The ER UDPase ENTPD5 promotes protein N-glycosylation, the Warburg effect, and proliferation in the PTEN pathway

Transcriptome profiling of the interconnection of pathways involved in malignant transformation and response to hypoxia

In tumor tissues, hypoxia is a commonly observed feature resulting from rapidly proliferating cancer cells outgrowing their surrounding vasculature network. Transformed cancer cells are known to exhibit phenotypic alterations, enabling continuous proliferation despite a limited oxygen supply. The four-step isogenic BJ cell model enables studies of defined steps of tumorigenesis: the normal, immortalized, transformed, and metastasizing stages. By transcriptome profiling under atmospheric and moderate hypoxic (3% O₂) conditions, we observed that despite being highly similar, the four cell lines of the BJ model responded strikingly different to hypoxia. Besides corroborating many of the known responses to hypoxia, we demonstrate that the transcriptome adaptation to moderate hypoxia resembles the process of malignant transformation. The transformed cells displayed a distinct capability of metabolic switching, reflected in reversed gene expression patterns for several genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and glycolytic pathways. By profiling the stage-specific responses to hypoxia, we identified ASS1 as a potential prognostic marker in hypoxic tumors. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the BJ cell model for highlighting the interconnection of pathways involved in malignant transformation and hypoxic response.

Myristic acid induces proteomic and secretomic changes associated with steatosis, cytoskeleton remodeling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, protein turnover and exosome release in HepG2 cells

Myristic acid, the 14-carbon saturated fatty acid (C14:0), is associated to an increased cardiovascular disease risk. Since it is found in low concentration in cells, its specific properties have not been fully analyzed. The aim of this study was to explore the cell response to this fatty acid to help explaining clinical findings on the relationship between C14:0 and cardiovascular disease. The human liver HepG2 cell line was used to investigate the hepatic response to C14:0 in a combined proteomic and secretomic approach. A total of 47 intracellular and 32 secreted proteins were deregulated after treatments with different concentrations of C14:0. Data are available via ProteomeXchange (PXD007902). In addition, C14:0 treatment of primary murine hepatocytes confirmed that C14:0 induces lipid droplet accumulation and elevates perilipin-2 levels. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that C14:0 modulates lipid droplet formation and cytoskeleton organization, induce ER stress, changes in exosome and extracellular miRNA sorting in HepG2cells. Our data provide for the first time a proteomic profiling of the effects of C14:0 in human hepatoma cells and contribute to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms through which this fatty acid may cause adverse health effects.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Myristic acid is correlated with an increase in plasma cholesterol and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. This study is the first example of an integration of proteomic and secretomic analysis of HepG2 cells to investigate the specific properties and functional roles of myristic acid on hepatic cells. Our analyses will lead to a better understanding of the myristic acid induced effects and can elicit new diagnostic and treatment strategies based on altered proteins.

Enhanced insulin receptor, but not PI3K, signalling protects podocytes from ER stress

Disruption of the insulin-PI3K-Akt signalling pathway in kidney podocytes causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, leading to podocyte apoptosis and proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy. We hypothesised that by improving insulin sensitivity we could protect podocytes from ER stress. Here we use established activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)- and ER stress element (ERSE)-luciferase assays alongside a novel high throughput imaging-based C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) assay to examine three models of improved insulin sensitivity. We find that by improving insulin sensitivity at the level of the insulin receptor (IR), either by IR over-expression or by knocking down the negative regulator of IR activity, protein tyrosine-phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), podocytes are protected from ER stress caused by fatty acids or diabetic media containing high glucose, high insulin and inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-6. However, contrary to this, knockdown of the negative regulator of PI3K-Akt signalling, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN), sensitizes podocytes to ER stress and apoptosis, despite increasing Akt phosphorylation. This indicates that protection from ER stress is conferred through not just the PI3K-Akt pathway, and indeed we find that inhibiting the MEK/ERK signalling pathway rescues PTEN knockdown podocytes from ER stress.

Tumor suppressor candidate 3: A novel grading tool and predictor of clinical malignancy in human gliomas

For several years, the cause of autosomal recessive mental retardation has been attributed to the deletion or mutation of a gene named tumor suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3). Previous research has identified that TUSC3 is a potential tumor suppressor gene in oral epidermoid carcinoma, lung cancer and esophageal cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previously published data has existed on the expression of TUSC3 in gliomas. The present study focused on the expression of TUSC3 in brain gliomas. Additionally, the present study sought to identify he association between TUSC3 expression and the typical clinical and pathological disease manifestations of gliomas. TUSC3 levels were evaluated using a western blot assay and immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray slides. Results indicated a significant decrease in TUSC3 expression in glioma tissues compared with the normal adjacent tissues. Furthermore, TUSC3 expression and World Health Organization grade demonstrated an inverse association in patients with glioma. This revealed that lower levels of TUSC3 in gliomas may be associated with a poorly-differentiated (high grade) tumor and thus a higher malignancy. Through the combination of the results of the present study and future research projects, TUSC3 may be a novel grading tool that assists with evaluating tumor malignancy and consequently a more active therapeutic regimen may be used in patients with glioma.

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT 4 (PIAS4) regulates pro-inflammatory transcription in hepatocytes by repressing SIRT1

Excessive nutrition promotes the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by the accumulation of pro-inflammation mediators in the liver. In the present study we investigated the regulation of pro-inflammatory transcription in hepatocytes by protein inhibitor of activated STAT 4 (PIAS4) in this process and the underlying mechanisms. We report that expression of the class III deacetylase SIRT1 was down-regulated in the livers of NASH mice accompanied by a simultaneous increase in the expression and binding activity of PIAS4. Exposure to high glucose stimulated the expression PIAS4 in cultured hepatocytes paralleling SIRT1 repression. Estrogen, a known NASH-protective hormone, ameliorated SIRT1 trans-repression by targeting PIAS4. Over-expression of PIAS4 enhanced, while PIAS4 knockdown alleviated, repression of SIRT1 transcription by high glucose. Lentiviral delivery of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting PIAS4 attenuated hepatic inflammation in NASH mice by restoring SIRT1 expression. Mechanistically, PIAS4 promoted NF-κB-mediated pro-inflammatory transcription in a SIRT1 dependent manner. In conclusion, our study indicates that PIAS4 mediated SIRT1 repression in response to nutrient surplus contributes to the pathogenesis of NASH. Therefore, targeting PIAS4 might provide novel therapeutic strategies in the intervention of NASH.

