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Deskeuvre M, Lan J, Messens J, Riant O, Feron O, Frédérick R. A novel approach to pH-Responsive targeted cancer Therapy: Inhibition of FaDu cancer cell proliferation with a pH low insertion Peptide-Conjugated DGAT1 inhibitor. Int J Pharm 2024; 657:124132. [PMID: 38641019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Targeting enzymes involved in lipid metabolism is increasingly recognized as a promising anticancer strategy. Efficient inhibition of diacylglycerol O-transferase 1 (DGAT1) can block fatty acid (FA) storage. This, in turn, triggers an increase in free polyunsaturated FA concentration, leading to peroxidation and ferroptosis. In this study, we report the development of a pH-sensitive peptide (pHLIP)-drug conjugate designed to selectively deliver DGAT1 inhibitors to cancer cells nested within the acidic microenvironment of tumors. We utilized two previously established pHLIP sequences for coupling with drugs. The study of DGAT1 conjugates in large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) of different compositions did not reveal enhanced pH-dependent insertion compared to POPC LUVs. However, using in vitro 3D tumor spheroids, significant antiproliferative effects were observed upon exposure to pHLIP-T863 (DGAT1 inhibitor) conjugates, surpassing the inhibitory activity of T863 alone. In conclusion, our study provides the first evidence that pHLIP-based conjugates with DGAT1 inhibitors have the potential to specifically target the acidic compartment of tumors. Moreover, it sheds light on the limitations of LUV models in capturing the pH-dependency of such conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Deskeuvre
- Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Medicinal Chemistry Research Group (CMFA), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 73 Avenue Emmanuel Mounier, B-1200 Brussel, Belgium; Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 57 Avenue Hippocrate B1.57.04, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Junjie Lan
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, MOST Division, Place Louis Pasteur, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve B-1348, Belgium
| | - Joris Messens
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Voor Biotechnologie (VIB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Brussels Center for Redox Biology, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olivier Riant
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, MOST Division, Place Louis Pasteur, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve B-1348, Belgium
| | - Olivier Feron
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 57 Avenue Hippocrate B1.57.04, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and BIOtechnology (WELBIO) Department, WEL Research Institute, B-1300 Wavre, Belgium
| | - Raphaël Frédérick
- Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Medicinal Chemistry Research Group (CMFA), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 73 Avenue Emmanuel Mounier, B-1200 Brussel, Belgium.
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Lefevre C, Thibaut MM, Loumaye A, Thissen JP, Neyrinck AM, Navez B, Delzenne NM, Feron O, Bindels LB. Tumoral acidosis promotes adipose tissue depletion by fostering adipocyte lipolysis. Mol Metab 2024; 83:101930. [PMID: 38570069 PMCID: PMC11027574 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Tumour progression drives profound alterations in host metabolism, such as adipose tissue depletion, an early event of cancer cachexia. As fatty acid consumption by cancer cells increases upon acidosis of the tumour microenvironment, we reasoned that fatty acids derived from distant adipose lipolysis may sustain tumour fatty acid craving, leading to the adipose tissue loss observed in cancer cachexia. METHODS To evaluate the pro-lipolytic capacities of acid-exposed cancer cells, primary mouse adipocytes from subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue were exposed to pH-matched conditioned medium from human and murine acid-exposed cancer cells (pH 6.5), compared to naive cancer cells (pH 7.4). To further address the role of tumoral acidosis on adipose tissue loss, a pH-low insertion peptide was injected into tumour-bearing mice, and tumoral acidosis was neutralised with a sodium bicarbonate buffer. Prolipolytic mediators were identified by transcriptomic approaches and validated on murine and human adipocytes. RESULTS Here, we reveal that acid-exposed cancer cells promote lipolysis from subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes and that dampening acidosis in vivo inhibits adipose tissue depletion. We further found a set of well-known prolipolytic factors enhanced upon acidosis adaptation and unravelled a role for β-glucuronidase (GUSB) as a promising new actor in adipocyte lipolysis. CONCLUSIONS Tumoral acidosis promotes the mobilization of fatty acids derived from adipocytes via the release of soluble factors by cancer cells. Our work paves the way for therapeutic approaches aimed at tackling cachexia by targeting the tumour acidic compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Lefevre
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Morgane M Thibaut
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Audrey Loumaye
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Nutrition, IREC, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Paul Thissen
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Nutrition, IREC, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Audrey M Neyrinck
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benoit Navez
- Department of Abdominal Surgery and Transplantation, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nathalie M Delzenne
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olivier Feron
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium; Welbio Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Laure B Bindels
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Welbio Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium.
