Inorganic polyphosphate is a linear polymer containing tens to hundreds of orthophosphate residues linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. Polyphosphate has been recognized as a potent anti-metastasis reagent. However, the molecular mechanism underlying polyphosphate action on cancer cells is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the involvement of polyphosphate in radio-sensitivity using a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line, H1299. We found that polyphosphate treatment decreases cellular adenosine triphosphate levels, suggesting a disruption of energy metabolism. We also found that the induction of DNA double-strand breaks was enhanced in polyphosphate-treated cells after X-ray irradiation and colony formation assay revealed that cell survival decreased compared with that of the control groups. These findings suggest that polyphosphate is a promising radio-sensitizer for cancer cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that polyphosphate treatment disrupts adenosine triphosphate-mediated energy transfer for cellular survival and DNA repair, thereby reducing the cellular capability to resist X-ray irradiation.
Keywords: Inorganic polyphosphate; adenosine triphosphate; mitochondria; non–small cell lung cancer; radio-sensitivity.