Fig. 3: SMIM4 depletion protects PDAC cells from glucose deprivation induced cell death.

A–F Cell number (A, B), apoptosis (C, D), and lipid peroxidation (E, F) level in MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells with or without SMIM4 depletion in the presence and absence of glucose for 24 h (n = 3 biologically independent samples). G, H Cell number of MIA PaCa-2 (G) and PANC-1 (H) cells with or without SMIM4 depletion under culture conditions of 0, 1, 2, and 4 mM glutamine in the absence of glucose for 24 h (n = 3 biologically independent samples). I–L ROS (I), H₂O₂ (J), NADPH/NADP⁺ (K), GSH/GSSG (L) level of MIA PaCa-2 cells with or without SMIM4 depletion in the presence and absence of glucose for 24 h (n = 3 biologically independent samples). M, N Cell number of MIA PaCa-2 cells with or without SMIM4 depletion in the absence of glucose or in the absence of glucose supplemented with 40 µM NAC (M), 40 µM GSH (N) for 24 h. MIA PaCa-2 cells were pretreated with NAC or GSH for 24 h before culture in glucose-deprived medium (n = 3 biologically independent samples). O Schematic representation of glutathione reductase (GSR)-mediated glutathione (GSH) metabolism. P mRNA level of GSR and SMIM4 in MIA PaCa-2 cells with GSR and SMIM4 depletion, respectively (n =3 biologically independent samples). Q Cell number of MIA PaCa-2 cells with or without GSR depletion, transfected with ctrl siRNA or SMIM4 siRNA in the absence of glucose for 24 h (n = 3 biologically independent samples). Data are presented as means ± SEM for bar graphs from at least three independent experiments. Statistical significance was determined by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test for (A–N, P, and Q). ns not significant. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.