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Rajan A, Fame RM. Brain development and bioenergetic changes. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 199:106550. [PMID: 38849103 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106550] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioenergetics describe the biochemical processes responsible for energy supply in organisms. When these changes become dysregulated in brain development, multiple neurodevelopmental diseases can occur, implicating bioenergetics as key regulators of neural development. Historically, the discovery of disease processes affecting individual stages of brain development has revealed critical roles that bioenergetics play in generating the nervous system. Bioenergetic-dependent neurodevelopmental disorders include neural tube closure defects, microcephaly, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, mTORopathies, and oncogenic processes. Developmental timing and cell-type specificity of these changes determine the long-term effects of bioenergetic disease mechanisms on brain form and function. Here, we discuss key metabolic regulators of neural progenitor specification, neuronal differentiation (neurogenesis), and gliogenesis. In general, transitions between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation are regulated in early brain development and in oncogenesis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial maturity play key roles later in differentiation. We also discuss how bioenergetics interface with the developmental regulation of other key neural elements, including the cerebrospinal fluid brain environment. While questions remain about the interplay between bioenergetics and brain development, this review integrates the current state of known key intersections between these processes in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Rajan
- Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ryann M Fame
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Lane AN, Higashi RM, Fan TWM. Challenges of Spatially Resolved Metabolism in Cancer Research. Metabolites 2024; 14:383. [PMID: 39057706 PMCID: PMC11278851 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14070383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Stable isotope-resolved metabolomics comprises a critical set of technologies that can be applied to a wide variety of systems, from isolated cells to whole organisms, to define metabolic pathway usage and responses to perturbations such as drugs or mutations, as well as providing the basis for flux analysis. As the diversity of stable isotope-enriched compounds is very high, and with newer approaches to multiplexing, the coverage of metabolism is now very extensive. However, as the complexity of the model increases, including more kinds of interacting cell types and interorgan communication, the analytical complexity also increases. Further, as studies move further into spatially resolved biology, new technical problems have to be overcome owing to the small number of analytes present in the confines of a single cell or cell compartment. Here, we review the overall goals and solutions made possible by stable isotope tracing and their applications to models of increasing complexity. Finally, we discuss progress and outstanding difficulties in high-resolution spatially resolved tracer-based metabolic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N. Lane
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, 789 S. Limestone St., Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (R.M.H.); (T.W.-M.F.)
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Bartman CR, Faubert B, Rabinowitz JD, DeBerardinis RJ. Metabolic pathway analysis using stable isotopes in patients with cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:863-878. [PMID: 37907620 PMCID: PMC11161207 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00632-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is central to malignant transformation and cancer cell growth. How tumours use nutrients and the relative rates of reprogrammed pathways are areas of intense investigation. Tumour metabolism is determined by a complex and incompletely defined combination of factors intrinsic and extrinsic to cancer cells. This complexity increases the value of assessing cancer metabolism in disease-relevant microenvironments, including in patients with cancer. Stable-isotope tracing is an informative, versatile method for probing tumour metabolism in vivo. It has been used extensively in preclinical models of cancer and, with increasing frequency, in patients with cancer. In this Review, we describe approaches for using in vivo isotope tracing to define fuel preferences and pathway engagement in tumours, along with some of the principles that have emerged from this work. Stable-isotope infusions reported so far have revealed that in humans, tumours use a diverse set of nutrients to supply central metabolic pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid synthesis. Emerging data suggest that some activities detected by stable-isotope tracing correlate with poor clinical outcomes and may drive cancer progression. We also discuss current challenges in isotope tracing, including comparisons of in vivo and in vitro models, and opportunities for future discovery in tumour metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline R Bartman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Brandon Faubert
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Joshua D Rabinowitz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Wang Y, Patti GJ. The Warburg effect: a signature of mitochondrial overload. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:1014-1020. [PMID: 37117116 PMCID: PMC10600323 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
