Chemoresistance limits treatment outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A dimeric metabolite of indole-3-carbinol, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) is abundant in cruciferous vegetables and has shown anticancer efficacy. The role of DIM in regulating chemosensitivity in CRC remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that DIM treatment inhibits the malignant progression of CRC. RNA sequencing indicated that pyrimidine synthesis genes are attenuated by DIM treatment. Stable 13C-labeled glucose tracing revealed that DIM inhibits de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in CRC. DIM increases 5-FU cytotoxicity in CRC via regulation of the expression of pyrimidine metabolism-related genes. DIM synergizes with 5-FU to enhance its inhibitory effects on CRC both in vivo and in vitro. Our results suggest that DIM improves the therapeutic outcomes of FU-based chemotherapy in CRCs by inhibiting pyrimidine metabolism, identifying a new strategy for clinical therapy.
Keywords: 3,3′-Diindolylmethane; chemosensitivity; colorectal cancer; pyrimidine metabolism.