Control of Nucleotide Metabolism Enables Mutant p53's Oncogenic Gain-of-Function Activity

Since its discovery as an oncoprotein in 1979, investigation into p53's many identities has completed a full circle and today it is inarguably the most extensively studied tumor suppressor (wild-type p53 form or WTp53) and oncogene (mutant p53 form or mtp53) in cancer research. After the p53 protein was declared "Molecule of the Year" by Science in 1993, the p53 field exploded and a plethora of excellent reviews is now available on every aspect of p53 genetics and functional repertoire in a cell. Nevertheless, new functions of p53 continue to emerge. Here, we discuss a novel mechanism that contributes to mtp53's Gain of Functions GOF (gain-of-function) activities and involves the upregulation of both nucleotide de novo synthesis and nucleoside salvage pathways.

The Role of Platelet-Derived ADP and ATP in Promoting Pancreatic Cancer Cell Survival and Gemcitabine Resistance

Platelets have been demonstrated to be vital in cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an important step in metastasis. Markers of EMT are associated with chemotherapy resistance. However, the association between the development of chemoresistance, EMT, and the contribution of platelets to the process, is still unclear. Here we report that platelets regulate the expression of (1) human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) and (2) cytidine deaminase (CDD), markers of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. Human ENT1 (hENT1) is known to enable cellular uptake of gemcitabine while CDD deactivates gemcitabine. Knockdown experiments demonstrate that Slug, a mesenchymal transcriptional factor known to be upregulated during EMT, regulates the expression of hENT1 and CDD. Furthermore, we demonstrate that platelet-derived ADP and ATP regulate Slug and CDD expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, we demonstrate that pancreatic cancer cells express the purinergic receptor P2Y₁₂, an ADP receptor found mainly on platelets. Thus ticagrelor, a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor, was used to examine the potential therapeutic effect of an ADP receptor antagonist on cancer cells. Our data indicate that ticagrelor negated the survival signals initiated in cancer cells by platelet-derived ADP and ATP. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a novel role of platelets in modulating chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we propose ADP/ATP receptors as additional potential drug targets for treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The effects of UDP-sugars, UDP and Mg2+on uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity in human liver microsomes

1. The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are important in the metabolism, elimination and detoxification of many xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. As extrapolation of in vitro kinetics of drug metabolizing enzymes to predict in vivo clearance rates becomes more sophisticated, it is important to ensure proper optimization of enzyme assays. The luminal location of the enzyme active site (i.e. latency), and the complexity of UGT kinetics, results in consistent under-prediction of clearance of drugs metabolized by glucuronidation. 2. We examined inhibition of UGT activity in alamethicin-disrupted human liver microsomes (HLM) by uridine diphosphate (UDP), a UGT reaction product, and its reversal by Mg²⁺ ions. We also determined whether UDP-sugars other than the co-substrate UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) affected glucuronidation. 3. We show that other UDP-sugars do not significantly influence glucuronidation. We also demonstrate that UDP inhibits HLM UGT activity and that this is reversed by including Mg²⁺ in the assay. The Mg²⁺ effect can be offset using EDTA, and is dependent on the concentration of UDP-GlcA in the assay. 4. We propose that formation of a Mg²⁺-UDP complex prevents UDP from affecting the enzyme. Our results suggest that 5 mM UDP-GlcA and 10 mM Mg²⁺ be used for UGT assays in fully disrupted HLM.

Contribution of the Microenvironmental Niche to Glioblastoma Heterogeneity

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive cancer of the brain. The dismal prognosis is largely attributed to the heterogeneous nature of the tumor, which in addition to intrinsic molecular and genetic changes is also influenced by the microenvironmental niche in which the glioma cells reside. The cancer stem cells (CSCs) hypothesis suggests that all cancers arise from CSCs that possess the ability to self-renew and initiate tumor formation. CSCs reside in specialized niches where interaction with the microenvironment regulates their stem cell behavior. The reciprocal interaction between glioma stem cells (GSCs) and cells from the microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, immune cells, and other parenchymal cells, may also promote angiogenesis, invasion, proliferation, and stemness of the GSCs and be likely to have an underappreciated role in their responsiveness to therapy. This crosstalk may also promote molecular transition of GSCs. Hence the inherent plasticity of GSCs can be seen as an adaptive response, changing according to the signaling cue from the niche. Given the association of GSCs with tumor recurrence and treatment sensitivity, understanding this bidirectional crosstalk between GSCs and its niche may provide a framework to identify more effective therapeutic targets and improve treatment outcome.

Cancer: Untethering Mitochondria from the Endoplasmic Reticulum?

Following the discovery of the mitochondria-associated membrane (MAM) as a hub for lipid metabolism in 1990 and its description as one of the first examples for membrane contact sites at the turn of the century, the past decade has seen the emergence of this structure as a potential regulator of cancer growth and metabolism. The mechanistic basis for this hypothesis is that the MAM accommodates flux of Ca²⁺ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to mitochondria. This flux then determines mitochondrial ATP production, known to be low in many tumors as part of the Warburg effect. However, low mitochondrial Ca²⁺ flux also reduces the propensity of tumor cells to undergo apoptosis, another cancer hallmark. Numerous regulators of this flux have been recently identified as MAM proteins. Not surprisingly, many fall into the groups of tumor suppressors and oncogenes. Given the important role that the MAM could play in cancer, it is expected that proteins mediating its formation are particularly implicated in tumorigenesis. Examples for such proteins are mitofusin-2 and phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein 2 that likely act as tumor suppressors. This review discusses how these proteins that mediate or regulate ER–mitochondria tethering are (or are not) promoting or inhibiting tumorigenesis. The emerging picture of MAMs in cancer seems to indicate that in addition to the downregulation of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ import, MAM defects are but one way how cancer cells control mitochondria metabolism and apoptosis.

Understanding the Intersections between Metabolism and Cancer Biology

Transformed cells adapt metabolism to support tumor initiation and progression. Specific metabolic activities can participate directly in the process of transformation or support the biological processes that enable tumor growth. Exploiting cancer metabolism for clinical benefit requires defining the pathways that are limiting for cancer progression and understanding the context specificity of metabolic preferences and liabilities in malignant cells. Progress toward answering these questions is providing new insight into cancer biology and can guide the more effective targeting of metabolism to help patients.

