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Patel R, Cooper DE, Kadakia KT, Allen A, Duan L, Luo L, Williams NT, Liu X, Locasale JW, Kirsch DG. Targeting glutamine metabolism improves sarcoma response to radiation therapy in vivo. Commun Biol 2024; 7:608. [PMID: 38769385 PMCID: PMC11106276 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06262-x] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Diverse tumor metabolic phenotypes are influenced by the environment and genetic lesions. Whether these phenotypes extend to rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and how they might be leveraged to design new therapeutic approaches remains an open question. Thus, we utilized a Pax7Cre-ER-T2/+; NrasLSL-G12D/+; p53fl/fl (P7NP) murine model of sarcoma with mutations that most frequently occur in human embryonal RMS. To study metabolism, we infuse 13C-labeled glucose or glutamine into mice with sarcomas and show that sarcomas consume more glucose and glutamine than healthy muscle tissue. However, we reveal a marked shift from glucose consumption to glutamine metabolism after radiation therapy (RT). In addition, we show that inhibiting glutamine, either through genetic deletion of glutaminase (Gls1) or through pharmacological inhibition of glutaminase, leads to significant radiosensitization in vivo. This causes a significant increase in overall survival for mice with Gls1-deficient compared to Gls1-proficient sarcomas. Finally, Gls1-deficient sarcomas post-RT elevate levels of proteins involved in natural killer cell and interferon alpha/gamma responses, suggesting a possible role of innate immunity in the radiosensitization of Gls1-deficient sarcomas. Thus, our results indicate that glutamine contributes to radiation response in a mouse model of RMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rutulkumar Patel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, 7200 Cambridge St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Daniel E Cooper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Box 3085, Duke Cancer Center, Medicine Circle, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Kushal T Kadakia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Box 3085, Duke Cancer Center, Medicine Circle, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Annamarie Allen
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Box 3813, 308 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Likun Duan
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Box 3813, 308 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, NC State University, Box 7622, 128 Polk Hall, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Lixia Luo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Box 3085, Duke Cancer Center, Medicine Circle, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Nerissa T Williams
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Box 3085, Duke Cancer Center, Medicine Circle, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, NC State University, Box 7622, 128 Polk Hall, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Jason W Locasale
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Box 3813, 308 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, NC State University, Box 7622, 128 Polk Hall, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - David G Kirsch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Box 3085, Duke Cancer Center, Medicine Circle, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Box 3813, 308 Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M9, Canada.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, 149 College Street, Suite 504, Toronto, ON, M5T 1P5, Canada.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Room 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada.
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2
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Zhang X, Tang X, Xu J, Zheng Y, Lin J, Zou H. Transcriptome analysis reveals dysfunction of the endoplasmic reticulum protein processing in the sonic muscle of small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) following noise exposure. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 194:106299. [PMID: 38154196 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Noise pollution is increasingly prevalent in aquatic ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on growth and behavior of marine fishes. The physiological responses of fish to underwater noise are poorly understood. In this study, we used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the transcriptome of the sonic muscle in small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) after exposure to a 120 dB noise for 30 min. The behavioral experiment revealed that noise exposure resulted in accelerated tail swimming behavior at the beginning of the exposure period, followed by loss of balance at the end of experiment. Transcriptomic analysis found that most highly expressed genes in the sonic muscle, including parvalbumin, slc25a4, and troponin C were related with energy metabolism and locomotor function. Further, a total of 1261 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 284 up-regulated and 977 down-regulated genes in the noise exposure group compared with the control group. Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the most enriched categories of DEGs included protein folding and response to unfolding protein. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis found over-represented pathways including protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, chaperones and folding catalysts, as well as arginine and proline metabolism. Specifically, many genes related to fatty acid and collagen metabolism were up-regulated in the noise exposure group. Taken together, our results indicate that exposure to noise stressors alters the swimming behavior of croaker, inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress, disrupting lipid metabolism, and causing collagen degradation in the sonic muscle of L. polyactis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuguang Zhang
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Ranching, College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Xianming Tang
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Maricultural Technology, Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou, Hainan, 571126, China
| | - Jianan Xu
- Shanghai Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Research Center, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Yueping Zheng
- Shanghai Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Research Center, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Jun Lin
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Ranching, College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
| | - Huafeng Zou
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
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3
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Li X, Peng X, Li Y, Wei S, He G, Liu J, Li X, Yang S, Li D, Lin W, Fang J, Yang L, Li H. Glutamine addiction in tumor cell: oncogene regulation and clinical treatment. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:12. [PMID: 38172980 PMCID: PMC10763057 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01449-x] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
After undergoing metabolic reprogramming, tumor cells consume additional glutamine to produce amino acids, nucleotides, fatty acids, and other substances to facilitate their unlimited proliferation. As such, the metabolism of glutamine is intricately linked to the survival and progression of cancer cells. Consequently, targeting the glutamine metabolism presents a promising strategy to inhibit growth of tumor cell and cancer development. This review describes glutamine uptake, metabolism, and transport in tumor cells and its pivotal role in biosynthesis of amino acids, fatty acids, nucleotides, and more. Furthermore, we have also summarized the impact of oncogenes like C-MYC, KRAS, HIF, and p53 on the regulation of glutamine metabolism and the mechanisms through which glutamine triggers mTORC1 activation. In addition, role of different anti-cancer agents in targeting glutamine metabolism has been described and their prospective applications are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Xueqiang Peng
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Shibo Wei
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Guangpeng He
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Jiaxing Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Dai Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Weikai Lin
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Jianjun Fang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China
| | - Liang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China.
| | - Hangyu Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110032, China.
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4
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Jiang J, Hu Y, Fang D, Luo J. Glutamine synthetase and hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2023; 47:102248. [PMID: 37979911 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2023.102248] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS) is an enzyme that converts ammonia and glutamate to glutamine using adenosine triphosphate. GS is expressed in the brain, kidney, and liver tissues under normal physiological conditions. GS is involved in abnormal lipid metabolism of the liver by catalyzing de novo synthesis of glutamine, thereby inducing liver inflammation. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD), such as Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Associated Steato Hepatitis, are considered risk factors for HCC. GS may also be involved in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through other signaling pathways, including the rapamycin (mTOR) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. Furthermore, the correct combination of HSP70, GPC3, and GS can improve the accuracy and precision of HCC diagnosis. However, the prognostic value of GS in different HCC populations remains controversial. The expression of GS affects the sensitivity of HCC cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition, immunotherapy has been approved for the treatment of advanced HCC. This article delves into the development and application of GS in HCC, laying a theoretical foundation for the subsequent exploration of GS as a potential target for treating HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, China
| | - Yiting Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital, Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dazhang Fang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, China
| | - JianSheng Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, China.