A long-standing question in cancer biology has been why oxygenated tumors ferment the majority of glucose they consume to lactate rather than oxidizing it in their mitochondria, a phenomenon known as the 'Warburg effect.' An abundance of evidence shows not only that most cancer cells have fully functional mitochondria but also that mitochondrial activity is important to proliferation. It is therefore difficult to rationalize the metabolic benefit of cancer cells switching from respiration to fermentation. An emerging perspective is that rather than mitochondrial metabolism being suppressed in tumors, as is often suggested, mitochondrial activity increases to the level of saturation. As such, the Warburg effect becomes a signature of excess glucose being released as lactate due to mitochondrial overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahui Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Center for Metabolomics and Isotope Tracing, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Gary J Patti
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Center for Metabolomics and Isotope Tracing, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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5
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Chaudagar K, Hieromnimon HM, Kelley A, Labadie B, Shafran J, Rameshbabu S, Drovetsky C, Bynoe K, Solanki A, Markiewicz E, Fan X, Loda M, Patnaik A. Suppression of Tumor Cell Lactate-generating Signaling Pathways Eradicates Murine PTEN/p53-deficient Aggressive-variant Prostate Cancer via Macrophage Phagocytosis. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:4930-4940. [PMID: 37721526 PMCID: PMC10841690 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss-of-function/PI3K pathway hyperactivation is associated with poor therapeutic outcomes and immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance across multiple malignancies. Our prior studies in Pb-Cre;PTENfl/flTrp53fl/fl genetically engineered mice (GEM) with aggressive-variant prostate cancer (AVPC) demonstrated tumor growth control in 60% mice following androgen deprivation therapy/PI3K inhibitor (PI3Ki)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody combination, via abrogating lactate cross-talk between cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), and suppression of histone lactylation (H3K18lac)/phagocytic activation within TAM. Here, we targeted immunometabolic mechanism(s) of PI3Ki resistance, with the goal of durable tumor control in AVPC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Pb-Cre;PTENfl/flTrp53fl/fl GEM were treated with PI3Ki (copanlisib), MEK inhibitor (trametinib) or Porcupine inhibitor (LGK'974) singly or their combinations. MRI was used to monitor tumor kinetics and immune/proteomic profiling/ex vivo coculture mechanistic studies were performed on GEM tumors or corresponding tumor-derived cell lines. RESULTS Given our proteomic profiling showing persistent MEK signaling within tumors of PI3Ki-resistant GEM, we tested whether addition of trametinib to copanlisib enhances tumor control in GEM, and we observed 80% overall response rate via additive suppression of lactate within TME and H3K18lac within TAM, relative to copanlisib (37.5%) monotherapy. The 20% resistant mice demonstrated feedback Wnt/β-catenin activation, resulting in restoration of lactate secretion by tumor cells and H3K18lac within TAM. Cotargeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling with LGK'974 in combination with PI3Ki/MEKi, demonstrated durable tumor control in 100% mice via H3K18lac suppression and complete TAM activation. CONCLUSIONS Abrogation of lactate-mediated cross-talk between cancer cells and TAM results in durable ADT-independent tumor control in PTEN/p53-deficient AVPC, and warrants further investigation in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiranj Chaudagar
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hanna M. Hieromnimon
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anne Kelley
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Brian Labadie
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jordan Shafran
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Srikrishnan Rameshbabu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Catherine Drovetsky
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kaela Bynoe
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ani Solanki
- Animal Resource Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Xiaobing Fan
- Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago IL, USA
| | - Massimo Loda
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Akash Patnaik
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Cai F, Bezwada D, Cai L, Mahar R, Wu Z, Chang MC, Pachnis P, Yang C, Kelekar S, Gu W, Brooks B, Ko B, Vu HS, Mathews TP, Zacharias LG, Martin-Sandoval M, Do D, Oaxaca KC, Jin ES, Margulis V, Malloy CR, Merritt ME, DeBerardinis RJ. Comprehensive isotopomer analysis of glutamate and aspartate in small tissue samples. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1830-1843.e5. [PMID: 37611583 PMCID: PMC10732579 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotopes are powerful tools to assess metabolism. 13C labeling is detected using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or mass spectrometry (MS). MS has excellent sensitivity but generally cannot discriminate among different 13C positions (isotopomers), whereas NMR is less sensitive but reports some isotopomers. Here, we develop an MS method that reports all 16 aspartate and 32 glutamate isotopomers while requiring less than 1% of the sample used for NMR. This method discriminates between pathways that result in the same number of 13C labels in aspartate and glutamate, providing enhanced specificity over conventional MS. We demonstrate regional metabolic heterogeneity within human tumors, document the impact of fumarate hydratase (FH) deficiency in human renal cancers, and investigate the contributions of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle turnover and CO2 recycling to isotope labeling in vivo. This method can accompany NMR or standard MS to provide outstanding sensitivity in isotope-labeling experiments, particularly in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Cai
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Divya Bezwada