Glucose-dependent regulation of pregnane X receptor is modulated by AMP-activated protein kinase

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a xenobiotic receptor that regulates the detoxification and clearance of drugs and foreign compounds from the liver. There has been mounting evidence of crosstalk between the drug metabolism pathway and the energy metabolism pathway, but little is known about this cross-regulation. To further delineate the energy metabolism and drug metabolism crosstalk in this study, we exposed HepG2 cells to varying glucose concentrations. We observed that PXR activity was induced under high-glucose conditions. This finding is consistent with previous clinical reports of increased drug clearance in patients with untreated diabetes. We demonstrated that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) modulates PXR transcriptional activity and that pharmacologically manipulated AMPK activation exhibits an inverse relation to PXR activity. Activation of AMPK was shown to downregulate PXR activity and, consistent with that, potentiate the response of cells to the drug. Taken together, our results delineate a hitherto unreported axis of regulation that involves the energy status of the cell, PXR regulation, and drug sensitivity.

TUSC3: a novel tumour suppressor gene and its functional implications

The tumour suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3) gene is located on chromosome region 8p22 and encodes the 34 kD TUSC3 protein, which is a subunit of the oligosaccharyl transferase responsible for the N‐glycosylation of nascent proteins. Known to be related to autosomal recessive mental retardation for several years, TUSC3 has only recently been identified as a potential tumour suppressor gene. Based on the structure and function of TUSC3, specific mechanisms in various diseases have been investigated. Several studies have demonstrated that TUSC3 is an Mg²⁺‐transporter involved in magnesium transport and homeostasis, which is important for learning and memory, embryonic development and testis maturation. Moreover, dysfunction or deletion of TUSC3 exerts its oncological effects as a modulator by inhibiting glycosylation efficiency and consequently inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress and malignant cell transformation. In this study, we summarize the advances in the studies of TUSC3 and comment on the potential roles of TUSC3 in diagnosis and treatment of TUSC3‐related diseases, especially cancer.

Dependence On Glycolysis Sensitizes BRAF-mutated Melanomas For Increased Response To Targeted BRAF Inhibition

Dysregulated metabolism can broadly affect therapy resistance by influencing compensatory signaling and expanding proliferation. Given many BRAF-mutated melanoma patients experience disease progression with targeted BRAF inhibitors, we hypothesized therapeutic response is related to tumor metabolic phenotype, and that altering tumor metabolism could change therapeutic outcome. We demonstrated the proliferative kinetics of BRAF-mutated melanoma cells treated with the BRAF inhibitor PLX4720 fall along a spectrum of sensitivity, providing a model system to study the interplay of metabolism and drug sensitivity. We discovered an inverse relationship between glucose availability and sensitivity to BRAF inhibition through characterization of metabolic phenotypes using nearly a dozen metabolic parameters in Principle Component Analysis. Subsequently, we generated rho0 variants that lacked functional mitochondrial respiration and increased glycolytic metabolism. The rho0 cell lines exhibited increased sensitivity to PLX4720 compared to the respiration-competent parental lines. Finally, we utilized the FDA-approved antiretroviral drug zalcitabine to suppress mitochondrial respiration and to force glycolysis in our cell line panel, resulting in increased PLX4720 sensitivity via shifts in EC50 and Hill slope metrics. Our data suggest that forcing tumor glycolysis in melanoma using zalcitabine or other similar approaches may be an adjunct to increase the efficacy of targeted BRAF therapy.

Mutant p53 promotes tumor progression and metastasis by the endoplasmic reticulum UDPase ENTPD5

Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are the most frequent genetic alteration in cancer and are often associated with progression from benign to invasive stages with metastatic potential. Mutations inactivate tumor suppression by p53, and some endow the protein with novel gain of function (GOF) properties that actively promote tumor progression and metastasis. By comparative gene expression profiling of p53-mutated and p53-depleted cancer cells, we identified ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 5 (ENTPD5) as a mutant p53 target gene, which functions as a uridine 5'-diphosphatase (UDPase) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to promote the folding of N-glycosylated membrane proteins. A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis revealed a highly significant correlation between p53 GOF mutations and ENTPD5 expression. Mechanistically, mutp53 is recruited by Sp1 to the ENTPD5 core promoter to induce its expression. We show ENTPD5 to be a mediator of mutant p53 GOF activity in clonogenic growth, architectural tissue remodeling, migration, invasion, and lung colonization in an experimental metastasis mouse model. Our study reveals folding of N-glycosylated membrane proteins in the ER as a mechanism underlying the metastatic progression of tumors with mutp53 that could provide new possibilities for cancer treatment.

A Journey in Science: "Not Lost in Translation"

Real innovations in medicine and science are historic and singular; the stories behind each occurrence are precious. At Molecular Medicine we have established the Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine to document and preserve these histories. The monographs recount the seminal events as told in the voice of the original investigators who provided the crucial early insight. These essays capture the essence of discovery, chronicling the birth of ideas that created new fields of research; and launched trajectories that persisted and ultimately influenced how disease is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. In this volume, the Cerami Award Monograph is by Tak Mak, PhD, Professor, The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research, Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. A visionary in the field of cancer, this is the story of Dr. Mak's scientific journey.

SWI/SNF regulates a transcriptional program that induces senescence to prevent liver cancer

Here, Tordella et. al identified senescence regulators relevant to cancer by screening an shRNA library targeting genes deleted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). They show that knockdown of the SWI/SNF component ARID1B prevents oncogene-induced senescence and cooperates with RAS to induce liver tumors, and their results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which epigenetic regulators can affect tumor progression.

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is a potent tumor suppressor mechanism. To identify senescence regulators relevant to cancer, we screened an shRNA library targeting genes deleted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we describe how knockdown of the SWI/SNF component ARID1B prevents OIS and cooperates with RAS to induce liver tumors. ARID1B controls p16^INK4a and p21^CIP1a transcription but also regulates DNA damage, oxidative stress, and p53 induction, suggesting that SWI/SNF uses additional mechanisms to regulate senescence. To systematically identify SWI/SNF targets regulating senescence, we carried out a focused shRNA screen. We discovered several new senescence regulators, including ENTPD7, an enzyme that hydrolyses nucleotides. ENTPD7 affects oxidative stress, DNA damage, and senescence. Importantly, expression of ENTPD7 or inhibition of nucleotide synthesis in ARID1B-depleted cells results in re-establishment of senescence. Our results identify novel mechanisms by which epigenetic regulators can affect tumor progression and suggest that prosenescence therapies could be employed against SWI/SNF-mutated cancers.

