Methods and products related to metabolic interactions in disease

Abstract

The invention involves methods of regulating cell growth and division to control disease processes by manipulating mitochondrial metabolism and the expression of cell surface immune proteins. The invention also involves related compositions and screening assays.

1 . A method for inducing apoptosis in a tumor cell, comprising:
 contacting a tumor cell with an amount of a metabolic modifying agent, which when exposed to a cell causes coupling of electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation, effective to increase the mitochondrial membrane potential in the tumor cell, wherein the metabolic modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of glucose, an MHC class II HLA-DP/DQ ligand, phorbol myristate acetate in combination with ionomycin, GDP, sodium acetate, UCP antisense, dominant negative UCP, and staurosporine, and   contacting the tumor cell with an amount of an apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent effective for inducing apoptosis in the tumor cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of adriamycin, cytarabine, doxorubicin, and methotrexate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metabolic modifying agent and the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent are administered simultaneously. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metabolic modifying agent and the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent are administered locally. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tumor cell is resistant to the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tumor cell is sensitive to the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent, and wherein the amount of metabolic modifying agent is effective to increase mitochondrial membrane potential and the amount of apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent is effective to inhibit the proliferation of the tumor cell when the mitochondrial membrane potential is increased. 
     
     
         7 . A method for inducing apoptosis in a tumor cell, comprising:
 contacting a tumor cell with an amount of a metabolic modifying agent, which when exposed to a cell causes coupling of electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation, effective to increase the mitochondrial membrane potential in the tumor cell, and   contacting the tumor cell with an amount of an apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent effective for inducing apoptosis in the tumor cell, wherein the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of cytarabine, doxorubicin, and methotrexate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metabolic modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of glucose, an MHC class II HLA-DP/DQ ligand, phorbol myristate acetate in combination with ionomycin, GDP, sodium acetate, UCP antisense, dominant negative UCP, and staurosporine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metabolic modifying agent and the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent are administered simultaneously. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metabolic modifying agent and the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent are administered locally. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the tumor cell is resistant to the apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent.