biostudies-literatureUnknown8(1)Cho S<sub>L</sub>-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, AA) exhibits anti-cancer effects with high-dose treatment through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and selective damage to cancer cells. The anti-cancer effects of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid are determined by sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT-2), a transporter of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid. In this study, we demonstrate that <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid treatment showed efficient anti-cancer activity in cell lines with high expression levels of SVCT-2 for a gradient concentration of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid from 10 μM -2 mM. However, in low SVCT-2 expressing cell lines, high-dose <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid (>1 mM) showed anti-cancer effects but low-dose (<10 μM) treatment induced cell proliferation. Such conflicting resultsScientific reports11372https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6063950biostudies-literatureHormetic dose response to <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid as an anti-cancer drug in colorectal cancer cell lines according to SVCT-2 expression.PMC6063950Roh KLee SKil EJByun HSYoo BCYeom CHCho SHSong HPark SShin HKim YCho SChae JSShin YfalseHormetic dose response to <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid as an anti-cancer drug in colorectal cancer cell lines according to SVCT-2 expression.<sub>L</sub>-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, AA) exhibits anti-cancer effects with high-dose treatment through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and selective damage to cancer cells. The anti-cancer effects of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid are determined by sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT-2), a transporter of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid. In this study, we demonstrate that <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid treatment showed efficient anti-cancer activity in cell lines with high expression levels of SVCT-2 for a gradient concentration of <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid from 10 μM -2 mM. However, in low SVCT-2 expressing cell lines, high-dose <sub>L</sub>-ascorbic acid (>1 mM) showed anti-cancer effects but low-dose (<10 μM) treatment induced cell proliferation. Such conflicting results2018-01-01T00:00:00Z2018 Jul2025-05-18T11:29:02.564Z2025-05-18T11:29:02.564ZS-EPMC60639503005456010.1038/s41598-018-29386-7