13C NMR-Based Study of Oxygen-Dependent Metabolic Reprogramming in Colon Cancer Cells Treated with Sodium Dichloroacetate

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is recognized for its potential to therapeutically reprogram cancer cell metabolism by promoting a shift from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we applied 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to examine the metabolic effects of DCA on colon cancer cells cultured under both hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Through the use of stable isotope-labeled glucose and other substrates, we tracked carbon flow through major metabolic pathways to evaluate oxygen-dependent responses to DCA treatment. Our analysis revealed notable differences in 13C-labeled metabolite distributions, with more substantial metabolic alterations observed under hypoxic conditions. These results underscore the influence of oxygen availability on DCA's metabolic impact and offer valuable insights into its mechanism of action as a targeted cancer therapy. Full data and pathway interpretations will be discussed.