Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether tributyrin, a natural butyrate pro-drug, as well as butyrate itself could affect growth, differentiation and apoptosis in two human pancreatic cancer cell lines in culture.
Materials and methods: Proliferation was studied by cell counting using crystal violet staining. Cell differentiation was assessed by measuring the alkaline phosphatase activity and cell death by DAPI nuclear staining.
Results: In MiaPaca-2 cells both tributyrin and butyrate reduced growth, with IC50 values of 1.1+/-0.2 mmol/ and 3.6+/-0.7 mmol/L respectively. Both 1 mmol/L tributyrin and 3 mmol/L butyrate induced a similar degree of apoptosis in MiaPaca-2 and Capan-l cells and stimulated differentiation in Capan-l cells equally.
Conclusion: Our data may provide a rationale for the therapeutic use of peroral tributyrin in patients with pancreatic cancer, because this drug enables plasma concentrations of butyrate which inhibit growth, induce differentiation and cause apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.