The use of
cesium chloride (
CsCl) for
cancer therapy ("high pH
therapy") has been theorized to produce anticancer properties by raising intracellular pH to induce apoptosis. Although considered as "
alternative medicine", little scientific evidence supports this theory. Alternatively, cells have no
cesium ion (Cs+) mediated channels for clearance. Thus, such unstable electrochemical distributions have the severe potential to disrupt electrochemical dependent cellular processes, such as
glucose cotransporters. Hence, a detailed investigation of pH changing effects and
glucose uptake inhibition are warranted as a possible
cesium-induced anticancer
therapy. We developed and characterized
cesium nanoparticles (38 ± 6 nm), termed NanoCs, for nanoparticle-mediated internalization of the ion, and compared its treatment to free
CsCl. Our investigations suggest that neither NanoCs nor
CsCl drastically changed the intracellular pH, negating the theory. Alternatively, NanoCs lead to a significant decrease in
glucose uptake when compared to free
CsCl, suggesting
cesium inhibited
glucose uptake. An apoptosis assay of observed cell death affirms that NanoCs leads
tumor cells to initiate apoptosis rather than follow necrotic behavior. Furthermore, NanoCs lead to in vivo
tumor regression, where H&E analysis confirmed apoptotic cell populations. Thus, NanoCs performed pH-independent anticancer
therapy by inducing metabolic stasis.