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ling Cai
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Rohit Mahar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Zheng Wu
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mario C Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Panayotis Pachnis
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chendong Yang
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sherwin Kelekar
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Wen Gu
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Bailey Brooks
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Bookyung Ko
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hieu S Vu
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Thomas P Mathews
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lauren G Zacharias
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Misty Martin-Sandoval
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Duyen Do
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - K Celeste Oaxaca
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Eunsook S Jin
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vitaly Margulis
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Craig R Malloy
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Veterans Affairs North Texas Healthcare System, Dallas, TX 75216, USA
| | - Matthew E Merritt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Frank AR, Li V, Shelton SD, Kim J, Stott GM, Neckers LM, Xie Y, Williams NS, Mishra P, McFadden DG. Mitochondrial-Encoded Complex I Impairment Induces a Targetable Dependency on Aerobic Fermentation in Hürthle Cell Carcinoma of the Thyroid. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:1884-1903. [PMID: 37262072 PMCID: PMC10524862 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-0982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A metabolic hallmark of cancer identified by Warburg is the increased consumption of glucose and secretion of lactate, even in the presence of oxygen. Although many tumors exhibit increased glycolytic activity, most forms of cancer rely on mitochondrial respiration for tumor growth. We report here that Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid (HTC) models harboring mitochondrial DNA-encoded defects in complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain exhibit impaired respiration and alterations in glucose metabolism. CRISPR-Cas9 pooled screening identified glycolytic enzymes as selectively essential in complex I-mutant HTC cells. We demonstrate in cultured cells and a patient-derived xenograft model that small-molecule inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase selectively induce an ATP crisis and cell death in HTC. This work demonstrates that complex I loss exposes fermentation as a therapeutic target in HTC and has implications for other tumors bearing mutations that irreversibly damage mitochondrial respiration. SIGNIFICANCE HTC is enriched in somatic mtDNA mutations predicted to affect complex I of the electron transport chain (ETC). We demonstrate that these mutations impair respiration and induce a therapeutically tractable reliance on aerobic fermentation for cell survival. This work provides a rationale for targeting fermentation in cancers harboring irreversible genetically encoded ETC defects. See related article by Gopal et al., p. 1904. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1749.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson R Frank
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vicky Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Spencer D Shelton
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jiwoong Kim
- Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Gordon M Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 24060, USA
| | - Leonard M Neckers
- Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yang Xie
- Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Noelle S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Prashant Mishra
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Deparment of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - David G McFadden
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Lead contact
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Tardito S, MacKay C. Rethinking our approach to cancer metabolism to deliver patient benefit. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:406-415. [PMID: 37340094 PMCID: PMC10403540 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02324-9] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered cellular metabolism is a major mechanism by which tumours support nutrient consumption associated with increased cellular proliferation. Selective dependency on specific metabolic pathways provides a therapeutic vulnerability that can be targeted in cancer therapy. Anti-metabolites have been used clinically since the 1940s and several agents targeting nucleotide metabolism are now well established as standard of care treatment in a range of indications. However, despite great progress in our understanding of the metabolic requirements of cancer and non-cancer cells within the tumour microenvironment, there has been limited clinical success for novel agents targeting pathways outside of nucleotide metabolism. We believe that there is significant therapeutic potential in targeting metabolic processes within cancer that is yet to be fully realised. However, current approaches to identify novel targets, test novel therapies and select patient populations most likely to benefit are sub-optimal. We highlight recent advances in technologies and understanding that will support the identification and validation of novel targets, re-evaluation of existing targets and design of optimal clinical positioning strategies to deliver patient benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saverio Tardito
- The Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Craig MacKay
- Cancer Research Horizons, The Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK.