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5
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Ling T, Li S, Chen H, Wang Q, Shi J, Li Y, Bao W, Liang K, Piao HL. Lysine-372-dependent SUMOylation inhibits the enzymatic activity of glutamine synthases. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23319. [PMID: 38010918 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301462rr] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a crucial enzyme involved in de novo synthesis of glutamine and participates in several biological processes, including nitrogen metabolism, nucleotide synthesis, and amino acid synthesis. Post-translational modification makes GS more adaptable to the needs of cells, and acetylation modification of GS at double sites has attracted considerable attention. Despite very intensive research, how SUMOylation affects GS activity at a molecular level remains unclear. Here, we report that previously undiscovered GS SUMOylation which is deficient mutant K372R of GS exhibits more bluntness under glutamine starvation. Mechanistically, glutamine deprivation triggers the GS SUMOylation, and this SUMOylation impaired the protein stability of GS, within a concomitant decrease in enzymatic activity. In addition, we identified SAE1, Ubc9, and PIAS1 as the assembly enzymes of GS SUMOylation respectively. Furthermore, Senp1/2 functions as a SUMO-specific protease to reverse the SUMOylation of GS. This study provides the first evidence that SUMOylation serves as a regulatory mechanism for determining the GS enzymatic activity, contributing to understanding the GS regulation roles in various cellular and pathophysiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Ling
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of analytical chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Siyi Li
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Cancer Research Institute, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Qiuping Wang
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Jing Shi
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yirong Li
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of analytical chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjun Bao
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of analytical chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kunming Liang
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hai-Long Piao
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
- Department of analytical chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Cancer Research Institute, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang, China
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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6
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Welch DL, Fridley BL, Cen L, Teer JK, Yoder SJ, Pettersson F, Xu L, Cheng CH, Zhang Y, Alexandrow MG, Xiang S, Robertson-Tessi M, Brown JS, Metts J, Brohl AS, Reed DR. Modeling phenotypic heterogeneity towards evolutionarily inspired osteosarcoma therapy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20125. [PMID: 37978271 PMCID: PMC10656496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47412-1] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone sarcoma in children and young adults. While universally delivered, chemotherapy only benefits roughly half of patients with localized disease. Increasingly, intratumoral heterogeneity is recognized as a source of therapeutic resistance. In this study, we develop and evaluate an in vitro model of osteosarcoma heterogeneity based on phenotype and genotype. Cancer cell populations vary in their environment-specific growth rates and in their sensitivity to chemotherapy. We present the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of an osteosarcoma cell line panel with a focus on co-cultures of the most phenotypically divergent cell lines, 143B and SAOS2. Modest environmental (pH, glutamine) or chemical perturbations dramatically shift the success and composition of cell lines. We demonstrate that in nutrient rich culture conditions 143B outcompetes SAOS2. But, under nutrient deprivation or conventional chemotherapy, SAOS2 growth can be favored in spheroids. Importantly, when the simplest heterogeneity state is evaluated, a two-cell line coculture, perturbations that affect the faster growing cell line have only a modest effect on final spheroid size. Thus the only evaluated therapies to eliminate the spheroids were by switching therapies from a first strike to a second strike. This extensively characterized, widely available system, can be modeled and scaled to allow for improved strategies to anticipate resistance in osteosarcoma due to heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcy L Welch
- Adolescent and Young Adult Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Brooke L Fridley
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ling Cen
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jamie K Teer
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sean J Yoder
- Molecular Genomics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Fredrik Pettersson
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Liping Xu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Chia-Ho Cheng
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Yonghong Zhang
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark G Alexandrow
- Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Shengyan Xiang
- Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark Robertson-Tessi
- Integrative Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
- Cancer Biology and Evolution, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Joel S Brown
- Integrative Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
- Cancer Biology and Evolution, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan Metts
- Sarcoma Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrew S Brohl
- Sarcoma Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
- Molecular Medicine Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Damon R Reed
- Adolescent and Young Adult Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
- Department of Individualized Cancer Management, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
- Integrative Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
- Cancer Biology and Evolution, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
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7
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McKay-Corkum GB, Collins VJ, Yeung C, Ito T, Issaq SH, Holland D, Vulikh K, Zhang Y, Lee U, Lei H, Mendoza A, Shern JF, Yohe ME, Yamamoto K, Wilson K, Ji J, Karim BO, Thomas CJ, Krishna MC, Neckers LM, Heske CM. Inhibition of NAD+-Dependent Metabolic Processes Induces Cellular Necrosis and Tumor Regression in Rhabdomyosarcoma Models. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:4479-4491. [PMID: 37616468 PMCID: PMC10841338 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-0200] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Deregulated metabolism in cancer cells represents a vulnerability that may be therapeutically exploited to benefit patients. One such target is nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage pathway. NAMPT is necessary for efficient NAD+ production and may be exploited in cells with increased metabolic demands. We have identified NAMPT as a dependency in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a malignancy for which novel therapies are critically needed. Here we describe the effect of NAMPT inhibition on RMS proliferation and metabolism in vitro and in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Assays of proliferation and cell death were used to determine the effects of pharmacologic NAMPT inhibition in a panel of ten molecularly diverse RMS cell lines. Mechanism of the clinical NAMPTi OT-82 was determined using measures of NAD+ and downstream NAD+-dependent functions, including energy metabolism. We used orthotopic xenograft models to examine tolerability, efficacy, and drug mechanism in vivo. RESULTS Across all ten RMS cell lines, OT-82 depleted NAD+ and inhibited cell growth at concentrations ≤1 nmol/L. Significant impairment of glycolysis was a universal finding, with some cell lines also exhibiting diminished oxidative phosphorylation. Most cell lines experienced profound depletion of ATP with subsequent irreversible necrotic cell death. Importantly, loss of NAD and glycolytic activity were confirmed in orthotopic in vivo models, which exhibited complete tumor regressions with OT-82 treatment delivered on the clinical schedule. CONCLUSIONS RMS is highly vulnerable to NAMPT inhibition. These findings underscore the need for further clinical study of this class of agents for this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace B. McKay-Corkum
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Victor J. Collins
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Choh Yeung
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Takeshi Ito
- Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Sameer H. Issaq
- Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - David Holland
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Ksenia Vulikh
- Molecular Histopathology Lab, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Yiping Zhang
- National Clinical Target Validation Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Unsun Lee
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Arnulfo Mendoza
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Jack F. Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Marielle E. Yohe
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Kazutoshi Yamamoto
- Radiation Biology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Kelli Wilson
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Jiuping Ji
- National Clinical Target Validation Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Baktiar O. Karim
- Molecular Histopathology Lab, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Craig J. Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Murali C. Krishna
- Radiation Biology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Leonard M. Neckers
- Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| | - Christine M. Heske
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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8
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Glutamine Metabolism in Cancer Stem Cells: A Complex Liaison in the Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032337. [PMID: 36768660 PMCID: PMC9916789 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review we focus on the role of glutamine in control of cancer stem cell (CSC) fate. We first provide an overview of glutamine metabolism, and then summarize relevant studies investigating how glutamine metabolism modulates the CSC compartment, concentrating on solid tumors. We schematically describe how glutamine in CSC contributes to several metabolic pathways, such as redox metabolic pathways, ATP production, non-essential aminoacids and nucleotides biosynthesis, and ammonia production. Furthermore, we show that glutamine metabolism is a key regulator of epigenetic modifications in CSC. Finally, we briefly discuss how cancer-associated fibroblasts, adipocytes, and senescent cells in the tumor microenvironment may indirectly influence CSC fate by modulating glutamine availability. We aim to highlight the complexity of glutamine's role in CSC, which supports our knowledge about metabolic heterogeneity within the CSC population.
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9
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Pacifico F, Mellone S, D'Incalci M, Stornaiuolo M, Leonardi A, Crescenzi E. Trabectedin suppresses escape from therapy-induced senescence in tumor cells by interfering with glutamine metabolism. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 202:115159. [PMID: 35780827 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Conventional and targeted cancer therapies may induce a cellular senescence program termed therapy-induced senescence. However, unlike normal cells, cancer cells are able to evade the senescence cell cycle arrest and to resume proliferation, driving tumor recurrence after treatments. Cells that escape from therapy-induced senescence are characterized by a plastic, cancer stem cell-like phenotype, and recent studies are beginning to define their unique metabolic features, such as glutamine dependence. Here, we show that the antineoplastic drug trabectedin suppresses escape from therapy-induced senescence in all cell lines studied, and reduces breast cancer stem-like cells, at concentrations that do not affect the viability of senescent tumor cells. We demonstrate that trabectedin downregulates both the glutamine transporter SLC1A5 and glutamine synthetase, thereby interfering with glutamine metabolism. On the whole, our results indicate that trabectedin targets a glutamine-dependent cancer stem-like cell population involved in evasion from therapy-induced senescence and suggest a therapeutic potential for trabectedin combined with pro-senescence chemotherapy in tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Pacifico
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano Mellone
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maurizio D'Incalci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariano Stornaiuolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80149 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Leonardi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Elvira Crescenzi
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy.
