PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - EWA SOKOLOWSKA
AU  - MALGORZATA PRESLER
AU  - ELZBIETA GOYKE
AU  - RYSZARD MILCZAREK
AU  - JULIAN SWIERCZYNSKI
AU  - TOMASZ SLEDZINSKI
TI  - Orlistat Reduces Proliferation and Enhances Apoptosis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells (PANC-1)
DP  - 2017 Nov 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 6321--6327
VI  - 37
IP  - 11
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/11/6321.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/11/6321.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2017 Nov 01; 37
AB  - Background/aim: Pancreatic cancer is a disease with very poor prognosis, and none of currently available pharmacotherapies have proven to be efficient in this indication. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) gene as a potential therapeutic target in proliferating human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1), and verify if orlistat, originally developed as an anti-obesity drug, inhibits PANC-1 proliferation. Materials and Methods: The effects of orlistat on gene expression, lipogenesis, proliferation and apoptosis was studied in PANC-1 cell culture. Results: Expression of FASN increased during proliferation of PANC-1. Inhibition of FASN by orlistat resulted in a significant reduction of PANC-1 proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of these cells. Conclusion: This study showed, to our knowledge for the first time, that orlistat exhibits significant antitumor activity against PANC-1 cells. This implies that orlistat analogs with good oral bioavailability may find application in pharmacotherapy of pancreatic cancer.