Prostate cancer and the unfolded protein response

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an essential organelle that contributes to several key cellular functions, including lipogenesis, gluconeogenesis, calcium storage, and organelle biogenesis. The ER also serves as the major site for protein folding and trafficking, especially in specialized secretory cells. Accumulation of misfolded proteins and failure of ER adaptive capacity activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) which has been implicated in several chronic diseases, including cancer. A number of recent studies have implicated UPR in prostate cancer (PCa) and greatly expanded our understanding of this key stress signaling pathway and its regulation in PCa. Here we summarize these developments and discuss their potential therapeutic implications.

Clinical significance of T cell metabolic reprogramming in cancer

Conversion of normal cells to cancer is accompanied with changes in their metabolism. During this conversion, cell metabolism undergoes a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, also known as Warburg effect, which is a hallmark for cancer cell metabolism. In cancer cells, glycolysis functions in parallel with the TCA cycle and other metabolic pathways to enhance biosynthetic processes and thus support proliferation and growth. Similar metabolic features are observed in T cells during activation but, in contrast to cancer, metabolic transitions in T cells are part of a physiological process. Currently, there is intense interest in understanding the cause and effect relationship between metabolic reprogramming and T cell differentiation. After the recent success of cancer immunotherapy, the crosstalk between immune system and cancer has come to the forefront of clinical and basic research. One of the key goals is to delineate how metabolic alterations of cancer influence metabolism-regulated function and differentiation of tumor resident T cells and how such effects might be altered by immunotherapy. Here, we review the unique metabolic features of cancer, the implications of cancer metabolism on T cell metabolic reprogramming during antigen encounters, and the translational prospective of harnessing metabolism in cancer and T cells for cancer therapy.

Targeting ACLY sensitizes castration-resistant prostate cancer cells to AR antagonism by impinging on an ACLY-AMPK-AR feedback mechanism

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in prostate tumor growth. Inappropriate reactivation of the AR after androgen deprivation therapy promotes development of incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In this study, we provide evidence that metabolic features of prostate cancer cells can be exploited to sensitize CRPC cells to AR antagonism. We identify a feedback loop between ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY)-dependent fatty acid synthesis, AMPK, and the AR in prostate cancer cells that could contribute to therapeutic resistance by maintaining AR levels. When combined with an AR antagonist, ACLY inhibition in CRPC cells promotes energetic stress and AMPK activation, resulting in further suppression of AR levels and target gene expression, inhibition of proliferation, and apoptosis. Supplying exogenous fatty acids can restore energetic homeostasis; however, this rescue does not occur through increased β-oxidation to support mitochondrial ATP production. Instead, concurrent inhibition of ACLY and AR may drive excess ATP consumption as cells attempt to cope with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which is prevented by fatty acid supplementation. Thus, fatty acid metabolism plays a key role in coordinating ER and energetic homeostasis in CRPC cells, thereby sustaining AR action and promoting proliferation. Consistent with a role for fatty acid metabolism in sustaining AR levels in prostate cancer in vivo, AR mRNA levels in human prostate tumors correlate positively with expression of ACLY and other fatty acid synthesis genes. The ACLY-AMPK-AR network can be exploited to sensitize CRPC cells to AR antagonism, suggesting novel therapeutic opportunities for prostate cancer.

Glycolysis inhibition as a cancer treatment and its role in an anti-tumour immune response

Increased glycolysis is the main source of energy supply in cancer cells that use this metabolic pathway for ATP generation. Altered energy metabolism is a biochemical fingerprint of cancer cells that represents one of the "hallmarks of cancer". The immune system can prevent tumour growth by eliminating cancer cells but this editing process ultimately results in poorly immunogenic cells remaining allowing for unchallenged tumour growth. In this review we look at the glycolysis pathway as a target for cancer treatments. We also examine the interplay between the glycolysis modulation and the immune response as an anti-cancer therapy.

Expression of transmembrane protein 26 (TMEM26) in breast cancer and its association with drug response

We have previously shown that stromal cells desensitize breast cancer cells to the anti-estrogen fulvestrant and, along with it, downregulate the expression of TMEM26 (transmembrane protein 26). In an effort to study the function and regulation of TMEM26 in breast cancer cells, we found that breast cancer cells express non-glycosylated and N-glycosylated isoforms of the TMEM26 protein and demonstrate that N-glycosylation is important for its retention at the plasma membrane. Fulvestrant induced significant changes in expression and in the N-glycosylation status of TMEM26. In primary breast cancer, TMEM26 protein expression was higher in ERα (estrogen receptor α)/PR (progesterone receptor)-positive cancers. These data suggest that ERα is a major regulator of TMEM26. Significant changes in TMEM26 expression and N-glycosylation were also found, when MCF-7 and T47D cells acquired fulvestrant resistance. Furthermore, patients who received aromatase inhibitor treatment tend to have a higher risk of recurrence when tumoral TMEM26 protein expression is low. In addition, TMEM26 negatively regulates the expression of integrin β1, an important factor involved in endocrine resistance. Data obtained by spheroid formation assays confirmed that TMEM26 and integrin β1 can have opposite effects in breast cancer cells. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that, in ERα-positive breast cancer, TMEM26 may function as a tumor suppressor by impeding the acquisition of endocrine resistance. In contrast, in ERα-negative breast cancer, particularly triple-negative cancer, high TMEM26 expression was found to be associated with a higher risk of recurrence. This implies that TMEM26 has different functions in ERα-positive and -negative breast cancer.