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10
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Wang W, Guo MN, Li N, Pang DQ, Wu JH. Glutamine deprivation impairs function of infiltrating CD8 + T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2022; 14:1124-1140. [PMID: 35949216 PMCID: PMC9244988 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v14.i6.1124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The functions of infiltrating CD8+ T cells are often impaired due to tumor cells causing nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, the mechanisms of CD8+ T cell dysfunction have become a hot research topic, and there is increased interest on how changes in metabolomics correlate with CD8+ T cell dysfunction.
AIM To investigate whether and how glutamine metabolism affects the function of infiltrating CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.
METHODS Immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence were performed on surgically resected liver tissues from patients. Differentially expressed genes in infiltrating CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma were detected using RNA sequencing. Activated CD8+ T cells were co-cultured with Huh-7 cells for 3 d. The function and mitochondrial status of CD8+ T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and transmission electron microscopy. Next, CD8+ T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents. Functional alterations in CD8+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. Then, complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells and their functional changes and mitochondrial status were detected.
RESULTS There were a large number of infiltrating PD-1+CD8+ T cells in liver cancer tissues. Next, we co-cultured CD8+ T cells and Huh-7 cells to explore the regulatory effect of hepatoma cells on CD8+ T cells. Flow cytometry results revealed increased PD-1 expression and decreased secretion of perforin (PRF1) and granzyme B (GZMB) by CD8+ T cells in the co-culture group. Meanwhile, JC-1 staining was decreased and the levels of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis were increased in CD8+ T cells of the co-culture group; additionally, the mitochondria of these cells were swollen. When CD8+ T cells were treated with the mitochondrial protective and damaging agents, their function was restored and inhibited, respectively, through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways. Subsequently, complete medium without glutamine was used to culture cells. As expected, CD8+ T cells showed functional downregulation, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis.
CONCLUSION Glutamine deprivation impairs the function of infiltrating CD8+ T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma through the mitochondrial damage and apoptotic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
| | - Meng-Nan Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
| | - De-Quan Pang
- Department of Oncology, North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jing-Hua Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tangshan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China
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11
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Lu V, Roy IJ, Torres A, Joly JH, Ahsan FM, Graham NA, Teitell MA. Glutamine-dependent signaling controls pluripotent stem cell fate. Dev Cell 2022; 57:610-623.e8. [PMID: 35216682 PMCID: PMC8930616 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can self-renew indefinitely or can be induced to differentiate. We previously showed that exogenous glutamine (Gln) withdrawal biased hPSC differentiation toward ectoderm and away from mesoderm. We revealed that, although all three germ lineages are capable of de novo Gln synthesis, only ectoderm generates sufficient Gln to sustain cell viability and differentiation, and this finding clarifies lineage fate restrictions under Gln withdrawal. Furthermore, we found that Gln acts as a signaling molecule for ectoderm that supersedes lineage-specifying cytokine induction. In contrast, Gln in mesoderm and endoderm is the preferred precursor of α-ketoglutarate without a direct signaling role. Our work raises a question about whether the nutrient environment functions directly in cell differentiation during development. Interestingly, transcriptome analysis of a gastrulation-stage human embryo shows that unique Gln enzyme-encoding gene expression patterns may also distinguish germ lineages in vivo. Together, our study suggests that intracellular Gln may help coordinate differentiation of the three germ layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Lu
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Irena J Roy
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alejandro Torres
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James H Joly
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Fasih M Ahsan
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Graham
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Michael A Teitell
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Department of Pediatrics, California NanoSystems Institute, and Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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12
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Liu WJ, Pan PY, Sun Y, Wang JB, Zhou H, Xie X, Duan ZY, Dong HY, Chen WN, Zhang LD, Wang C. Deferoxamine Counteracts Cisplatin Resistance in A549 Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells by Increasing Vulnerability to Glutamine Deprivation-Induced Cell Death. Front Oncol 2022; 11:794735. [PMID: 35127502 PMCID: PMC8810525 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.794735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamine, like glucose, is a major nutrient consumed by cancer cells, yet these cells undergo glutamine starvation in the cores of tumors, forcing them to evolve adaptive metabolic responses. Pharmacologically targeting glutamine metabolism or withdrawal has been exploited for therapeutic purposes, but does not always induce cancer cell death. The mechanism by which cancer cells adapt to resist glutamine starvation in cisplatin-resistant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) also remains uncertain. Here, we report the potential metabolic vulnerabilities of A549/DDP (drug-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines) cells, which were more easily killed by the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) during glutamine deprivation than their parental cisplatin-sensitive A549 cells. We demonstrate that phenotype resistance to cisplatin is accompanied by adaptive responses during glutamine deprivation partly via higher levels of autophagic activity and apoptosis resistance characteristics. Moreover, this adaptation could be explained by sustained glucose instead of glutamine-dominant complex II-dependent oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Further investigation revealed that cisplatin-resistant cells sustain OXPHOS partly via iron metabolism reprogramming during glutamine deprivation. This reprogramming might be responsible for mitochondrial iron-sulfur [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis, which has become an “Achilles’ heel,” rendering cancer cells vulnerable to DFO-induced autophagic cell death and apoptosis through c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. Finally, in vivo studies using xenograft mouse models also confirmed the growth-slowing effect of DFO. In summary, we have elucidated the adaptive responses of cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells, which balanced stability and plasticity to overcome metabolic reprogramming and permitted them to survive under stress induced by chemotherapy or glutamine starvation. In addition, for the first time, we show that suppressing the growth of cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells via iron chelator-induced autophagic cell death and apoptosis was possible with DFO treatment. These findings provide a solid basis for targeting mitochondria iron metabolism in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC for therapeutic purposes, and it is plausible to consider that DFO facilitates in the improvement of treatment responses in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jun Liu
- Teaching and Experimental Center, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.,Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Peng-Yu Pan
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Ye Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Microecology of Liaoning Province, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, China
| | - Jian-Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Huan Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Xin Xie
- Teaching and Experimental Center, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Duan
- Teaching and Experimental Center, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Han-Yu Dong
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Wen-Na Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Li-de Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Chun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medical, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China
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13
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Fares HM, Lyu X, Xu X, Dong R, Ding M, Mi S, Wang Y, Li X, Yuan S, Sun L. Autophagy in cancer: The cornerstone during glutamine deprivation. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 916:174723. [PMID: 34973953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, researchers have revealed the crucial functions of glutamine in supporting the hyperproliferation state of cancer cells. Glutamine acts on maintaining high energy production, supporting redox status and amino acid homeostasis. Therefore, cancer cells exhibit excessive uptake of the extracellular glutamine, synthesize it in some cases, and recycle intracellular and extracellular proteins to provide an additional source of glutamine to satisfy the increasing glutamine demand. On the other hand, autophagy's role is still debated regarding tumor initiation and progression. However, most cancer cells urgently need autophagy to overcome the existential threats during glutamine restriction stress. Downstream to various stress pathways induced during such a condition, autophagy is considered an indispensable cytoprotective tool to maintain cell integrity and survival. However, the overactivation of the autophagy process is related to lethal consequences. This review summarized glutamine pathways to control autophagy and highlighted autophagy's primary activation pathways, and discussed the roles during glutamine deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza M Fares
