Surgical management for IPMN of the pancreas

s / Pancreatology 13 (2013) e1–e94 e33 drugs (5-FU and gemcitabine) and a combination of both drug types. The status of autophagy in PANC-1 was evaluated by Western blot analysis of the autophagosome marker LC3-II. The effect of the drugs on cell growth was also assessed. Results: Western blot of LC3-II showed that autophagy is activated in PANC-1 under basal culture conditions, and was suppressed by chloroquine, which is known to inhibit the degradation of autophagosomes. Both 5-FU and gemcitabine induced autophagy in PANC-1. When chloroquine was added together with these anticancer drugs on PANC-1, LC3-II bands were stronger. Chloroquine suppressed cell growth of PANC-1. In addition, chloroquine greatly increased the growth-inhibiting effects of 5FU and gemcitabine. Conclusions: Autophagy contributes to cell growth and has a cytoprotective effect against anticancer drugs (5-FU and gemcitabine) in PANC1 cells. Choroquine increases the cytotoxicity of 5-FU and gemcitabine by inhibiting autophagy. Possible combination therapy of these anticancer drugs and chloroquine should be further studied.