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Aubert L, Bastien E, Renoult O, Guilbaud C, Özkan K, Brusa D, Bouzin C, Richiardone E, Richard C, Boidot R, Léonard D, Corbet C, Feron O. Tumor acidosis-induced DNA damage response and tetraploidy enhance sensitivity to ATM and ATR inhibitors. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1469-1489. [PMID: 38366255 PMCID: PMC10933359 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00089-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor acidosis is associated with increased invasiveness and drug resistance. Here, we take an unbiased approach to identify vulnerabilities of acid-exposed cancer cells by combining pH-dependent flow cytometry cell sorting from 3D colorectal tumor spheroids and transcriptomic profiling. Besides metabolic rewiring, we identify an increase in tetraploid cell frequency and DNA damage response as consistent hallmarks of acid-exposed cancer cells, supported by the activation of ATM and ATR signaling pathways. We find that regardless of the cell replication error status, both ATM and ATR inhibitors exert preferential growth inhibitory effects on acid-exposed cancer cells. The efficacy of a combination of these drugs with 5-FU is further documented in 3D spheroids as well as in patient-derived colorectal tumor organoids. These data position tumor acidosis as a revelator of the therapeutic potential of DNA repair blockers and as an attractive clinical biomarker to predict the response to a combination with chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Aubert
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Estelle Bastien
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ophélie Renoult
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Céline Guilbaud
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kübra Özkan
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Davide Brusa
- CytoFlux-Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Platform, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Caroline Bouzin
- Imaging Platform 2IP, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elena Richiardone
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Corentin Richard
- Unit of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges‑François Leclerc Cancer Center‑UNICANCER, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Romain Boidot
- Unit of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges‑François Leclerc Cancer Center‑UNICANCER, 21079, Dijon, France
| | - Daniel Léonard
- Institut Roi Albert II, Department of Digestive Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, and Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cyril Corbet
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olivier Feron
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (FATH), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium.
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO) Department, WEL Research Institute, B-1300, Wavre, Belgium.
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Zhao Y, Zhang X, An M, Zhang J, Liu Y. Recent advancements in nanomedicine based lipid metabolism for tumour immunotherapy. J Drug Target 2023; 31:1050-1064. [PMID: 37962291 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2283829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Therapy on lipid metabolism is emerging as a groundbreaking cancer treatment, offering the unprecedented opportunity to effectively treat and in several cases. Tumorigenesis is inextricably linked to lipid metabolism. In this regard, the features of lipid metabolism include lipid synthesis, decomposition, metabolism and lipid storage and mobilisation from intracellular lipid droplets. Most importantly, the regulation of lipid metabolism is central to the appropriate immune response of tumour cells, and ultimately to exert the immune efforts to realise the perspective of many anti-tumour effects. Different cancers and immune cells have different dependence on lipid metabolism, playing a pivotal role in differentiation and function of immune cells. However, what lies before the immunotherapy targeting lipid metabolism is side effects of systemic toxicity and defects of individual drugs, which strongly highlights that nanodelivery strategy is a magnet for it to enhance drug efficiency, reduce drug toxicity and improve application deficiencies. This review will first focus on emerging research progress of lipid metabolic reprogramming mechanism, and then explore the complex role of lipid metabolism in the tumour cells including the effect on immune cells and their nano-preparations of monotherapy and multiple therapies used in combination, in a shift away from conventional cancer research.HighlightsThe regulation of lipid metabolism is central to the appropriate immune response of tumour cells, and ultimately to exert the immune efforts to realise the perspective of many anti-tumour effects.Preparations of focusing lipid metabolism have side effects of systemic toxicity and defects of individual drugs. It strongly highlights that nanodelivery strategy is a magnet for it to enhance drug efficiency, reduce drug toxicity and improve application deficiencies.This review will first focus on emerging research progress of lipid metabolic reprogramming mechanism, and then explore the complex role of lipid metabolism in the tumour cells including the effect on immune cells as well as their nano-preparations of monotherapy and multiple therapies used in combination, in a shift away from conventional cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xiaojie Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Min An
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Juntao Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yanhua Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
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Liu D, Wang H, Li X, Liu J, Zhang Y, Hu J. Small molecule inhibitors for cancer metabolism: promising prospects to be explored. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:8051-8076. [PMID: 37002510 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04501-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal metabolism is the main hallmark of cancer, and cancer metabolism plays an important role in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance. Therefore, studying the changes of tumor metabolic pathways is beneficial to find targets for the treatment of cancer diseases. The success of metabolism-targeted chemotherapy suggests that cancer metabolism research will provide potential new targets for the treatment of malignant tumors. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to systemically review recent research findings on targeted inhibitors of tumor metabolism. In addition, we summarized new insights into tumor metabolic reprogramming and discussed how to guide the exploration of new strategies for cancer-targeted therapy. CONCLUSION Cancer cells have shown various altered metabolic pathways, providing sufficient fuel for their survival. The combination of these pathways is considered to be a more useful method for screening multilateral pathways. Better understanding of the clinical research progress of small molecule inhibitors of potential targets of tumor metabolism will help to explore more effective cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - HongPing Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - XingXing Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - JiFang Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - YanLing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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