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaodan Lyu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoting Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Renchao Dong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Muyao Ding
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shichao Mi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xue Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shengtao Yuan
- Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
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14
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Okuda K, Umemura A, Kataoka S, Yano K, Takahashi A, Okishio S, Taketani H, Seko Y, Nishikawa T, Yamaguchi K, Moriguchi M, Nakagawa H, Liu Y, Mitsumoto Y, Kanbara Y, Shima T, Okanoue T, Itoh Y. Enhanced Antitumor Effect in Liver Cancer by Amino Acid Depletion-Induced Oxidative Stress. Front Oncol 2021; 11:758549. [PMID: 34796113 PMCID: PMC8593418 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.758549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer. HCC cells consume large amounts of glutamine to survive, but can adapt to glutamine depletion in the presence of an exogenous asparagine. L-asparaginase (ASNase) converts glutamine and asparagine to glutamate and aspartate, respectively, and has been used to treat leukemia. Here we examined the effects of ASNase treatment on HCC cells and explored the potential impact of combining ASNase with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib (Len) for HCC treatment. Cell viability and death of HCC cell lines treated with either Len or ASNase alone or with Len and ASNase combined were determined. We assessed mRNA and protein expression levels of glutamine synthetase (GS) and asparagine synthetase (ASNS) by real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. The antitumor effect of the combination therapy relative to Len or ASNase monotherapy was also evaluated in a xenograft tumor mouse model. ASNase treatment inhibited growth of SNU387 and SNU398 HCC cells, which have low GS and high ASNS expression levels, respectively, but did not clearly inhibit growth of the other cell lines. Len plus ASNase combination therapy synergistically inhibited proliferation and induced oxidative stress leading to cell death of some HCC cells lines. However, cell death of Huh7 cells, which express ASCT2, an important glutamine transporter for cancer cells, was not affected by the combination treatment. In a xenograft model, Len combined with ASNase significantly attenuated tumor development relative to mice treated with Len or ASNase alone. ASNase-mediated targeting of two amino acids, glutamine and asparagine, which are indispensable for HCC survival, induces oxidative stress and can be a novel cancer treatment option that exerts a synergistic effect when used in combination with Len.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichiro Okuda
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Atsushi Umemura
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Seita Kataoka
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kota Yano
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Aya Takahashi
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Okishio
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Taketani
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuya Seko
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Taichiro Nishikawa
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kanji Yamaguchi
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Michihisa Moriguchi
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hayato Nakagawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yu Liu
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Mitsumoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kanbara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Toshihide Shima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Takeshi Okanoue
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Yoshito Itoh
- Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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15
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18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Is Useful in the Evaluation of Prognosis in Retroperitoneal Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184611. [PMID: 34572838 PMCID: PMC8471941 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Retroperitoneal sarcomas are difficult malignancies to treat because complete surgical resection is the only effective treatment option, but it is difficult to secure sufficient surgical margins. It is essential for developing a treatment strategy to assess tumor aggressiveness and predict prognosis for patients. However, the aggressiveness of retroperitoneal sarcomas before treatment cannot be fully evaluated. In patients with resectable soft tissue sarcomas or several carcinomas, SUV evaluated with FDG-PET has been reported to be a valuable prognostic parameter. However, the correlation between SUVmax on FDG-PET and the prognosis of several histological subtypes in retroperitoneal sarcoma, including dedifferentiated liposarcoma, well-differentiated liposarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma, remains uncertain. This study revealed that SUVmax calculated with FDG-PET was useful as a prognostic factor in retroperitoneal sarcoma, especially in dedifferentiated liposarcoma and Grade2 retroperitoneal sarcoma. Abstract Background: Retroperitoneal sarcomas are rare neoplasms that occur in the retroperitoneum. Complete surgical resection is the only effective treatment option. The prediction of prognosis by histological diagnosis has not yet been established. The purpose of this study was to identify the usefulness of [18-F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for validating the prognosis of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) established by histological diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 201 patients with RPS treated at the Osaka International Cancer Institute between 2010 and 2021. We extracted the clinical data, including standardized uptake values (SUVs), evaluated with FDG-PET, and statistically analyzed the data. Results: The median age of patients was 64 years (range, 31–85 years). A total of 101 (50.2%) patients were men, and 100 (49.8%) were women. Surgical resection was performed in 155 (77.1%) patients. On histological analysis, 75 (37.3%), 52 (25.9%), and 29 (14.4%) patients were diagnosed with dedifferentiated liposarcoma, well-differentiated liposarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma, respectively. The median survival time for patients with high maximum SUV (SUVmax) (≥4) or low SUVmax (<4) was 275.8 months and 79.5 months, respectively. Furthermore, among the patients with dedifferentiated liposarcoma, the overall survival rate for patients with high SUVmax (≥4) was significantly lower than that of those with low SUVmax (<4). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that SUVmax calculated with FDG-PET was useful as a prognostic factor in RPS, especially in dedifferentiated liposarcoma and Grade2 RPS. To devise a treatment strategy for RPS, SUVmax during FDG-PET scan may be considered for clinical assessment.
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16
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Jhu JW, Yan JB, Lin ZH, Lin SC, Peng IC. SREBP1-Induced Glutamine Synthetase Triggers a Feedforward Loop to Upregulate SREBP1 through Sp1 O-GlcNAcylation and Augments Lipid Droplet Formation in Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9814. [PMID: 34575972 PMCID: PMC8469118 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamine and lipids are two important components of proliferating cancer cells. Studies have demonstrated that glutamine synthetase (GS) boosts glutamine-dependent anabolic processes for nucleotide and protein synthesis, but the role of GS in regulating lipogenesis remains unclear. This study identified that insulin and glutamine deprivation activated the lipogenic transcription factor sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) that bound to the GS promoter and increased its transcription. Notably, GS enhanced the O-linked N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAcylation) of the specificity protein 1 (Sp1) that induced SREBP1/acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) expression resulting in lipid droplet (LD) accumulation upon insulin treatment. Moreover, glutamine deprivation induced LD formation through GS-mediated O-GlcNAc-Sp1/SREBP1/ACC1 signaling and supported cell survival. These findings demonstrate that insulin and glutamine deprivation induces SREBP1 that transcriptionally activates GS, resulting in Sp1 O-GlcNAcylation. Subsequently, O-GlcNAc-Sp1 transcriptionally upregulates the expression of SREBP1, resulting in a feedforward loop that increases lipogenesis and LD formation in liver and breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Wei Jhu
- Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan; (J.-W.J.); (J.-B.Y.); (Z.-H.L.)
| | - Jia-Bao Yan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan; (J.-W.J.); (J.-B.Y.); (Z.-H.L.)
| | - Zou-Han Lin
- Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan; (J.-W.J.); (J.-B.Y.); (Z.-H.L.)
| | - Shih-Chieh Lin
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan;
| | - I-Chen Peng
- Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan; (J.-W.J.); (J.-B.Y.); (Z.-H.L.)
