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Wang B, Pei J, Xu S, Liu J, Yu J. A glutamine tug-of-war between cancer and immune cells: recent advances in unraveling the ongoing battle. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:74. [PMID: 38459595 PMCID: PMC10921613 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-02994-0] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Glutamine metabolism plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, immune cell function, and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Dysregulated glutamine metabolism has been implicated in cancer development and immune responses, supported by mounting evidence. Cancer cells heavily rely on glutamine as a critical nutrient for survival and proliferation, while immune cells require glutamine for activation and proliferation during immune reactions. This metabolic competition creates a dynamic tug-of-war between cancer and immune cells. Targeting glutamine transporters and downstream enzymes involved in glutamine metabolism holds significant promise in enhancing anti-tumor immunity. A comprehensive understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying this interplay is crucial for developing innovative therapeutic approaches that improve anti-tumor immunity and patient outcomes. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in unraveling the tug-of-war of glutamine metabolism between cancer and immune cells and explore potential applications of basic science discoveries in the clinical setting. Further investigations into the regulation of glutamine metabolism in cancer and immune cells are expected to yield valuable insights, paving the way for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bolin Wang
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinli Pei
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shengnan Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Research Unit of Radiation Oncology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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Dang C, Bian Q, Wang F, Wang H, Liang Z. Machine learning identifies SLC6A14 as a novel biomarker promoting the proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer via Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2116. [PMID: 38267509 PMCID: PMC10808089 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52646-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) has the poorest prognosis compared to other common cancers because of its aggressive nature, late detection, and resistance to systemic treatment. In this study, we aimed to identify novel biomarkers for PC patients and further explored their function in PC progression. We analyzed GSE62452 and GSE28735 datasets, identifying 35 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PC specimens and non-tumors. Based on 35 DEGs, we performed machine learning and identified eight diagnostic genes involved in PC progression. Then, we further screened three critical genes (CTSE, LAMC2 and SLC6A14) using three GEO datasets. A new diagnostic model was developed based on them and showed a strong predictive ability in screen PC specimens from non-tumor specimens in GEO, TCGA datasets and our cohorts. Then, clinical assays based on TCGA datasets indicated that the expression of LAMC2 and SLC6A14 was associated with advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. The expressions of LAMC2 and SLC6A14, as well as the abundances of a variety of immune cells, exhibited a significant positive association with one another. Functionally, we confirmed that SLC6A14 was highly expressed in PC and its knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT signal via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Overall, our findings developed a novel diagnostic model for PC patients. SLC6A14 may promote PC progression via modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This work offered a novel and encouraging new perspective that holds potential for further illuminating the clinicopathological relevance of PC as well as its molecular etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cunshu Dang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital, No.1 Zhongshan Road, Tianjin, China.
| | - Quan Bian
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fengbiao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital, No.1 Zhongshan Road, Tianjin, China
| | - Han Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhipeng Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital, No.1 Zhongshan Road, Tianjin, China
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Lavoro A, Falzone L, Tomasello B, Conti GN, Libra M, Candido S. In silico analysis of the solute carrier (SLC) family in cancer indicates a link among DNA methylation, metabolic adaptation, drug response, and immune reactivity. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1191262. [PMID: 37397501 PMCID: PMC10308049 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1191262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The oncogenic transformation is driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations influencing cancer cell fate. These alterations also result in metabolic reprogramming by modulating the expression of membrane Solute Carrier (SLC) transporters involved in biomolecules trafficking. SLCs act as tumor suppressors or promoters influencing cancer methylome, tumor growth, immune-escape, and chemoresistance. Methods: This in silico study aimed to identify the deregulated SLCs in various tumor types compared to normal tissues by analyzing the TCGA Target GTEx dataset. Furthermore, the relationship between SLCs expression and the most relevant tumor features was tackled along with their genetic regulation mediated by DNA methylation. Results: We identified 62 differentially expressed SLCs, including the downregulated SLC25A27 and SLC17A7, as well as the upregulated SLC27A2 and SLC12A8. Notably, SLC4A4 and SLC7A11 expression was associated with favorable and unfavorable outcome, respectively. Moreover, SLC6A14, SLC34A2, and SLC1A2 were linked to tumor immune responsiveness. Interestingly, SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 positively correlated with anti-MEK and anti-RAF sensitivity. The expression of relevant SLCs was correlated with hypo- and hyper-methylation of promoter and body region, showing an established DNA methylation pattern. Noteworthy, the positive association of cg06690548 (SLC7A11) methylation with cancer outcome suggests the independent predictive role of DNA methylation at a single nucleotide resolution. Discussion: Although our in silico overview revealed a wide heterogeneity depending on different SLCs functions and tumor types, we identified key SLCs and pointed out the role of DNA methylation as regulatory mechanism of their expression. Overall, these findings deserve further studies to identify novel cancer biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Lavoro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Luca Falzone
- Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori “Fondazione G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nicolò Conti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Massimo Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Research Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Saverio Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Research Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Ni R, Li Z, Li L, Peng D, Ming Y, Li L, Liu Y. Rethinking glutamine metabolism and the regulation of glutamine addiction by oncogenes in cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1143798. [PMID: 36959802 PMCID: PMC10029103 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1143798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamine, the most abundant non-essential amino acid in human blood, is crucial for cancer cell growth and cancer progression. Glutamine mainly functions as a carbon and nitrogen source for biosynthesis, energy metabolism, and redox homeostasis maintenance in cancer cells. Dysregulated glutamine metabolism is a notable metabolic characteristic of cancer cells. Some carcinogen-driven cancers exhibit a marked dependence on glutamine, also known as glutamine addiction, which has rendered the glutamine metabolic pathway a breakpoint in cancer therapeutics. However, some cancer cells can adapt to the glutamine unavailability by reprogramming metabolism, thus limiting the success of this therapeutic approach. Given the complexity of metabolic networks and the limited impact of inhibiting glutamine metabolism alone, the combination of glutamine metabolism inhibition and other therapeutic methods may outperform corresponding monotherapies in the treatment of cancers. This review summarizes the uptake, transport, and metabolic characteristics of glutamine, as well as the regulation of glutamine dependence by some important oncogenes in various cancers to emphasize the therapeutic potential of targeting glutamine metabolism. Furthermore, we discuss a glutamine metabolic pathway, the glutaminase II pathway, that has been substantially overlooked. Finally, we discuss the applicability of polytherapeutic strategies targeting glutamine metabolism to provide a new perspective on cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ni
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ziwei Li
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan Peng
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yue Ming
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of pharmacy, Women and Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Li, ; Yao Liu,
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Lin Li, ; Yao Liu,
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