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Chaudagar K, Hieromnimon HM, Kelley A, Labadie B, Shafran J, Rameshbabu S, Drovetsky C, Bynoe K, Solanki A, Markiewicz E, Fan X, Loda M, Patnaik A. Suppression of tumor cell lactate-generating signaling pathways eradicates murine PTEN/p53-deficient aggressive-variant prostate cancer via macrophage phagocytosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.23.540590. [PMID: 37292972 PMCID: PMC10245812 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.23.540590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose PTEN loss-of-function/PI3K pathway hyperactivation occurs in ∼50% of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients, resulting in poor therapeutic outcomes and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors across multiple malignancies. Our prior studies in prostate-specific PTEN/p53-deleted genetically engineered mice (Pb-Cre;PTEN fl/fl Trp53 fl/fl GEM) with aggressive-variant prostate cancer (AVPC) demonstrated feedback Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation in 40% mice resistant to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)/PI3K inhibitor (PI3Ki)/PD-1 antibody (aPD-1) combination, resulting in restoration of lactate cross-talk between tumor-cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), histone lactylation (H3K18lac) and phagocytic suppression within TAM. Here, we targeted immunometabolic mechanism(s) of resistance to ADT/PI3Ki/aPD-1 combination, with the goal of durable tumor control in PTEN/p53-deficient PC. Experimental design Pb-Cre;PTEN fl/fl Trp53 fl/fl GEM were treated with either ADT (degarelix), PI3Ki (copanlisib), aPD-1, MEK inhibitor (trametinib) or Porcupine inhibitor (LGK 974) as single agents or their combinations. MRI was used to monitor tumor kinetics and immune/proteomic profiling/ ex vivo co-culture mechanistic studies were performed on prostate tumors or established GEM-derived cell lines. Results We tested whether Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition with LGK 974 addition to degarelix/copanlisib/aPD-1 therapy enhances tumor control in GEM, and observed de novo resistance due to feedback activation of MEK signaling. Based on our observation that degarelix/aPD-1 treatment resulted in partial inhibition of MEK signaling, we substituted trametinib for degarelix/aPD-1 treatment, and observed a durable tumor growth control of PI3Ki/MEKi/PORCNi in 100% mice via H3K18lac suppression and complete TAM activation within TME. Conclusions Abrogation of lactate-mediated cross-talk between cancer cells and TAM results in durable ADT-independent tumor control in PTEN/p53-deficient AVPC, and warrants further investigation in clinical trials. STATEMENT OF TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE PTEN loss-of-function occurs in ∼50% of mCRPC patients, and associated with poor prognosis, and immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance across multiple malignancies. Our prior studies have demonstrated that ADT/PI3Ki/PD-1 triplet combination therapy controls PTEN/p53-deficient PC in 60% of mice via enhancement of TAM phagocytosis. Here, we discovered that resistance to ADT/PI3K/PD-1 therapy occurred via restoration of lactate production via feedback Wnt/MEK signaling following treatment with PI3Ki, resulting in inhibition of TAM phagocytosis. Critically, co-targeting of PI3K/MEK/Wnt signaling pathways using an intermittent dosing schedule of corresponding targeted agents resulted in complete tumor control and significantly prolonged survival without significant long-term toxicity. Collectively, our findings provide "proof-of-concept" that targeting lactate as a macrophage phagocytic checkpoint controls growth of murine PTEN/p53-deficient PC and warrant further investigation in AVPC clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiranj Chaudagar
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hanna M. Hieromnimon
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anne Kelley
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Brian Labadie
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jordan Shafran
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Srikrishnan Rameshbabu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Catherine Drovetsky
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kaela Bynoe
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ani Solanki
- Animal Resource Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Xiaobing Fan
- Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago IL, USA
| | - Massimo Loda
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Akash Patnaik
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Juras JA, Webb MB, Young LE, Markussen KH, Hawkinson TR, Buoncristiani MD, Bolton KE, Coburn PT, Williams MI, Sun LP, Sanders WC, Bruntz RC, Conroy LR, Wang C, Gentry MS, Smith BN, Sun RC. In situ microwave fixation provides an instantaneous snapshot of the brain metabolome. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100455. [PMID: 37159672 PMCID: PMC10163000 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Brain glucose metabolism is highly heterogeneous among brain regions and continues postmortem. In particular, we demonstrate exhaustion of glycogen and glucose and an increase in lactate production during conventional rapid brain resection and preservation by liquid nitrogen. In contrast, we show that these postmortem changes are not observed with simultaneous animal sacrifice and in situ fixation with focused, high-power microwave. We further employ microwave fixation to define brain glucose metabolism in the mouse model of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes. Using both total pool and isotope tracing analyses, we identified global glucose hypometabolism in multiple brain regions, evidenced by reduced 13C enrichment into glycogen, glycolysis, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Reduced glucose metabolism correlated with a marked decrease in GLUT2 expression and several metabolic enzymes in unique brain regions. In conclusion, our study supports the incorporation of microwave fixation for more accurate studies of brain metabolism in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena A. Juras