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17
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Glutamine promotes escape from therapy-induced senescence in tumor cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:20962-20991. [PMID: 34492636 PMCID: PMC8457561 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Therapy-induced senescence (TIS) is a major cellular response to anticancer therapies. While induction of a persistent growth arrest would be a desirable outcome in cancer therapy, it has been shown that, unlike normal cells, cancer cells are able to evade the senescence cell cycle arrest and to resume proliferation, likely contributing to tumor relapse. Notably, cells that escape from TIS acquire a plastic, stem cell-like phenotype. The metabolic dependencies of cells that evade senescence have not been thoroughly studied. In this study, we show that glutamine depletion inhibits escape from TIS in all cell lines studied, and reduces the stem cell subpopulation. In line with a metabolic reliance on glutamine, escaped clones overexpress the glutamine transporter SLC1A5. We also demonstrate a central role of glutamine synthetase that mediates resistance to glutamine deprivation, conferring independence from exogenous glutamine. Finally, rescue experiments demonstrate that glutamine provides nitrogen for nucleotides biosynthesis in cells that escape from TIS, but also suggest a critical involvement of glutamine in other metabolic and non-metabolic pathways. On the whole, these results reveal a metabolic vulnerability of cancer stem cells that recover proliferation after exposure to anticancer therapies, which could be exploited to prevent tumor recurrence.
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18
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Miallot R, Galland F, Millet V, Blay JY, Naquet P. Metabolic landscapes in sarcomas. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:114. [PMID: 34294128 PMCID: PMC8296645 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01125-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic rewiring offers novel therapeutic opportunities in cancer. Until recently, there was scant information regarding soft tissue sarcomas, due to their heterogeneous tissue origin, histological definition and underlying genetic history. Novel large-scale genomic and metabolomics approaches are now helping stratify their physiopathology. In this review, we show how various genetic alterations skew activation pathways and orient metabolic rewiring in sarcomas. We provide an update on the contribution of newly described mechanisms of metabolic regulation. We underscore mechanisms that are relevant to sarcomagenesis or shared with other cancers. We then discuss how diverse metabolic landscapes condition the tumor microenvironment, anti-sarcoma immune responses and prognosis. Finally, we review current attempts to control sarcoma growth using metabolite-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Miallot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
| | - Franck Galland
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Virginie Millet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Yves Blay
- Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 1, Lyon Recherche Innovation contre le Cancer, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
| | - Philippe Naquet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
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19
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Jiménez JA, Apfelbaum AA, Hawkins AG, Svoboda LK, Kumar A, Ruiz RO, Garcia AX, Haarer E, Nwosu ZC, Bradin J, Purohit T, Chen D, Cierpicki T, Grembecka J, Lyssiotis CA, Lawlor ER. EWS-FLI1 and Menin Converge to Regulate ATF4 Activity in Ewing Sarcoma. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1182-1195. [PMID: 33741715 PMCID: PMC8462528 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcomas are driven by EWS-ETS fusions, most commonly EWS-FLI1, which promotes widespread metabolic reprogramming, including activation of serine biosynthesis. We previously reported that serine biosynthesis is also activated in Ewing sarcoma by the scaffolding protein menin through as yet undefined mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether EWS-FLI1 and/or menin orchestrate serine biosynthesis via modulation of ATF4, a stress-response gene that acts as a master transcriptional regulator of serine biosynthesis in other tumors. Our results show that in Ewing sarcoma, ATF4 levels are high and that ATF4 modulates transcription of core serine synthesis pathway (SSP) genes. Inhibition of either EWS-FLI1 or menin leads to loss of ATF4, and this is associated with diminished expression of SSP transcripts and proteins. We identified and validated an EWS-FLI1 binding site at the ATF4 promoter, indicating that the fusion can directly activate ATF4 transcription. In contrast, our results suggest that menin-dependent regulation of ATF4 is mediated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Importantly, our data also reveal that the downregulation of SSP genes that occurs in the context of EWS-FLI1 or menin loss is indicative of broader inhibition of ATF4-dependent transcription. Moreover, we find that menin inhibition similarly leads to loss of ATF4 and the ATF4-dependent transcriptional signature in MLL-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, extending our findings to another cancer in which menin serves an oncogenic role. IMPLICATIONS: These studies provide new insights into metabolic reprogramming in Ewing sarcoma and also uncover a previously undescribed role for menin in the regulation of ATF4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Jiménez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - April A Apfelbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Allegra G Hawkins
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Abhijay Kumar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ramon Ocadiz Ruiz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Alessandra X Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elena Haarer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Zeribe C Nwosu
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Joshua Bradin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Trupta Purohit
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Dong Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Tomasz Cierpicki
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jolanta Grembecka
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elizabeth R Lawlor
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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20
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Long Y, Qiu J, Zhang B, He P, Shi X, He Q, Chen Z, Shen W, Li Z, Zhang X. Pharmacological Vitamin C Treatment Impedes the Growth of Endogenous Glutamine-Dependent Cancers by Targeting Glutamine Synthetase. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:671902. [PMID: 34054545 PMCID: PMC8150514 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.671902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Glutamine synthetase (GS) is the only currently known enzyme responsible for synthesizing endogenous glutamine (Gln). GS exerts a critical role in the oncogenesis of endogenous Gln-dependent cancers, making it an attractive target for anti-tumor therapies. A mixed-function oxidation system consisting of vitamin C (VC), oxygen, and trace metals can oxidize GS and promote its degradation. The current study aims to explore the effect of pharmacological VC treatment on GS. Methods: Endogenous Gln-dependent cancer lines (breast cancer MCF7 and prostate cancer PC3) were selected to establish chronic Gln-deprived MCF7 and PC3 cell models. The expression of GS in parental and chronic Gln-deprived tumor cells exposed to VC treatment and control was determined by Western blot analysis. The anti-cancer effects of VC on parental and chronic Gln-deprived tumor cells were assessed by CCK-8 and annexin V-FITC/PI FACS assays. In addition, changes in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH) levels and NADPH/NADP + ratio were analyzed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Moreover, BALB/c nude mice xenografting with parental and chronic Gln-deprived prostate cancer cells were constructed to evaluate the in vivo therapeutic effect of VC. Finally, tumor 13N-ammonia uptake in mice bearing prostate cancer xenografts was analyzed following treatment with VC and the expression of GS in xenografts were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cells overexpressing GS were obtained by chronic Gln deprivation. We found that the cytotoxic effect of VC on cancer cells was positively correlated with the expression of GS. Additionally, VC treatment led to a significant increase in ROS production, as well as GSH depletion and NADPH/NADP + reduction. These changes could be reversed by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Furthermore, pharmacological VC treatment exhibited a more significant therapeutic effect on xenografts of prostate cancer cells overexpressing GS, that could be well monitored by 13N-ammonia PET/CT imaging. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that VC can kill cancer cells by targeting glutamine synthetase to induce oxidative stress. VC could be used as an anti-cancer treatment for endogenous glutamine-dependent cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Long
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia Qiu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng He
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinchong Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiao He
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhifeng Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanqing Shen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhoulei Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangsong Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Fang YJ, Wu M, Chen HN, Wen TT, Lyu JX, Shen Y. Carnosine suppresses human glioma cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions partly via inhibiting glutamine metabolism. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2021; 42:767-779. [PMID: 32782394 PMCID: PMC8115031 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0488-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
