A Ketogenic Diet in Combination with Gemcitabine Increases Survival in Pancreatic Cancer KPC Mice

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to be a major health problem. A ketogenic diet (KD), characterized by a very low carbohydrate and high fat composition, has gained attention for its antitumor potential. We evaluated the effect and mechanisms of feeding a strict KD alone or in combination with gemcitabine in the autochthonous LSL-Kras(G12D/+); LSL-Trp53 (R172H/+); Pdx1-Cre (KPC) mouse model. For this purpose, both male and female pancreatic tumor-bearing KPC mice were allocated to a control diet (CD; %kcal: 65% carb, 15% protein, 20% fat), a KD (%kcal: 1% carb, 15% protein, 84% fat), a CD + gemcitabine (CG), or a KD + gemcitabine (KG) group. Mice fed a KD alone or in combination with gemcitabine showed significantly increased blood β-hydroxybutyrate levels compared with mice fed a CD or CG. KPC mice fed a KG had a significant increase in overall median survival compared with KPC mice fed a CD (increased overall median survival by 42%). Interestingly, when the data were disaggregated by sex, the effect of a KG was significant in female KPC mice (60% increase in median overall survival), but not in male KPC mice (28% increase in median overall survival). Mechanistically, the enhanced survival response to a KD combined with gemcitabine was multifactorial, including inhibition of ERK and AKT pathways, regulation of fatty acid metabolism and the modulation of the gut microbiota. In summary, a KD in combination with gemcitabine appears beneficial as a treatment strategy in PDAC in KPC mice, deserving further clinical evaluation. SIGNIFICANCE: This article is the first preclinical study to comprehensively evaluate the effect of a KD alongside chemotherapy using a standard autochthonous genetically modified mouse model (in both male and female KPC mice).