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Madison B. Webb
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Lyndsay E.A. Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Kia H. Markussen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Tara R. Hawkinson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Michael D. Buoncristiani
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Kayli E. Bolton
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Peyton T. Coburn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Meredith I. Williams
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Lisa P.Y. Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - William C. Sanders
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Ronald C. Bruntz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Lindsey R. Conroy
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Chi Wang
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Division of Biostatics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Matthew S. Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Bret N. Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Ramon C. Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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11
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Targeting Mitochondrial Metabolic Reprogramming as a Potential Approach for Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054954. [PMID: 36902385 PMCID: PMC10003438 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal energy metabolism is a characteristic of tumor cells, and mitochondria are important components of tumor metabolic reprogramming. Mitochondria have gradually received the attention of scientists due to their important functions, such as providing chemical energy, producing substrates for tumor anabolism, controlling REDOX and calcium homeostasis, participating in the regulation of transcription, and controlling cell death. Based on the concept of reprogramming mitochondrial metabolism, a range of drugs have been developed to target the mitochondria. In this review, we discuss the current progress in mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming and summarized the corresponding treatment options. Finally, we propose mitochondrial inner membrane transporters as new and feasible therapeutic targets.
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12
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Bezwada D, Lesner NP, Brooks B, Vu HS, Wu Z, Cai L, Kasitinon S, Kelekar S, Cai F, Aurora AB, Patrick M, Leach A, Ghandour R, Zhang Y, Do D, Sudderth J, Dumesnil D, House S, Rosales T, Poole AM, Lotan Y, Woldu S, Bagrodia A, Meng X, Cadeddu JA, Mishra P, Pedrosa I, Kapur P, Courtney KD, Malloy CR, Margulis V, DeBerardinis RJ. Mitochondrial metabolism in primary and metastatic human kidney cancers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.06.527285. [PMID: 36798172 PMCID: PMC9934542 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.06.527285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Most kidney cancers display evidence of metabolic dysfunction1-4 but how this relates to cancer progression in humans is unknown. We used a multidisciplinary approach to infuse 13C-labeled nutrients during surgical tumour resection in over 70 patients with kidney cancer. Labeling from [U-13C]glucose varies across cancer subtypes, indicating that the kidney environment alone cannot account for all metabolic reprogramming in these tumours. Compared to the adjacent kidney, clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) display suppressed labelling of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in vivo and in organotypic slices cultured ex vivo, indicating that suppressed labeling is tissue intrinsic. Infusions of [1,2-13C]acetate and [U-13C]glutamine in patients, coupled with respiratory flux of mitochondria isolated from kidney and tumour tissue, reveal primary defects in mitochondrial function in human ccRCC. However, ccRCC metastases unexpectedly have enhanced labeling of TCA cycle intermediates compared to primary ccRCCs, indicating a divergent metabolic program during ccRCC metastasis in patients. In mice, stimulating respiration in ccRCC cells is sufficient to promote metastatic colonization. Altogether, these findings indicate that metabolic properties evolve during human kidney cancer progression, and suggest that mitochondrial respiration may be limiting for ccRCC metastasis but not for ccRCC growth at the site of origin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hieu S. Vu
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
| | - Zheng Wu
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
| | - Ling Cai
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center
| | | | | | - Feng Cai
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Duyen Do
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