L-Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is a naturally occurring dipeptide, which has shown broad-spectrum anticancer activity. But the anticancer mechanisms and regulators remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of carnosine on human glioma U87 and U251 cell lines under normoxia (21% O2) and hypoxia (1% O2). We showed that carnosine (25-75 mM) dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of the glioma cells; carnosine (50 mM) inhibited their colony formation, migration, and invasion capacity. But there was no significant difference in the inhibitory effects of carnosine under normoxia and hypoxia. Treatment with carnosine (50 mM) significantly decreased the expression of glutamine synthetase (GS) at the translation level rather than the transcription level in U87 and U251 cells, both under normoxia and hypoxia. Furthermore, the silencing of GS gene with shRNA and glutamine (Gln) deprivation significantly suppressed the growth, migratory, and invasive potential of the glioma cells. The inhibitory effect of carnosine on U87 and U251 cells was partly achieved by inhibiting the Gln metabolism pathway. Carnosine reduced the expression of GS in U87 and U251 cells by promoting the degradation of GS through the proteasome pathway, shortening the protein half-life, and reducing its stability. Given that targeting tumor metabolism is a proven efficient therapeutic tactic, our results may present new treatment strategies and drugs for improving the prognosis of gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jia Fang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Ming Wu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Hai-Ni Chen
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Tian-Tian Wen
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Jian-Xin Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Yao Shen
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
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22
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Yücel B, Ada S. Leukemia Cells Resistant to Glutamine Deprivation Express Glutamine Synthetase (GS) Protein. Turk J Haematol 2021; 39:22-28. [PMID: 33882633 PMCID: PMC8886269 DOI: 10.4274/tjh.galenos.2021.2021.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Low glutamine levels have been shown in tumor environments for several cancer subtypes. Therefore, it has been suggested that cancer cells rewire their metabolism to adopt low nutrient levels for survival and proliferation. Although glutamine is a non-essential amino acid and can be synthesized de novo, many cancer cells including malignant hematopoietic cells have been indicated to be addicted to glutamine. This study aimed to investigate the proliferation of leukemia cell lines in glutamine-deprived conditions. Materials and Methods: Cell proliferation of K562, NB-4, and HL-60 cells was determined by calculating cell numbers in normal vs. low glutamine media. Changes in mRNA expressions were investigated using qRT-PCR. The glutamine synthetase (GS)-encoding GLUL gene was knocked out (KO) in HL-60 cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 method and protein expression was evaluated with immunoblotting. Results: The proliferation of all cell lines was decreased in glutamine-deprived medium. GS protein expression was increased in glutamine-limited medium although the mRNA level did not change. Increased protein expression was confirmed with inhibition of new protein synthesis by treating cells with cycloheximide. To further investigate the role of GS protein, the GS-encoding GLUL gene was KO in HL-60 cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 method. GS KO cells proliferated less compared to control cells in glutamine-limited medium. Conclusion: Our results indicate that upregulated GS protein expression is responsible for glutamine addiction of leukemia cell lines. Exploiting the genetic and metabolic mechanisms responsible for GS protein expression could lead to the identification of new anti-cancer drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Yücel
- Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Biology, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Saniye Ada
- Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Biochemistry, İstanbul, Turkey
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23
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Tsai PY, Lee MS, Jadhav U, Naqvi I, Madha S, Adler A, Mistry M, Naumenko S, Lewis CA, Hitchcock DS, Roberts FR, DelNero P, Hank T, Honselmann KC, Morales Oyarvide V, Mino-Kenudson M, Clish CB, Shivdasani RA, Kalaany NY. Adaptation of pancreatic cancer cells to nutrient deprivation is reversible and requires glutamine synthetase stabilization by mTORC1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2003014118. [PMID: 33653947 PMCID: PMC7958225 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003014118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a lethal, therapy-resistant cancer that thrives in a highly desmoplastic, nutrient-deprived microenvironment. Several studies investigated the effects of depriving PDA of either glucose or glutamine alone. However, the consequences on PDA growth and metabolism of limiting both preferred nutrients have remained largely unknown. Here, we report the selection for clonal human PDA cells that survive and adapt to limiting levels of both glucose and glutamine. We find that adapted clones exhibit increased growth in vitro and enhanced tumor-forming capacity in vivo. Mechanistically, adapted clones share common transcriptional and metabolic programs, including amino acid use for de novo glutamine and nucleotide synthesis. They also display enhanced mTORC1 activity that prevents the proteasomal degradation of glutamine synthetase (GS), the rate-limiting enzyme for glutamine synthesis. This phenotype is notably reversible, with PDA cells acquiring alterations in open chromatin upon adaptation. Silencing of GS suppresses the enhanced growth of adapted cells and mitigates tumor growth. These findings identify nongenetic adaptations to nutrient deprivation in PDA and highlight GS as a dependency that could be targeted therapeutically in pancreatic cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yun Tsai
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Min-Sik Lee
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Unmesh Jadhav
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Insia Naqvi
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Shariq Madha
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
| | - Ashley Adler
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Meeta Mistry
- Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Sergey Naumenko
- Bioinformatics Core, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Caroline A Lewis
- Metabolite Profiling Core Facility, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Daniel S Hitchcock
- Metabolomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | | | - Peter DelNero
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Thomas Hank
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Kim C Honselmann
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | | | - Mari Mino-Kenudson
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Clary B Clish
- Metabolomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Ramesh A Shivdasani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
- Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Nada Y Kalaany
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115;
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
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24
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Glutamine Synthetase as a Therapeutic Target for Cancer Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041701. [PMID: 33567690 PMCID: PMC7915753 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The significance of glutamine in cancer metabolism has been extensively studied. Cancer cells consume an excessive amount of glutamine to facilitate rapid proliferation. Thus, glutamine depletion occurs in various cancer types, especially in poorly vascularized cancers. This makes glutamine synthetase (GS), the only enzyme responsible for de novo synthesizing glutamine, essential in cancer metabolism. In cancer, GS exhibits pro-tumoral features by synthesizing glutamine, supporting nucleotide synthesis. Furthermore, GS is highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and provides glutamine to cancer cells, allowing cancer cells to maintain sufficient glutamine level for glutamine catabolism. Glutamine catabolism, the opposite reaction of glutamine synthesis by GS, is well known for supporting cancer cell proliferation via contributing biosynthesis of various essential molecules and energy production. Either glutamine anabolism or catabolism has a critical function in cancer metabolism depending on the complex nature and microenvironment of cancers. In this review, we focus on the role of GS in a variety of cancer types and microenvironments and highlight the mechanism of GS at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. Lastly, we discuss the therapeutic implications of targeting GS in cancer.
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25
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Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a highly aggressive pediatric bone cancer that is defined by a somatic fusion between the EWSR1 gene and an ETS family member, most frequently the FLI1 gene, leading to expression of a chimeric transcription factor EWSR1-FLI1. Otherwise, EwS is one of the most genetically stable cancers. The situation when the major cancer driver is well known looks like a unique opportunity for applying the systems biology approach in order to understand the EwS mechanisms as well as to uncover some general mechanistic principles of carcinogenesis. A number of studies have been performed revealing the direct and indirect effects of EWSR1-FLI1 on multiple aspects of cellular life. Nevertheless, the emerging picture of the oncogene action appears to be highly complex and systemic, with multiple reciprocal influences between the immediate consequences of the driver mutation and intracellular and intercellular molecular mechanisms, including regulation of transcription, epigenome, and tumoral microenvironment. In this chapter, we present an overview of existing molecular profiling resources available for EwS tumors and cell lines and provide an online comprehensive catalogue of publicly available omics and other datasets. We further highlight the systems biology studies of EwS, involving mathematical modeling of networks and integration of molecular data. We conclude that despite the seeming simplicity, a lot has yet to be understood on the systems-wide mechanisms connecting the driver mutation and the major cellular phenotypes of this pediatric cancer. Overall, this chapter can serve as a guide for a systems biology researcher to start working on EwS.