Flavopiridol: An Old Drug With New Perspectives? Implication for Development of New Drugs

Glioblastoma, the most common brain tumor, is characterized by high proliferation rate, invasion, angiogenesis, and chemo- and radio-resistance. One of most remarkable feature of glioblastoma is the switch toward a glycolytic energetic metabolism that leads to high glucose uptake and consumption and a strong production of lactate. Activation of several oncogene pathways like Akt, c-myc, and ras induces glycolysis and angiogenesis and acts to assure glycolysis prosecution, tumor proliferation, and resistance to therapy. Therefore, the high glycolytic flux depends on the overexpression of glycolysis-related genes resulting in an overproduction of pyruvate and lactate. Metabolism of glioblastoma thus represents a key issue for cancer research. Flavopiridol is a synthetic flavonoid that inhibits a wide range of Cyclin-dependent kinase, that has been demonstrate to inactivate glycogen phosphorylase, decreasing glucose availability for glycolysis. In this work the study of glucose metabolism upon flavopiridol treatment in the two different glioblastoma cell lines. The results obtained point towards an effect of flavopiridol in glycolytic cells, thus suggesting a possible new use of this compound or flavopiridol-derived formulations in combination with anti-proliferative agents in glioblastoma patients. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 312-322, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

TUSC3 suppresses glioblastoma development by inhibiting Akt signaling

Glioblastoma multiform is one of the most common and most aggressive brain tumors in humans. The molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the onset and progression of GBM are elusive and controversial. The function of tumor suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3) has not been previously characterized in GBM. TUSC3 was originally identified as part of an enzyme complex involved in N-glycosylation of proteins, but was recently implicated as a potential tumor suppressor gene in a variety of cancer types. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression levels of TUSC3 were downregulated in both GBM tissues and cells, and also found that overexpression of TUSC3 inhibits GBM cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, the effects of increased levels of methylation on the TUSC3 promoter were responsible for decreased expression of TUSC3 in GBM. Finally, we determined that TUSC3 regulates proliferation and invasion of GBM cells by inhibiting the activity of the Akt signaling pathway.

Regulation of Hippocampal Firing by Network Oscillations during Sleep

It has been hypothesized that waking leads to higher-firing neurons, with increased energy expenditure, and that sleep serves to return activity to baseline levels. Oscillatory activity patterns during different stages of sleep may play specific roles in this process, but consensus has been missing. To evaluate these phenomena in the hippocampus, we recorded from region CA1 neurons in rats across the 24-hr cycle, and we found that their firing increased upon waking and decreased 11% per hour across sleep. Waking and sleeping also affected lower- and higher-firing neurons differently. Interestingly, the incidences of sleep spindles and sharp-wave ripples (SWRs), typically associated with cortical plasticity, were predictive of ensuing firing changes and were more robustly predictive than other oscillatory events. Spindles and SWRs were initiated during non-REM sleep, yet the changes were incorporated in the network over the following REM sleep epoch. These findings indicate an important role for spindles and SWRs and provide novel evidence of a symbiotic relationship between non-REM and REM stages of sleep in the homeostatic regulation of neuronal activity.

Mitochondria in Cancer Energy Metabolism: Culprits or Bystanders?

Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled growth. Metabolic demands to sustain rapid proliferation must be compelling since aerobic glycolysis is the first as well as the most commonly shared characteristic of cancer. During the last decade, the significance of metabolic reprogramming of cancer has been at the center of attention. Nonetheless, despite all the knowledge gained on cancer biology, the field is not able to reach agreement on the issue of mitochondria: Are damaged mitochondria the cause for aerobic glycolysis in cancer? Warburg proposed the damaged mitochondria theory over 80 years ago; the field has been testing the theory equally long. In this review, we will discuss alterations in metabolic fluxes of cancer cells, and provide an opinion on the damaged mitochondria theory.

Pseudouridines in U2 snRNA stimulate the ATPase activity of Prp5 during spliceosome assembly

Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant internal modification identified in RNA, and yet little is understood of its effects on downstream reactions. Yeast U2 snRNA contains three conserved Ψs (Ψ35, Ψ42, and Ψ44) in the branch site recognition region (BSRR), which base pairs with the pre-mRNA branch site during splicing. Here, we show that blocks to pseudouridylation at these positions reduce the efficiency of pre-mRNA splicing, leading to growth-deficient phenotypes. Restoration of pseudouridylation at these positions using designer snoRNAs results in near complete rescue of splicing and cell growth. These Ψs interact genetically with Prp5, an RNA-dependent ATPase involved in monitoring the U2 BSRR-branch site base-pairing interaction. Biochemical analysis indicates that Prp5 has reduced affinity for U2 snRNA that lacks Ψ42 and Ψ44 and that Prp5 ATPase activity is reduced when stimulated by U2 lacking Ψ42 or Ψ44 relative to wild type, resulting in inefficient spliceosome assembly. Furthermore, in vivo DMS probing analysis reveals that pseudouridylated U2, compared to U2 lacking Ψ42 and Ψ44, adopts a slightly different structure in the branch site recognition region. Taken together, our results indicate that the Ψs in U2 snRNA contribute to pre-mRNA splicing by directly altering the binding/ATPase activity of Prp5.

Drivers of the Warburg phenotype

The Warburg effect was first described by Otto Warburg in the 1920s and describes the preferential conversion of glucose to lactate as opposed to its metabolism through the citric acid cycle to fuel oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria, even in the presence of oxygen. This phenotype is a common feature of malignant cells and is also observed in some highly proliferative normal tissues. The selective advantage provided by this phenotype is not entirely clear. Adopting this metabolic state may allow tumor cells to balance their need for ATP, biosynthetic precursor molecules, and reducing power in order to respond to growth and proliferation signals and may provide a selective advantage in the hypoxic and acidic microenvironments that are often a feature of solid tumors. Oncogenic signaling pathways and responses to the local microenvironment combine to produce this metabolic phenotype via a number of molecular mechanisms. A better understanding of these mechanisms in both tumor and normal tissues and a more complete understanding of how the Warburg effect interacts with the rest of the tumor metabolic network should provide opportunities for novel clinical intervention.

PTEN and PI3K/AKT in non-small-cell lung cancer

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In the last years, the identification of activating EGFR mutations, conferring increased sensitivity and disease response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, has changed the prospect of NSCLC patients. The PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway regulates multiple cellular functions, including cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, survival, motility, invasion and intracellular trafficking. Alterations in this pathway, mainly PTEN inactivation, have been associated with resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy and lower survival in NSCLC patients. In this review, we will briefly discuss the main PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway alterations found in NSCLC, as well as the cell processes regulated by PTEN/PI3K/AKT leading to tumorigenesis.

