Abstract #2420

Non-Invasive Detection of Cell Death in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells by Hyperpolarized 13C MRS

Timothy H. Witney^1,2, Roberta Napolitano^1,3, Mikko I. Kettunen^1,2, Ferdia A. Gallagher^2,4, Kevin M. Brindle^1,2

¹Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; ²Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge, UK; ³Dept. of Chemistry I.F.M, University of Turin, Italy; ⁴Dept. of Radiology, Addenbrookes Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

In the current study, we compared the flux of hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate to lactate to markers of cell death in drug-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cells following treatment with a range of therapeutic agents. The results show that a decrease in pyruvate - lactate exchange coincides with the induction of cell death in breast cancer cells in vitro, with a decrease in exchange not observed in cells that fail to respond to treatment.