| | | | | | - Sara House
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
| | | | - Alan M. Poole
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
- Department of Pediatrics
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Prashant Mishra
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
- Department of Pediatrics
| | - Ivan Pedrosa
- Department of Urology
- Department of Radiology
- Kidney Cancer Program
| | - Payal Kapur
- Department of Urology
- Kidney Cancer Program
- Department of Pathology
| | | | - Craig R. Malloy
- Department of Radiology
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Advanced Imaging Research Center
| | | | - Ralph J. DeBerardinis
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute
- Department of Pediatrics
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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13
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Pachnis P, Wu Z, Faubert B, Tasdogan A, Gu W, Shelton S, Solmonson A, Rao AD, Kaushik AK, Rogers TJ, Ubellacker JM, LaVigne CA, Yang C, Ko B, Ramesh V, Sudderth J, Zacharias LG, Martin-Sandoval MS, Do D, Mathews TP, Zhao Z, Mishra P, Morrison SJ, DeBerardinis RJ. In vivo isotope tracing reveals a requirement for the electron transport chain in glucose and glutamine metabolism by tumors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn9550. [PMID: 36044570 PMCID: PMC9432826 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn9550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In mice and humans with cancer, intravenous 13C-glucose infusion results in 13C labeling of tumor tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, indicating that pyruvate oxidation in the TCA cycle occurs in tumors. The TCA cycle is usually coupled to the electron transport chain (ETC) because NADH generated by the cycle is reoxidized to NAD+ by the ETC. However, 13C labeling does not directly report ETC activity, and other pathways can oxidize NADH, so the ETC's role in these labeling patterns is unverified. We examined the impact of the ETC complex I inhibitor IACS-010759 on tumor 13C labeling. IACS-010759 suppresses TCA cycle labeling from glucose or lactate and increases labeling from glutamine. Cancer cells expressing yeast NADH dehydrogenase-1, which recycles NADH to NAD+ independently of complex I, display normalized labeling when complex I is inhibited, indicating that cancer cell ETC activity regulates TCA cycle metabolism and 13C labeling from multiple nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayotis Pachnis
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zheng Wu
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Brandon Faubert
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Alpaslan Tasdogan
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Wen Gu
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Spencer Shelton
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ashley Solmonson
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Aparna D. Rao
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Akash K. Kaushik
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Thomas J. Rogers
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jessalyn M. Ubellacker
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Collette A. LaVigne
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chendong Yang
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Bookyung Ko
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vijayashree Ramesh
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jessica Sudderth
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lauren G. Zacharias
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Misty S. Martin-Sandoval
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Duyen Do
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Thomas P. Mathews
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zhiyu Zhao
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Prashant Mishra
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sean J. Morrison
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ralph J. DeBerardinis
- Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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14
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Comprehensive Metabolic Profiling of MYC-Amplified Medulloblastoma Tumors Reveals Key Dependencies on Amino Acid, Tricarboxylic Acid and Hexosamine Pathways. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051311. [PMID: 35267619 PMCID: PMC8909278 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The oncogene MYC alters cellular metabolism. Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. MYC-amplified medulloblastoma has a poor prognosis, and the metabolism of MYC-amplified medulloblastoma is poorly understood. We performed comprehensive metabolic profiling of MYC-amplified medulloblastoma and found increased reliance on potentially targetable pathways. We also found that the metabolism of MYC-amplified cell lines differed from orthotopic brain tumors in vitro and in flank tumors, suggesting that analyses conducted in vitro or in flank tumors may miss key vulnerabilities. Abstract Reprograming of cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Altering metabolism allows cancer cells to overcome unfavorable microenvironment conditions and to proliferate and invade. Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor of children. Genomic amplification of MYC defines a subset of poor-prognosis medulloblastoma. We performed comprehensive metabolic studies of human MYC-amplified medulloblastoma by comparing the metabolic profiles of tumor cells in three different conditions—in vitro, in flank xenografts and in orthotopic xenografts in the cerebellum. Principal component analysis showed that the metabolic profiles of brain and flank high-MYC medulloblastoma tumors clustered closely together and separated away from normal brain and in vitro MYC-amplified cells. Compared to normal brain, MYC-amplified medulloblastoma orthotopic xenograft tumors showed upregulation of the TCA cycle as well as the synthesis of nucleotides, hexosamines, amino acids and glutathione. There was significantly higher glucose uptake and usage in orthotopic xenograft tumors compared to flank xenograft tumors and cells in culture. In orthotopic tumors, glucose was the main carbon source for the de novo synthesis of glutamate, glutamine and glutathione through the TCA cycle. In vivo, the glutaminase II pathway was the main pathway utilizing glutamine. Glutathione was the most abundant upregulated metabolite in orthotopic tumors compared to normal brain. Glutamine-derived glutathione was synthesized through the glutamine transaminase K (GTK) enzyme in vivo. In conclusion, high MYC medulloblastoma cells have different metabolic profiles in vitro compared to in vivo, and key vulnerabilities may be missed by not performing in vivo metabolic analyses.
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15
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Faubert B, Tasdogan A, Morrison SJ, Mathews TP, DeBerardinis RJ. Stable isotope tracing to assess tumor metabolism in vivo. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:5123-5145. [PMID: 34535790 PMCID: PMC9274147 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00605-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells undergo diverse metabolic adaptations to meet the energetic demands imposed by dysregulated growth and proliferation. Assessing metabolism in intact tumors allows the investigator to observe the combined metabolic effects of numerous cancer cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic factors that cannot be fully captured in culture models. We have developed methods to use stable isotope-labeled nutrients (e.g., [13C]glucose) to probe metabolic activity within intact tumors in vivo, in mice and humans. In these methods, the labeled nutrient is introduced to the circulation through an intravenous catheter prior to surgical resection of the tumor and adjacent nonmalignant tissue. Metabolism within these tissues during the infusion transfers the isotope label into metabolic intermediates from pathways supplied by the infused nutrient. Extracting metabolites from surgical specimens and analyzing their isotope labeling patterns provides information about metabolism in the tissue. We provide detailed information about this technique, from introduction of the labeled tracer through data analysis and interpretation, including streamlined approaches to quantify isotope labeling in informative metabolites extracted from tissue samples. We focus on infusions with [13C]glucose and the application of mass spectrometry to assess isotope labeling in intermediates from central metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and nonessential amino acid synthesis. We outline practical considerations to apply these methods to human subjects undergoing surgical resections of solid tumors. We also discuss the method's versatility and consider the relative advantages and limitations of alternative approaches to introduce the tracer, harvest the tissue and analyze the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Faubert
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Alpaslan Tasdogan
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen & German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site, Essen, Germany
| | - Sean J Morrison
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Thomas P Mathews
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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16
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García-Cañaveras JC, Lahoz A. Tumor Microenvironment-Derived Metabolites: A Guide to Find New Metabolic Therapeutic Targets and Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3230. [PMID: 34203535 PMCID: PMC8268968 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer that enables cancer cells to grow, proliferate and survive. This metabolic rewiring is intrinsically regulated by mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors, but also extrinsically by tumor microenvironment factors (nutrient and oxygen availability, cell-to-cell interactions, cytokines, hormones, etc.). Intriguingly, only a few cancers are driven by mutations in metabolic genes, which lead metabolites with oncogenic properties (i.e., oncometabolites) to accumulate. In the last decade, there has been rekindled interest in understanding how dysregulated metabolism and its crosstalk with various cell types in the tumor microenvironment not only sustains biosynthesis and energy production for cancer cells, but also contributes to immune escape. An assessment of dysregulated intratumor metabolism has long since been exploited for cancer diagnosis, monitoring and therapy, as exemplified by 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging. However, the efficient delivery of precision medicine demands less invasive, cheaper and faster technologies to precisely predict and monitor therapy response. The metabolomic analysis of tumor and/or microenvironment-derived metabolites in readily accessible biological samples is likely to play an important role in this sense. Here, we review altered cancer metabolism and its crosstalk with the tumor microenvironment to focus on energy and biomass sources, oncometabolites and the production of immunosuppressive metabolites. We provide an overview of current pharmacological approaches targeting such dysregulated metabolic landscapes and noninvasive approaches to characterize cancer metabolism for diagnosis, therapy and efficacy assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C. García-Cañaveras