Enzymatic passaging of human embryonic stem cells alters central carbon metabolism and glycan abundance

To realize the potential of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in regenerative medicine and drug discovery applications, large numbers of cells that accurately recapitulate cell and tissue function must be robustly produced. Previous studies have suggested that genetic instability and epigenetic changes occur as a consequence of enzymatic passaging. However, the potential impacts of such passaging methods on the metabolism of hESCs have not been described. Using stable isotope tracing and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, we have explored how different passaging reagents impact hESC metabolism. Enzymatic passaging caused significant decreases in glucose utilization throughout central carbon metabolism along with attenuated de novo lipogenesis. In addition, we developed and validated a method for rapidly quantifying glycan abundance and isotopic labeling in hydrolyzed biomass. Enzymatic passaging reagents significantly altered levels of glycans immediately after digestion but surprisingly glucose contribution to glycans was not affected. These results demonstrate that there is an immediate effect on hESC metabolism after enzymatic passaging in both central carbon metabolism and biosynthesis. HESCs subjected to enzymatic passaging are routinely placed in a state requiring re-synthesis of biomass components, subtly influencing their metabolic needs in a manner that may impact cell performance in regenerative medicine applications.

HIF-driven SF3B1 induces KHK-C to enforce fructolysis and heart disease

Fructose is a major component of dietary sugar and its overconsumption exacerbates key pathological features of metabolic syndrome. The central fructose-metabolising enzyme is ketohexokinase (KHK), which exists in two isoforms: KHK-A and KHK-C, generated through mutually exclusive alternative splicing of KHK pre-mRNAs. KHK-C displays superior affinity for fructose compared with KHK-A and is produced primarily in the liver, thus restricting fructose metabolism almost exclusively to this organ. Here we show that myocardial hypoxia actuates fructose metabolism in human and mouse models of pathological cardiac hypertrophy through hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) activation of SF3B1 and SF3B1-mediated splice switching of KHK-A to KHK-C. Heart-specific depletion of SF3B1 or genetic ablation of Khk, but not Khk-A alone, in mice, suppresses pathological stress-induced fructose metabolism, growth and contractile dysfunction, thus defining signalling components and molecular underpinnings of a fructose metabolism regulatory system crucial for pathological growth.

Circulating miR-182 is a biomarker of colorectal adenocarcinoma progression

MiR-182 expression was evaluated by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization in 20 tubular adenomas, 50 colorectal carcinoma (CRC), and 40 CRC liver metastases. Control samples obtained from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, or tumor-matched normal colon mucosa were analyzed (n=50). MiR-182 expression increased progressively and significantly along with the colorectal carcinogenesis cascade, and in CRC liver metastases. The inverse relation between miR-182 and the expression of its target gene ENTPD5 was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis. We observed that normal colocytes featured a strong ENTPD5 cytoplasmic expression whereas a significantly and progressively lower expression was present along with dedifferentiation of the histologic phenotype. Plasma samples from 51 CRC patients and controls were tested for miR-182 expression. Plasma miR-182 concentrations were significantly higher in CRC patients than in healthy controls or patients with colon polyps at endoscopy. Moreover, miR-182 plasma levels were significantly reduced in post-operative samples after radical hepatic metastasectomy compared to preoperative samples. Our results strengthen the hypothesis of a central role of miR-182 dysregulation in colon mucosa transformation, demonstrate the concomitant progressive down-regulation of ENTPD5 levels during colon carcinogenesis, and indicate the potential of circulating miR-182 as blood based biomarker for screening and monitoring CRC during the follow-up.

The metabolic alterations of cancer cells

Cancer cells exhibit profound metabolic alterations, allowing them to fulfill the metabolic needs that come with increased proliferation and additional facets of malignancy. Such a metabolic transformation is orchestrated by the genetic changes that drive tumorigenesis, that is, the activation of oncogenes and/or the loss of oncosuppressor genes, and further shaped by environmental cues, such as oxygen concentration and nutrient availability. Understanding this metabolic rewiring is essential to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of tumorigenesis as well as to find novel, therapeutically exploitable liabilities of malignant cells. Here, we describe key features of the metabolic transformation of cancer cells, which frequently include the switch to aerobic glycolysis, a profound mitochondrial reprogramming, and the deregulation of lipid metabolism, highlighting the notion that these pathways are not independent but rather cooperate to sustain proliferation. Finally, we hypothesize that only those genetic defects that effectively support anabolism are selected in the course of tumor progression, implying that cancer-associated mutations may undergo a metabolically convergent evolution.

Hypoxia-induced chemoresistance in cancer cells: The role of not only HIF-1

BACKGROUND

The aim of this review is to provide the information about molecular basis of hypoxia-induced chemoresistance, focusing on the possibility of diagnostic and therapeutic use.

RESULTS

Hypoxia is a common feature of tumors and represents an independent prognostic factor in many cancers. It is the result of imbalances in the intake and consumption of oxygen caused by abnormal vessels in the tumor and the rapid proliferation of cancer cells. Hypoxia-induced resistance to cisplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, melphalan, 5-flouoruracil, gemcitabine, and docetaxel has been reported in a number of experiments. Adaptation of tumor cells to hypoxia has important biological effects. The most studied factor responsible for these effects is hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) that significantly contributes to the aggressiveness and chemoresistance of different tumors. The HIF-1 complex, induced by hypoxia, binds to target genes, thereby increasing the expression of many genes. In addition, the expression of hundreds of genes can be also decreased in response to hypoxia in HIF-1 dependent manner, but without the detection of HIF-1 in these genes' promoters. HIF-1 independent mechanisms for drug resistance in hypoxia have been described, however, they are still rarely reported. The first clinical studies focusing on diagnosis of hypoxia and on inhibition of hypoxia-induced changes in cancer cells are starting to yield results.

CONCLUSIONS

The adaptation to hypoxia requires many genetic and biochemical responses that regulate one another. Hypoxia-induced resistance is a very complex field and we still know very little about it. Different approaches to circumvent hypoxia in tumors are under development.

In vivo modeling of malignant glioma: the road to effective therapy

Despite an increased emphasis on developing new therapies for malignant gliomas, they remain among the most intractable tumors faced today as they demonstrate a remarkable ability to evade current treatment strategies. Numerous candidate treatments fail at late stages, often after showing promising preclinical results. This disconnect highlights the continued need for improved animal models of glioma, which can be used to both screen potential targets and authentically recapitulate the human condition. This review examines recent developments in the animal modeling of glioma, from more established rat models to intriguing new systems using Drosophila and zebrafish that set the stage for higher throughput studies of potentially useful targets. It also addresses the versatility of mouse modeling using newly developed techniques recreating human protocols and sophisticated genetically engineered approaches that aim to characterize the biology of gliomagenesis. The use of these and future models will elucidate both new targets and effective combination therapies that will impact on disease management.

