies support the use of PAH(enu2) mice as a model for studying human PKU. Chronically elevated levels of PA in the PAH(enu2) mice were not protective against cancer.
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spelling doaj-art-ca8cb800dee64a049d0ef1d0028f78f22025-08-20T02:00:46ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032009-01-0141e429210.1371/journal.pone.0004292Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.Neil SidellLijuan HaoMarzia PasqualiJ David McDonaldPhenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder caused by impaired phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). This condition results in hyperphenylalaninemia and elevated levels of abnormal phenylalanine metabolites, among which is phenylacetic acid/phenylacetate (PA). In recent years, PA and its analogs were found to have anticancer activity against a variety of malignancies suggesting the possibility that PKU may offer protection against cancer through chronically elevated levels of PA. We tested this hypothesis in a genetic mouse model of PKU (PAH(enu2)) which has a biochemical profile that closely resembles that of human PKU. Plasma levels of phenylalanine in homozygous (HMZ) PAH(enu2) mice were >12-fold those of heterozygous (HTZ) littermates while tyrosine levels were reduced. Phenylketones, including PA, were also markedly elevated to the range seen in the human disease. Mice were subjected to 7,12 dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) carcinogenesis, a model which is sensitive to the anticancer effects of the PA derivative 4-chlorophenylacetate (4-CPA). Tumor induction by DMBA was not significantly different between the HTZ and HMZ mice, either in total tumor development or in the type of cancers that arose. HMZ mice were then treated with 4-CPA as positive controls for the anticancer effects of PA and to evaluate its possible effects on phenylalanine metabolism in PKU mice. 4-CPA had no effect on the plasma concentrations of phenylalanine, phenylketones, or tyrosine. Surprisingly, the HMZ mice treated with 4-CPA developed an unexplained neuromuscular syndrome which precluded its use in these animals as an anticancer agent. Together, these studies support the use of PAH(enu2) mice as a model for studying human PKU. Chronically elevated levels of PA in the PAH(enu2) mice were not protective against cancer.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004292&type=printable
spellingShingle Neil Sidell
Lijuan Hao
Marzia Pasquali
J David McDonald
Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
PLoS ONE
title Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
title_full Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
title_fullStr Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
title_full_unstemmed Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
title_short Carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model.
title_sort carcinogenic effects in a phenylketonuria mouse model
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0004292&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT neilsidell carcinogeniceffectsinaphenylketonuriamousemodel
AT lijuanhao carcinogeniceffectsinaphenylketonuriamousemodel
AT marziapasquali carcinogeniceffectsinaphenylketonuriamousemodel
AT jdavidmcdonald carcinogeniceffectsinaphenylketonuriamousemodel