Preclinical studies for improving radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines by combining glutaminase inhibition and senolysis

Metabolomics in Radiotherapy-Induced Early Adverse Skin Reactions of Breast Cancer Patients

Background

Early adverse skin reactions (EASRs) are common side effects of radiotherapy (RT) that impact the quality of life of breast cancer patients. This study used global metabolomics profiles of breast cancer populations to identify metabolic pathways and biomarkers significantly associated with RT-induced EASRs to identify potential targets for precision interventions.

Methods

We used a frequency-matched study design to identify pre-RT urine samples from 60 female breast cancer patients (30 with high and 30 with low EASRs) for metabolomic analysis by Metabolon Inc. using UPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS. Using MetaboAnalyst, we performed metabolomic data analysis and visualization on 84 candidate metabolites from 478 total compounds. We used the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Skin Toxicity Criteria (0-6) for EASRs assessment.

Results

Seven metabolic pathways were significantly associated with RT-induced EASRs, including alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism (p = 0.0028), caffeine metabolism (p = 0.0360), pentose and glucuronate interconversions (p = 0.0028), glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism (p = 0.0360), beta-alanine metabolism (p = 0.0210), pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis (p = 0.0028), and glutathione metabolism (p = 0.0490). The alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolic pathway had the lowest false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p-value and the highest impact value of 0.60. Thirteen metabolite biomarkers were significantly associated with RT-induced EASRs.

Conclusion

Our data show that the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism pathways had the highest impact value on RT-induced EASRs. Future larger studies are warranted to validate our findings and facilitate targeted interventions for preventing or mitigating RT-induced EASRs, offering a promising direction for further research and clinical applications.

Energy metabolism as the hub of advanced non-small cell lung cancer management: a comprehensive view in the framework of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine

Energy metabolism is a hub of governing all processes at cellular and organismal levels such as, on one hand, reparable vs. irreparable cell damage, cell fate (proliferation, survival, apoptosis, malignant transformation etc.), and, on the other hand, carcinogenesis, tumor development, progression and metastazing versus anti-cancer protection and cure. The orchestrator is the mitochondria who produce, store and invest energy, conduct intracellular and systemically relevant signals decisive for internal and environmental stress adaptation, and coordinate corresponding processes at cellular and organismal levels. Consequently, the quality of mitochondrial health and homeostasis is a reliable target for health risk assessment at the stage of reversible damage to the health followed by cost-effective personalized protection against health-to-disease transition as well as for targeted protection against the disease progression (secondary care of cancer patients against growing primary tumors and metastatic disease). The energy reprogramming of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) attracts particular attention as clinically relevant and instrumental for the paradigm change from reactive medical services to predictive, preventive and personalized medicine (3PM). This article provides a detailed overview towards mechanisms and biological pathways involving metabolic reprogramming (MR) with respect to inhibiting the synthesis of biomolecules and blocking common NSCLC metabolic pathways as anti-NSCLC therapeutic strategies. For instance, mitophagy recycles macromolecules to yield mitochondrial substrates for energy homeostasis and nucleotide synthesis. Histone modification and DNA methylation can predict the onset of diseases, and plasma C7 analysis is an efficient medical service potentially resulting in an optimized healthcare economy in corresponding areas. The MEMP scoring provides the guidance for immunotherapy, prognostic assessment, and anti-cancer drug development. Metabolite sensing mechanisms of nutrients and their derivatives are potential MR-related therapy in NSCLC. Moreover, miR-495-3p reprogramming of sphingolipid rheostat by targeting Sphk1, 22/FOXM1 axis regulation, and A2 receptor antagonist are highly promising therapy strategies. TFEB as a biomarker in predicting immune checkpoint blockade and redox-related lncRNA prognostic signature (redox-LPS) are considered reliable predictive approaches. Finally, exemplified in this article metabolic phenotyping is instrumental for innovative population screening, health risk assessment, predictive multi-level diagnostics, targeted prevention, and treatment algorithms tailored to personalized patient profiles-all are essential pillars in the paradigm change from reactive medical services to 3PM approach in overall management of lung cancers. This article highlights the 3PM relevant innovation focused on energy metabolism as the hub to advance NSCLC management benefiting vulnerable subpopulations, affected patients, and healthcare at large.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-024-00357-5.

Glutamine metabolism in cancers: Targeting the oxidative homeostasis

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in blood and tissues, and the most important nutrient except for glucose in cancer cells. Over the past years, most studies have focused on the role of Gln metabolism in supporting energy metabolism rather than maintaining oxidative homeostasis. In fact, Gln is an important factor in maintaining oxidative homeostasis of cancer cells, especially in “Glutamine addicted” cancer cells. Here, this paper will review the recent scientific literature about the link between Gln metabolism and oxidative homeostasis, with an emphasis on the potential role of Gln metabolism in different cancers. Given that oxidative homeostasis is of critical importance in cancer, understanding the impacts of a Gln metabolism on oxidative homeostasis, gaining great insights into underlying molecular mechanisms, and developing effective therapeutic strategies are of great importance.