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Medical Research Institute-Hospital La Fe, Av. Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Agustín Lahoz
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Medical Research Institute-Hospital La Fe, Av. Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Analytical Unit, Medical Research Institute-Hospital La Fe, Av. Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
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17
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Ghergurovich JM, Lang JD, Levin MK, Briones N, Facista SJ, Mueller C, Cowan AJ, McBride MJ, Rodriguez ESR, Killian A, Dao T, Lamont J, Barron A, Su X, Hendricks WP, Espina V, Von Hoff DD, O’Shaughnessy J, Rabinowitz JD. Local production of lactate, ribose phosphate, and amino acids within human triple-negative breast cancer. MED 2021; 2:736-754. [PMID: 34223403 PMCID: PMC8248508 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upregulated glucose metabolism is a common feature of tumors. Glucose can be broken down by either glycolysis or the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (oxPPP). The relative usage within tumors of these catabolic pathways remains unclear. Similarly, the extent to which tumors make biomass precursors from glucose, versus take them up from the circulation, is incompletely defined. METHODS We explore human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) metabolism by isotope tracing with [1,2-13C]glucose, a tracer that differentiates glycolytic versus oxPPP catabolism and reveals glucose-driven anabolism. Patients enrolled in clinical trial NCT03457779 and received IV infusion of [1,2-13C]glucose during core biopsy of their primary TNBC. Tumor samples were analyzed for metabolite labeling by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Genomic and proteomic analyses were performed and related to observed metabolic fluxes. FINDINGS TNBC ferments glucose to lactate, with glycolysis dominant over the oxPPP. Most ribose phosphate is nevertheless produced by oxPPP. Glucose also feeds amino acid synthesis, including of serine, glycine, aspartate, glutamate, proline and glutamine (but not asparagine). Downstream in glycolysis, tumor pyruvate and lactate labeling exceeds that found in serum, indicating that lactate exchange via monocarboxylic transporters is less prevalent in human TNBC compared with most normal tissues or non-small cell lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS Glucose directly feeds ribose phosphate, amino acid synthesis, lactate, and the TCA cycle locally within human breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Ghergurovich
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jessica D. Lang
- Integrated Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Maren K. Levin
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX 75204, USA
| | - Natalia Briones
- Integrated Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Salvatore J. Facista
- Integrated Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Claudius Mueller
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
| | - Alexis J. Cowan
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Matthew J. McBride
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | | | - Aaron Killian
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX 75204, USA
| | - Tuoc Dao
- Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
| | - Jeffrey Lamont
- Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
| | - Alison Barron
- Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Su
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA
| | - William P.D. Hendricks
- Integrated Cancer Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Virginia Espina
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA
| | - Daniel D. Von Hoff
- Molecular Medicine Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Joyce O’Shaughnessy
- Baylor University Medical Center, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
| | - Joshua D. Rabinowitz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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18
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Missiaen R, Simon MC. A powerful tool to study metabolic reprogramming in pediatric cancers. MED 2021; 2:350-352. [PMID: 35590155 PMCID: PMC11191578 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Johnston et al. developed an intra-operative U13C-glucose infusion protocol that is well tolerated by patients with pediatric cancers and shows cancer-type-specific metabolic alterations with therapeutical consequences. The development of this procedure and their findings will strongly benefit metabolic analysis of pediatric cancers and design of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rindert Missiaen
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Celeste Simon
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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