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26
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Yang HY, Wu CY, Chen JJ, Lee TH. Treatment Strategies and Metabolic Pathway Regulation in Urothelial Cell Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8993. [PMID: 33256165 PMCID: PMC7730311 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
For a long time, cisplatin-based chemotherapy had been viewed as first-line chemotherapy for advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, many patients with UC had been classified as cisplatin-ineligible who can only receive alternative chemotherapy with poor treatment response, and the vast majority of the cisplatin-eligible patients eventually progressed, even those with objective response with cisplatin-based chemotherapy initially. By understanding tumor immunology in UC, immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeting on programmed death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) pathways, had been proven as first-line treatment for cisplatin-ineligible metastatic UC and as second-line treatment for patients with platinum-refractory metastatic UC by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2020, JAVEIN bladder 100 further reported that PD-L1 inhibitors showed benefits on prolonged survival and progression-free survival as maintenance therapy. Besides targeting on immune checkpoint, manipulation of the tumor microenvironment by metabolic pathways intervention, including inhibition on tumor glycolysis, lactate accumulation and exogenous glutamine uptake, had been investigated in the past few years. In this comprehensive review, we start by introducing traditional chemotherapy of UC, and then we summarize current evidences supporting the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and highlight ongoing clinical trials. Lastly, we reviewed the tumor metabolic characteristic and the anti-tumor treatments targeting on metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang-Yu Yang
- Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chao-Yi Wu
- Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33303, Taiwan;
| | - Jia-Jin Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Tao-Han Lee
- Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
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27
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Felkai L, Krencz I, Kiss DJ, Nagy N, Petővári G, Dankó T, Micsík T, Khoor A, Tornóczky T, Sápi Z, Sebestyén A, Csóka M. Characterization of mTOR Activity and Metabolic Profile in Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071947. [PMID: 32709151 PMCID: PMC7409076 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
mTOR activation has been observed in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS); however, mTOR complex (mTORC) 1 inhibition has had limited success thus far. mTOR activation alters the metabolic pathways, which is linked to survival and metastasis. These pathways have not been thoroughly analyzed in RMSs. We performed immunohistochemistry on 65 samples to analyze the expression of mTOR complexes (pmTOR, pS6, Rictor), and several metabolic enzymes (phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase-A, β-F1-ATPase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutaminase). RICTOR amplification, as a potential mechanism of Rictor overexpression, was analyzed by FISH and digital droplet PCR. In total, 64% of the studied primary samples showed mTOR activity with an mTORC2 dominance (82%). Chemotherapy did not cause any relevant change in mTOR activity. Elevated mTOR activity was associated with a worse prognosis in relapsed cases. RICTOR amplification was not confirmed in any of the cases. Our findings suggest the importance of the Warburg effect and the pentose-phosphate pathway beside a glutamine demand in RMS cells. The expression pattern of the studied mTOR markers can explain the inefficacy of mTORC1 inhibitor therapy. Therefore, we suggest performing a detailed investigation of the mTOR profile before administering mTORC1 inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, our findings highlight that targeting the metabolic plasticity could be an alternative therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Felkai
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (L.F.); (D.J.K.)
| | - Ildikó Krencz
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - Dorottya Judit Kiss
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (L.F.); (D.J.K.)
| | - Noémi Nagy
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - Gábor Petővári
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - Titanilla Dankó
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - Tamás Micsík
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - András Khoor
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA;
| | - Tamás Tornóczky
- Department of Pathology, Medical School and Clinical Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary;
| | - Zoltán Sápi
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
| | - Anna Sebestyén
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (I.K.); (N.N.); (G.P.); (T.D.); (T.M.); (Z.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Monika Csóka
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (L.F.); (D.J.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (M.C.)
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28
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Farhan M, Silva M, Xingan X, Huang Y, Zheng W. Role of FOXO Transcription Factors in Cancer Metabolism and Angiogenesis. Cells 2020; 9:E1586. [PMID: 32629884 PMCID: PMC7407656 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box O transcription factors (FOXOs) regulate several signaling pathways and play crucial roles in health and disease. FOXOs are key regulators of the expression of genes involved in multiple cellular processes and their deregulation has been implicated in cancer. FOXOs are generally considered tumor suppressors and evidence also suggests that they may have a role in the regulation of cancer metabolism and angiogenesis. In order to continue growing and proliferating, tumor cells have to reprogram their metabolism and induce angiogenesis. Angiogenesis refers to the process of new blood capillary formation from pre-existing vessels, which is an essential driving force in cancer progression and metastasis through supplying tumor cells with oxygen and nutrients. This review summarizes the roles of FOXOs in the regulation of cancer metabolism and angiogenesis. A deeper knowledge of the involvement of FOXOs in these two key processes involved in cancer dissemination may help to develop novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Farhan
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (M.F.); (M.S.); (X.X.)
| | - Marta Silva
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (M.F.); (M.S.); (X.X.)
| | - Xing Xingan
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (M.F.); (M.S.); (X.X.)
| | - Yu Huang
- Heart and Vascular Institute and Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Wenhua Zheng
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (M.F.); (M.S.); (X.X.)
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Issaq SH, Mendoza A, Kidner R, Rosales TI, Duveau DY, Heske CM, Rohde JM, Boxer MB, Thomas CJ, DeBerardinis RJ, Helman LJ. EWS-FLI1-regulated Serine Synthesis and Exogenous Serine are Necessary for Ewing Sarcoma Cellular Proliferation and Tumor Growth. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:1520-1529. [PMID: 32371575 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite a growing body of knowledge about the genomic landscape of Ewing sarcoma, translation of basic discoveries into targeted therapies and significant clinical gains has remained elusive. Recent insights have revealed that the oncogenic transcription factor EWS-FLI1 can impact Ewing sarcoma cellular metabolism, regulating expression of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the first enzyme in de novo serine synthesis. Here, we have examined the importance of serine metabolism in Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis and evaluated the therapeutic potential of targeting serine metabolism in preclinical models of Ewing sarcoma. We show that PHGDH knockdown resulted in decreased Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation, especially under serine limitation, and significantly inhibited xenograft tumorigenesis in preclinical orthotopic models of Ewing sarcoma. In addition, the PHGDH inhibitor NCT-503 caused a dose-dependent decrease in cellular proliferation. Moreover, we report a novel drug combination in which nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibition, which blocks production of the PHGDH substrate NAD+, synergized with NCT-503 to abolish Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation and tumor growth. Furthermore, we show that serine deprivation inhibited Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, indicating that Ewing sarcoma cells depend on exogenous serine in addition to de novo serine synthesis. Our findings suggest that serine metabolism is critical for Ewing sarcoma tumorigenesis, and that targeting metabolic dependencies should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for Ewing sarcoma. In addition, the combination strategy presented herein may have broader clinical applications in other PHGDH-overexpressing cancers as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer H Issaq
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | | | - Ria Kidner
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tracy I Rosales
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Damien Y Duveau
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | | | - Jason M Rohde
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Matthew B Boxer
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Craig J Thomas
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Ralph J DeBerardinis
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Lee J Helman
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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Kreuzaler P, Panina Y, Segal J, Yuneva M. Adapt and conquer: Metabolic flexibility in cancer growth, invasion and evasion. Mol Metab 2020; 33:83-101. [PMID: 31668988 PMCID: PMC7056924 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been known for close to a century that, on average, tumors have a metabolism that is different from those found in healthy tissues. Typically, tumors show a biosynthetic metabolism that distinguishes itself by engaging in large scale aerobic glycolysis, heightened flux through the pentose phosphate pathway, and increased glutaminolysis among other means. However, it is becoming equally clear that non tumorous tissues at times can engage in similar metabolism, while tumors show a high degree of metabolic flexibility reacting to cues, and stresses in their local environment. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW In this review, we want to scrutinize historic and recent research on metabolism, comparing and contrasting oncogenic and physiological metabolic states. This will allow us to better define states of bona fide tumor metabolism. We will further contextualize the stress response and the metabolic evolutionary trajectory seen in tumors, and how these contribute to tumor progression. Lastly, we will analyze the implications of these characteristics with respect to therapy response. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS In our review, we argue that there is not one single oncogenic state, but rather a diverse set of oncogenic states. These are grounded on a physiological proliferative/wound healing program but distinguish themselves due to their large scale of proliferation, mutations, and transcriptional changes in key metabolic pathways, and the adaptations to widespread stress signals within tumors. We find evidence for the necessity of metabolic flexibility and stress responses in tumor progression and how these responses in turn shape oncogenic progression. Lastly, we find evidence for the notion that the metabolic adaptability of tumors frequently frustrates therapeutic interventions.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In an attempt to identify potential new therapeutic targets, efforts to describe the metabolic features unique to cancer cells are increasingly being reported. Although current standard of care regimens for several pediatric malignancies incorporate agents that target tumor metabolism, these drugs have been part of the therapeutic landscape for decades. More recent research has focused on the identification and targeting of new metabolic vulnerabilities in pediatric cancers. The purpose of this review is to describe the most recent translational findings in the metabolic targeting of pediatric malignancies. RECENT FINDINGS Across multiple pediatric cancer types, dependencies on a number of key metabolic pathways have emerged through study of patient tissue samples and preclinical modeling. Among the potentially targetable vulnerabilities are glucose metabolism via glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, amino acid and polyamine metabolism, and NAD metabolism. Although few agents have yet to move forward into clinical trials for pediatric cancer patients, the robust and promising preclinical data that have been generated suggest that future clinical trials should rationally test metabolically targeted agents for relevant disease populations. SUMMARY Recent advances in our understanding of the metabolic dependencies of pediatric cancers represent a source of potential new therapeutic opportunities for these diseases.