ENTPD5 induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells via regulating caspase 3 expression

This study is to investigate the relationship between ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 5 (ENTPD5) expression and lung cancer clinicopathological factors, and the impact of ENTPD5 on lung cancer cell functions. Lung cancer specimens and matched adjacent normal tissues were obtained from patients without any preoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Knockdown of ETNPD5 expression led to significantly decreased lung cancer cell growth rate, markedly increased apoptosis and the ability to repair, and significantly reduced invasion. Gene chip tests showed that knockdown of ENTPD5 expression caused more Caspase expression. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the Caspase 3 expression was significantly increased after the knockdown of ENTPD5. In addition, immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor growth marker, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, was significantly reduced in the knockdown model. Tumorigenicity assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay showed that the apoptosis of lung cancer cells was increased in the knockdown model. Our results suggest that ENTPD5 affects lung cancer apoptosis via Caspase 3 pathway, and can be potentially used to monitor prognosis or to guide appropriate therapeutic regimens.

Famine versus feast: understanding the metabolism of tumors in vivo

To fuel unregulated proliferation, cancer cells alter metabolism to support macromolecule biosynthesis. Cell culture studies have revealed how different oncogenic mutations and nutrients impact metabolism. Glucose and glutamine are the primary fuels used in vitro; however, recent studies have suggested that utilization of other amino acids as well as lipids and protein can also be important to cancer cells. Early investigations of tumor metabolism are translating these findings to the biology of whole tumors and suggest that additional complexity exists beyond nutrient availability alone in vivo. Whole-body metabolism and tumor heterogeneity also influence the metabolism of tumor cells, and successful targeting of metabolism for cancer therapy will require an understanding of tumor metabolism in vivo.

Pathological glycogenesis through glycogen synthase 1 and suppression of excessive AMP kinase activity in myeloid leukemia cells

The rapid proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells is highly dependent on increased glucose metabolism. Through an unbiased metabolomics analysis of leukemia cells, we found that the glycogenic precursor UDP-D-glucose is pervasively upregulated, despite low glycogen levels. Targeting the rate-limiting glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) not only decreased glycolytic flux but also increased activation of the glycogen-responsive AMPK (AMP kinase), leading to significant growth suppression. Further, genetic and pharmacological hyper-activation of AMPK was sufficient to induce the changes observed with GYS1 targeting. Cancer genomics data also indicate that elevated levels of the glycogenic enzymes GYS1/2 or GBE1 (glycogen branching enzyme 1) are associated with poor survival in AML. These results suggest a novel mechanism whereby leukemic cells sustain aberrant proliferation by suppressing excess AMPK activity through elevated glycogenic flux and provide a therapeutic entry point for targeting leukemia cell metabolism.

Drosophila melanogaster activating transcription factor 4 regulates glycolysis during endoplasmic reticulum stress

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress results from an imbalance between the load of proteins entering the secretory pathway and the ability of the ER to fold and process them. The response to ER stress is mediated by a collection of signaling pathways termed the unfolded protein response, which plays important roles in development and disease. Here we show that in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells, ER stress induces a coordinated change in the expression of genes involved in carbon metabolism. Genes encoding enzymes that carry out glycolysis were up-regulated, whereas genes encoding proteins in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and respiratory chain complexes were down-regulated. The unfolded protein response transcription factor Atf4 was necessary for the up-regulation of glycolytic enzymes and Lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh). Furthermore, Atf4 binding motifs in promoters for these genes could partially account for their regulation during ER stress. Finally, flies up-regulated Ldh and produced more lactate when subjected to ER stress. Together, these results suggest that Atf4 mediates a shift from a metabolism based on oxidative phosphorylation to one more heavily reliant on glycolysis, reminiscent of aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect observed in cancer and other proliferative cells.

Tumor mechanics and metabolic dysfunction

Desmosplasia is a characteristic of most solid tumors and leads to fibrosis through abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, remodeling, and posttranslational modifications. The resulting stiff tumor stroma not only compromises vascular integrity to induce hypoxia and impede drug delivery, but also promotes aggressiveness by potentiating the activity of key growth, invasion, and survival pathways. Intriguingly, many of the protumorigenic signaling pathways that are mechanically activated by ECM stiffness also promote glucose uptake and aerobic glycolysis, and an altered metabolism is a recognized hallmark of cancer. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that metabolic alterations and an abnormal ECM may cooperatively drive cancer cell aggression and treatment resistance. Accordingly, improved methods to monitor tissue mechanics and metabolism promise to improve diagnostics and treatments to ameliorate ECM stiffening and elevated mechanosignaling may improve patient outcome. Here we discuss the interplay between ECM mechanics and metabolism in tumor biology and suggest that monitoring these processes and targeting their regulatory pathways may improve diagnostics, therapy, and the prevention of malignant transformation.

4EBP1/eIF4E and p70S6K/RPS6 axes play critical and distinct roles in hepatocarcinogenesis driven by AKT and N-Ras proto-oncogenes in mice

Concomitant expression of activated forms of v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) and Ras in mouse liver (AKT/Ras) leads to rapid tumor development through strong activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway. mTORC1 functions by regulating p70S6K/ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1/ eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (4EBP1/eIF4E) cascades. How these cascades contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis remains unknown. Here, we show that inhibition of the RPS6 pathway by rapamycin effectively suppressed, whereas blockade of the 4EBP1/eIF4E cascade by 4EBP1A4, an unphosphorylatable form of 4EBP1, significantly delayed, AKT/Ras-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Combined treatment with rapamycin and 4EBP1A4 completely inhibited AKT/Ras hepatocarcinogenesis. This strong antineoplastic effect was successfully recapitulated by ablating regulatory associated protein of mTORC1, the major subunit of mTORC1, in AKT/Ras-overexpressing livers. Furthermore, we demonstrate that overexpression of eIF4E, the proto-oncogene whose activity is specifically inhibited by 4EBP1, resulted in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in cooperation with activated Ras. Mechanistically, we identified the ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 5/ adenylate kinase 1/cytidine monophosphate kinase 1 axis and the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway as targets of the 4EBP1/eIF4E cascade in AKT/Ras and Ras/eIF4E livers as well as in human HCC cell lines and tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Complete inhibition of mTORC1 is required to suppress liver cancer development induced by AKT and Ras proto-oncogenes in mice. The mTORC1 effectors, RPS6 and eIF4E, play distinct roles and are both necessary for AKT/Ras hepatocarcinogenesis. These new findings might open the way for innovative therapies against human HCC.

