Figure 3.

PCA and PPA significantly increase ROS levels under nutrient-deprived conditions.A–C, intracellular ROS levels. PANC-1 cells were incubated with 118 μm PCA and 88 μm PPA in DMEM, and intracellular ROS levels were measured by a ROS-Glo H₂O₂ assay (A). PANC-1 cells were incubated with PCA and PPA for 12 h (B). PANC-1 cells were treated with 118 μm PCA or 88 μm PPA for 12 h (C). D, intracellular GSH levels under nutrient-deprived conditions. PANC-1 cells were incubated with 24 μm PCA and 18 μm PPA in NDM or DMEM. E, intracellular ROS levels under nutrient-deprived conditions. PANC-1 cells were incubated with 118 μm PCA and 88 μm PPA for 6 h in NDM or DMEM. F, effects of glucose and amino acids on preferential cytotoxicity of PCA and PPA under nutrient-deprived conditions. PANC-1 cells were incubated with PCA or PPA for 24 h in NDM to which glucose or amino acids were added. G, effects of cystine, glutamine, and glycine on preferential cytotoxicity of PCA and PPA under nutrient-deprived conditions. PANC-1 cells were incubated with 59 μm PCA and 44 μm PPA for 24 h in NDM with cystine, glutamine, and glycine. H, schematic of the mechanism underlying preferential cytotoxicity of PCA and PPA to nutrient-deprived cancer cells. For all graphs, the data are presented as means ± S.D. of three independent experiments. p values were determined by two-tailed Student's t test. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001; n.s., not significant.