MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are key regulators of liver metabolism, while toxic bile acids participate in the development of several liver diseases. We previously demonstrated that deoxycholic acid (DCA), a cytotoxic bile acid implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, inhibits miR-21 expression in hepatocytes. Here, we investigated the mechanisms by which DCA modulates mi...

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is beneficial in cancer therapy because it induces apoptosis and decreases cancer growth in vitro and in vivo without affecting non-cancer cells. DCA stimulates the activity of the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase by inhibiting pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. Consequently, DCA promotes oxidative phosphorylation after glycolysis. Therefore, DCA produces changes in energy metabo...

BACKGROUND The Afinion HbA1c (Axis-Shield) is a newer point-of-care device for measurement of hemoglobin A1c (A1C) using a boronate affinity method unlike the more commonly used DCA immunoassay method (Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics). The Afinion's accuracy and precision, when compared with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and DCA methods, have not been established in pediat...

PURPOSE Evidence that indicates bile acid is a promoter of colon cancer exists. Deoxycholic acid (DCA) modifies apoptosis or proliferation by affecting intracellular signaling and gene expression. However, because previous studies have been based on studies on colon cancer cell lines, the effect of DCA on normal colonocytes is unknown. METHODS Normal colonocytes and Caco-2 and HCT116 cells we...

PURPOSE Dichloroacetate (DCA) inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), and thus promotes glucose oxidation over glycolysis and induces apoptotic death of tumor cells. The present study investigated the potential of DCA to increase the antitumor effects of platinum- based compounds against a panel of permanent cell lines, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), ovarian cancer, and Ewing's ...

Stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) improves functional recovery of postischemic hearts. This study examined the potential for a mechanism mediated by substrate-dependent proton production and intracellular pH. After 20 min of ischemia, isolated rabbit hearts were reperfused with or without 5 mM dichloroacetate (DCA) in the presence of either 5 mM glucose, 5 mM glucose + 2.5 mM lactate,...

Dichloroacetate (DCA), a traditional mitochondria-targeting agent, has shown promising prospect as a sensitizer in fighting against malignancies including cervical cancer. But it is unclear about the effect of DCA alone on cervical tumor. Moreover, previous reports have demonstrated that the increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) expression is associated with chemoresistance and poor prognosis of ce...

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a synthetic compound that promotes the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) by inhibiting its repressor protein called pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK). The activation of PDH leads to a reduction in ambient cellular lactate concentrations both in vitro and in vivo which contributes to the therapeutic use of DCA in the treatment of systemic lactic acidosis in hum...

Dichloroacetate (DCA), a small molecule mitochondria-targeting agent, can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, showing potential therapeutic effects on brain tumors. Considering the effects of DCA on tumor cellular metabolism, penetrating across the blood-brain barrier, as well as having potential antitumor activity on brain tumors, the purpose of this study is to investigate the antitumor activi...

Tumor growth is fueled by the use of glycolysis, which normal cells use only in the scarcity of oxygen. Glycolysis makes tumor cells resistant to normal death processes. Targeting this unique tumor metabolism can provide an alternative strategy to selectively destroy the tumor, leaving normal tissue unharmed. The orphan drug dichloroacetate (DCA) is a mitochondrial kinase inhibitor that has the...