Regulation of the Rhp26ERCC6/CSB chromatin remodeler by a novel conserved leucine latch motif

CSB/ERCC6 (Cockayne syndrome B protein/excision repair cross-complementation group 6), a member of a subfamily of SWI2/SNF2 (SWItch/sucrose nonfermentable)-related chromatin remodelers, plays crucial roles in gene expression and the maintenance of genome integrity. Here, we report the mechanism of the autoregulation of Rhp26, which is the homolog of CSB/ERCC6 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We identified a novel conserved protein motif, termed the "leucine latch," at the N terminus of Rhp26. The leucine latch motif mediates the autoinhibition of the ATPase and chromatin-remodeling activities of Rhp26 via its interaction with the core ATPase domain. Moreover, we found that the C terminus of the protein counteracts this autoinhibition and that both the N- and C-terminal regions of Rhp26 are needed for its proper function in DNA repair in vivo. The presence of the leucine latch motif in organisms ranging from yeast to humans suggests a conserved mechanism for the autoregulation of CSB/ERCC6 despite the otherwise highly divergent nature of the N- and C-terminal regions.

Is reliance on mitochondrial respiration a "chink in the armor" of therapy-resistant cancer?

A series of recent reports has suggested PGC1α-driven upregulation of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation as a selective vulnerability of drug-resistant cancers. Accordingly, chemical inhibitors of respiration led to selective eradication of such cancer cells due to their preferential sensitivity to mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species. These insights create a timely opportunity for a biomarker guided application of already existing and newly emerging mitochondrial inhibitors in recurrent drug-resistant cancer, including lymphomas, melanomas, and other malignant diseases marked by increased mitochondrial respiration.

Multiple ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases facilitate intracellular replication of Legionella pneumophila

Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic pathogen that replicates within alveolar macrophages resulting in the onset of severe atypical pneumonia. Previously we have identified Lpg1905, a eukaryotic-type ecto-NTPDase (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase) from L. pneumophila that was required for optimal intracellular replication and virulence in a mouse lung infection model. In the present study, we characterized the activity of a second eukaryotic-type NTPDase, Lpg0971, from L. pneumophila. We observed that recombinant Lpg0971 hydrolysed only ATP and exhibited divalent cation preference for manganese (II) ions. Similar to lpg1905, an lpg0971 mutant carrying the plasmid pMIP was attenuated in a mouse lung infection model and impaired for replication in human macrophages and amoebae. Increased trafficking of the LCV (Legionella-containing vacuole) to a LAMP-1 (lysosome-associated membrane protein-1)-positive compartment was observed for both the lpg1905 and lpg0971 mutants carrying pMIP. Complementation with either lpg1905 or lpg0971 restored intracellular replication, suggesting that a minimum level of ATPase activity was required for this function. A double lpg1905/0971 mutant was not more impaired for intracellular replication than the single mutants and complementation of the double mutant with lpg0971, but not lpg1905, restored intracellular replication. This suggested that although the NTPDases have overlapping activities they have distinct functions. Unlike many eukaryotic-type proteins from L. pneumophila, neither Lpg1905 nor Lpg0971 were translocated into the host cell by the Dot/Icm (defective in organelle trafficking/intracellular multiplication) type IV secretion system. Overall our data suggest that the ability of L. pneumophila to replicate in eukaryotic cells relies in part on the ability of the pathogen to hydrolyse ATP within an intracellular compartment.

The impact of the endoplasmic reticulum protein-folding environment on cancer development

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an essential organelle in eukaryotic cells for the storage and regulated release of calcium and as the entrance to the secretory pathway. Protein misfolding in the ER causes accumulation of misfolded proteins (ER stress) and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which has evolved to maintain a productive ER protein-folding environment. Both ER stress and UPR activation are documented in many different human cancers. In this Review, we summarize the impact of ER stress and UPR activation on every aspect of cancer and discuss outstanding questions for which answers will pave the way for therapeutics.

GBM's multifaceted landscape: highlighting regional and microenvironmental heterogeneity

Gliomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors that show variable proliferative potential, invasiveness, aggressiveness, histological grading, and clinical behavior. In this review, we focus on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a grade IV glioma, which is the most common and malignant of primary adult brain tumors. Research over the past several decades has revealed the existence of extensive cellular, molecular, genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic heterogeneity among tumors of the same grade and even within individual tumors. Evaluation of different tumor types has shown that tumors with advanced grade and clinical aggressiveness also display enhanced molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental heterogeneity. From a therapeutic standpoint, this heterogeneity is a major clinical hurdle for devising effective therapeutic strategies for patients and challenges personalized medicine. In this review, we will highlight key aspects of GBM heterogeneity, directing special attention to regional heterogeneity, hypoxia, genomic heterogeneity, tumor-specific metabolic reprogramming, neovascularization or angiogenesis, and stromal immune cells. We will further discuss the clinical implications of GBM heterogeneity in the context of therapy.

L-methionase: a therapeutic enzyme to treat malignancies

Cancer is an increasing cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. L-methionase has potential application against many types of cancers. L-Methionase is an intracellular enzyme in bacterial species, an extracellular enzyme in fungi, and absent in mammals. L-Methionase producing bacterial strain(s) can be isolated by 5,5′-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) as a screening dye. L-Methionine plays an important role in tumour cells. These cells become methionine dependent and eventually follow apoptosis due to methionine limitation in cancer cells. L-Methionine also plays an indispensable role in gene activation and inactivation due to hypermethylation and/or hypomethylation. Membrane transporters such as GLUT1 and ion channels like Na²⁺, Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Cl⁻ become overexpressed. Further, the α-subunit of ATP synthase plays a role in cancer cells growth and development by providing them enhanced nutritional requirements. Currently, selenomethionine is also used as a prodrug in cancer therapy along with enzyme methionase that converts prodrug into active toxic chemical(s) that causes death of cancerous cells/tissue. More recently, fusion protein (FP) consisting of L-methionase linked to annexin-V has been used in cancer therapy. The fusion proteins have advantage that they have specificity only for cancer cells and do not harm the normal cells.