Abstract 5095: Differential sensitivity to dietary restriction in xenograft models harboring PI3K pathway mutations in nude mice

The inhibitory effect of dietary restriction on the growth of human tumors has been well established. Recent evidence exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying this observation has been accumulating and supports a strong link with the PI3K/PTEN signaling pathway. Despite these recent advances, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of this observation. We have investigated the effects of dietary restriction on tumor growth in nude mouse xenografts of human tumor cell lines containing mutations in either PI3K or PTEN. In these experiments, dietary restriction was started after mean tumor size had reached between 60-100mg and continued until control groups reached endpoint (1000-2000mg). Diet restriction was achieved by feeding the experimental group a vitamin and nutrient enriched chow at a 20-40% reduction in overall amount relative to control groups. Our findings suggest that while activation of the PI3K/PTEN pathway may afford some resistance to dietary restriction, there may be other underlying mechanisms involved. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5095.