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Hu J, Chen Q, Ding X, Zheng X, Tang X, Li S, Yang H. Glutamine metabolism in the proliferation of GS-expression pituitary tumor cells. Endocr Connect 2020; 9:EC-19-0515.R1. [PMID: 32069221 PMCID: PMC7077521 DOI: 10.1530/ec-19-0515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many cancer cells cannot survive without exogenous glutamine (Gln),however, cancer cells expressed glutamine synthetase (GS) do not have this restriction. Previous metabolomics studies have indicated that glutamine metabolism is altered during pituitary tumorigenesis. However, the main role of Gln in pituitary adenoma (PA) pathophysiology remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of GS and the main role of Gln in human PAs. METHODS We used cell proliferation assay and flow cytometry to assess the effect of Gln depletion on three different pituitary cell lines and human primary PA cells. Then investigated the expression level of Gln synthetase (GS) in 24 human PA samples. At last, we used LC-MS/MS to identify the differences in metabolites of PA cells after the blockage of both endogenous and exogenous Gln. RESULTS PA cell lines showed different sensitivities to Gln starvation, and the sensitivity is correlated with GS expression level. GS expressed in 21 out of the 24 human PA samples. Furthermore, a positive p53 and ki-67 index was correlated with a higher GS expression level (p<0.05). Removal of both endogenous and exogenous Gln from GS-expressing PA cells resulted in blockage of nucleotide metabolism and cell cycle arrest. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that GS is needed for PA cells to proliferation during Gln deprivation, and most human PA cells express GS and might have a negative response to exogenous Gln depletion. Moreover, Gln is mainly responsible for nucleotide metabolism in the proliferation of GS-expressing pituitary tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingbo Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuefeng Tang
- Department of Pathology, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Song Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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33
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Dysregulation of glutaminase and glutamine synthetase in cancer. Cancer Lett 2019; 467:29-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Yeung C, Gibson AE, Issaq SH, Oshima N, Baumgart JT, Edessa LD, Rai G, Urban DJ, Johnson MS, Benavides GA, Squadrito GL, Yohe ME, Lei H, Eldridge S, Hamre J, Dowdy T, Ruiz-Rodado V, Lita A, Mendoza A, Shern JF, Larion M, Helman LJ, Stott GM, Krishna MC, Hall MD, Darley-Usmar V, Neckers LM, Heske CM. Targeting Glycolysis through Inhibition of Lactate Dehydrogenase Impairs Tumor Growth in Preclinical Models of Ewing Sarcoma. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5060-5073. [PMID: 31431459 PMCID: PMC6774872 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Altered cellular metabolism, including an increased dependence on aerobic glycolysis, is a hallmark of cancer. Despite the fact that this observation was first made nearly a century ago, effective therapeutic targeting of glycolysis in cancer has remained elusive. One potentially promising approach involves targeting the glycolytic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which is overexpressed and plays a critical role in several cancers. Here, we used a novel class of LDH inhibitors to demonstrate, for the first time, that Ewing sarcoma cells are exquisitely sensitive to inhibition of LDH. EWS-FLI1, the oncogenic driver of Ewing sarcoma, regulated LDH A (LDHA) expression. Genetic depletion of LDHA inhibited proliferation of Ewing sarcoma cells and induced apoptosis, phenocopying pharmacologic inhibition of LDH. LDH inhibitors affected Ewing sarcoma cell viability both in vitro and in vivo by reducing glycolysis. Intravenous administration of LDH inhibitors resulted in the greatest intratumoral drug accumulation, inducing tumor cell death and reducing tumor growth. The major dose-limiting toxicity observed was hemolysis, indicating that a narrow therapeutic window exists for these compounds. Taken together, these data suggest that targeting glycolysis through inhibition of LDH should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic approach for cancers such as Ewing sarcoma that exhibit oncogene-dependent expression of LDH and increased glycolysis. SIGNIFICANCE: LDHA is a pharmacologically tractable EWS-FLI1 transcriptional target that regulates the glycolytic dependence of Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choh Yeung
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Anna E Gibson
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sameer H Issaq
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nobu Oshima
- Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Joshua T Baumgart
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Leah D Edessa
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ganesha Rai
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Daniel J Urban
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Michelle S Johnson
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gloria A Benavides
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Giuseppe L Squadrito
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Marielle E Yohe
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sandy Eldridge
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - John Hamre
- Laboratory of Investigative Toxicology, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Tyrone Dowdy
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Victor Ruiz-Rodado
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Adrian Lita
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Arnulfo Mendoza
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jack F Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mioara Larion
- Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lee J Helman
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gordon M Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Murali C Krishna
- Radiation Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Matthew D Hall
- Chemical Genomics Center, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Victor Darley-Usmar
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Leonard M Neckers
- Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Christine M Heske
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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35
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Bokil A, Sancho P. Mitochondrial determinants of chemoresistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2019; 2:634-646. [PMID: 35582564 PMCID: PMC8992520 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2019.46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chemoresistance constitute nowadays the major contributor to therapy failure in most cancers. There are main factors that mitigate cell response to therapy, such as target organ, inherent sensitivity to the administered compound, its metabolism, drug efflux and influx or alterations on specific cellular targets, among others. We now know that intrinsic properties of cancer cells, including metabolic features, substantially contribute to chemoresistance. In fact, during the last years, numerous reports indicate that cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy demonstrate significant alterations in mitochondrial metabolism, membrane polarization and mass. Metabolic activity and expression of several mitochondrial proteins are modulated under treatment to cope with stress, making these organelles central players in the development of resistance to therapies. Here, we review the role of mitochondria in chemoresistant cells in terms of metabolic rewiring and function of key mitochondria-related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansooya Bokil
- IIS Aragon, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Patricia Sancho
- IIS Aragon, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
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