Dihydroartemisinin induces apoptosis and downregulates glucose metabolism in JF-305 pancreatic cancer cells

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter: Balancing tumourigenic and anti-tumourigenic responses

Increased malignancy and poor treatability associated with solid tumour cancers have commonly been attributed to mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) dysregulation. The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter complex (mtCU) is the predominant mode of Ca2+ uptake into the mitochondrial matrix. The main components of mtCU are the pore-forming mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) subunit, MCU dominant-negative beta (MCUb) subunit, essential MCU regulator (EMRE) and the gatekeeping mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake 1 and 2 (MICU1 and MICU2) proteins. In this review, we describe mtCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ dysregulation in solid tumour cancer types, finding enhanced mtCU activity observed in colorectal cancer, breast cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. By contrast, decreased mtCU activity is associated with melanoma, whereas the nature of mtCU dysregulation remains unclear in glioblastoma. Furthermore, we show that numerous polymorphisms associated with cancer may alter phosphorylation sites on the pore forming MCU and MCUb subunits, which cluster at interfaces with EMRE. We highlight downstream/upstream biomolecular modulators of MCU and MCUb that alter mtCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and may be used as biomarkers or to aid in the development of novel cancer therapeutics. Additionally, we provide an overview of the current small molecule inhibitors of mtCU that interact with the Asp residue of the critical Asp-Ile-Met-Glu motif or through other allosteric regulatory mechanisms to block Ca2+ permeation. Finally, we describe the relationship between MCU- and MCUb-mediating microRNAs and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that should be considered in the discovery of new treatment approaches for cancer.

Therapeutic potential of artemisinin and its derivatives in managing kidney diseases

Artemisinin, an antimalarial traditional Chinese herb, is isolated from Artemisia annua. L, and has shown fewer side effects. Several pieces of evidence have demonstrated that artemisinin and its derivatives exhibited therapeutic effects on diseases like malaria, cancer, immune disorders, and inflammatory diseases. Additionally, the antimalarial drugs demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, regulating the immune system and autophagy and modulating glycolipid metabolism properties, suggesting an alternative for managing kidney disease. This review assessed the pharmacological activities of artemisinin. It summarized the critical outcomes and probable mechanism of artemisinins in treating kidney diseases, including inflammatory, oxidative stress, autophagy, mitochondrial homeostasis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, glycolipid metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetic nephropathy, lupus nephritis, membranous nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, and acute kidney injury, suggesting the therapeutic potential of artemisinin and its derivatives in managing kidney diseases, especially the podocyte-associated kidney diseases.

Glycometabolic rearrangements-aerobic glycolysis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC): roles, regulatory networks, and therapeutic potential

INTRODUCTION

Glycometabolic rearrangements (aerobic glycolysis) is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and contributes to tumorigenesis and progression through numerous mechanisms. The targeting of aerobic glycolysis is recognized as a potential therapeutic strategy which offers the possibility of improving treatment outcomes for PDAC patients.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the role of aerobic glycolysis and its regulatory networks in PDAC are discussed. The targeting of aerobic glycolysis in PDAC is examined, and its therapeutic potential is evaluated. The relevant literature published from 2001 to 2021 was searched in databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Embase.

EXPERT OPINION

Regulatory networks of aerobic glycolysis in PDAC are based on key factors such as c-Myc, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, and non-coding RNAs. Experimental evidence suggests that modulators or inhibitors of aerobic glycolysis promote therapeutic effects in preclinical tumor models. Nevertheless, successful clinical translation of drugs that target aerobic glycolysis in PDAC is an obstacle. Moreover, it is necessary to identify the potential targets for future interventions from regulatory networks to design efficacious and safer agents.

Global Lysine Acetylation and 2-Hydroxyisobutyrylation Profiling Reveals the Metabolism Conversion Mechanism in Giardia lamblia

Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is the cause of giardiasis, a common infection that affects the general population of the world. Despite the constant possibility of damage because of their own metabolism, G. lamblia has survived and evolved to adapt to various environments. However, research on energy-metabolism conversion in G. lamblia is limited. This study aimed to reveal the dynamic metabolism conversion mechanism in G. lamblia under sugar starvation by detecting global lysine acetylation (Kac) and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) sites combined with quantitative proteome analyses. A total of 2999 acetylation sites on 956 proteins and 8877 2-hydroxyisobutyryl sites on 1546 proteins were quantified under sugar starvation. Integrated Kac and Khib data revealed that modified proteins were associated with arginine biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolisms. These findings suggest that Kac and Khib were ubiquitous and provide deep insight into the metabolism conversion mechanism in G. lamblia under sugar starvation. Overall, these results can help delineate the biology of G. lamblia infections and reveal the evolutionary rule from prokaryote to eukaryote.