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Mazurakova A, Koklesova L, Csizmár SH, Samec M, Brockmueller A, Šudomová M, Biringer K, Kudela E, Pec M, Samuel SM, Kassayova M, Hassan STS, Smejkal K, Shakibaei M, Büsselberg D, Saso L, Kubatka P, Golubnitschaja O. Significance of flavonoids targeting PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway in therapy-resistant cancer cells - A potential contribution to the predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. J Adv Res 2024; 55:103-118. [PMID: 36871616 PMCID: PMC10770105 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer management faces multiple obstacles, including resistance to current therapeutic approaches. In the face of challenging microenvironments, cancer cells adapt metabolically to maintain their supply of energy and precursor molecules for biosynthesis and thus sustain rapid proliferation and tumor growth. Among the various metabolic adaptations observed in cancer cells, the altered glucose metabolism is the most widely studied. The aberrant glycolytic modification in cancer cells has been associated with rapid cell division, tumor growth, cancer progression, and drug resistance. The higher rates of glycolysis in cancer cells, as a hallmark of cancer progression, is modulated by the transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), a downstream target of the PI3K/Akt signaling, the most deregulated pathway in cancer. AIM OF REVIEW We provide a detailed overview of current, primarily experimental, evidence on the potential effectiveness of flavonoids to combat aberrant glycolysis-induced resistance of cancer cells to conventional and targeted therapies. The manuscript focuses primarily on flavonoids reducing cancer resistance via affecting PI3K/Akt, HIF-1α (as the transcription factor critical for glucose metabolism of cancer cells that is regulated by PI3K/Akt pathway), and key glycolytic mediators downstream of PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling (glucose transporters and key glycolytic enzymes). KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW The working hypothesis of the manuscript proposes HIF-1α - the transcription factor critical for glucose metabolism of cancer cells regulated by PI3K/Akt pathway as an attractive target for application of flavonoids to mitigate cancer resistance. Phytochemicals represent a source of promising substances for cancer management applicable to primary, secondary, and tertiary care. However, accurate patient stratification and individualized patient profiling represent crucial steps in the paradigm shift from reactive to predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM / 3PM). The article is focused on targeting molecular patterns by natural substances and provides evidence-based recommendations for the 3PM relevant implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Mazurakova
- Department of Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia.
| | - Lenka Koklesova
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Sandra Hurta Csizmár
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Marek Samec
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Aranka Brockmueller
- Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 11, D-80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Miroslava Šudomová
- Museum of Literature in Moravia, Klášter 1, 66461 Rajhrad, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Biringer
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Erik Kudela
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Martin Pec
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Monika Kassayova
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Safarik University, 04001 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Sherif T S Hassan
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Smejkal
- Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mehdi Shakibaei
- Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 11, D-80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, 24144, Doha, Qatar
| | - Luciano Saso
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 036 01, Martin, Slovakia.
| | - Olga Golubnitschaja
- Predictive, Preventive and Personalised (3P) Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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Marcucci F, Rumio C. On the Role of Glycolysis in Early Tumorigenesis-Permissive and Executioner Effects. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081124. [PMID: 37190033 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming energy production from mitochondrial respiration to glycolysis is now considered a hallmark of cancer. When tumors grow beyond a certain size they give rise to changes in their microenvironment (e.g., hypoxia, mechanical stress) that are conducive to the upregulation of glycolysis. Over the years, however, it has become clear that glycolysis can also associate with the earliest steps of tumorigenesis. Thus, many of the oncoproteins most commonly involved in tumor initiation and progression upregulate glycolysis. Moreover, in recent years, considerable evidence has been reported suggesting that upregulated glycolysis itself, through its enzymes and/or metabolites, may play a causative role in tumorigenesis, either by acting itself as an oncogenic stimulus or by facilitating the appearance of oncogenic mutations. In fact, several changes induced by upregulated glycolysis have been shown to be involved in tumor initiation and early tumorigenesis: glycolysis-induced chromatin remodeling, inhibition of premature senescence and induction of proliferation, effects on DNA repair, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine modification of target proteins, antiapoptotic effects, induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition or autophagy, and induction of angiogenesis. In this article we summarize the evidence that upregulated glycolysis is involved in tumor initiation and, in the following, we propose a mechanistic model aimed at explaining how upregulated glycolysis may play such a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Marcucci
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristiano Rumio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Trentacoste 2, 20134 Milan, Italy
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Chakravarti B, Rajput S, Raza S, Rajak S, Tewari A, Gupta P, Upadhyay A, Chattopadhyay N, Sinha RA. Lipoic acid blocks autophagic flux and impairs cellular bioenergetics in breast cancer and reduces stemness. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166455. [PMID: 35680107 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Golchert J, Staar D, Bennewitz J, Hartmann M, Hoffmann N, Ameling S, Völker U, Peters J, Wanka H. Overexpression of Renin-B Induces Warburg-like Effects That Are Associated with Increased AKT/mTOR Signaling. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091459. [PMID: 35563765 PMCID: PMC9103744 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The classical secretory renin-a is known to be involved in angiotensin generation, thereby regulating not only blood pressure, but also promoting oxidative stress as well as apoptotic and necrotic cell death. In contrast, another cytosolic renin isoform named renin-b has been described, exerting protective effects under ischemia-related conditions in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Using microarray-based transcriptome analyses, we aimed to identify the signaling pathways involved in mediating cardioprotection in H9c2 cells overexpressing renin-b. By transcriptome profiling, we identified increased gene expression of several genes encoding glycolytic enzymes and glucose transporters, while the transcript levels of TCA-cycle enzymes were decreased. Complementing data from metabolic analyses revealed enhanced glucose consumption and lactate accumulation due to renin-b overexpression. Renin-b overexpression further stimulated AKT/mTOR signaling, where numerous genes involved in this pathway showed altered transcript levels. For AKT, we also detected enhanced phosphorylation levels by means of Western blotting, suggesting an activation of this kinase. Moreover, analysis of the ROS levels identified an increase in ROS accumulation in renin-b-overexpressing cells. Altogether, our data demonstrate that renin-b overexpression induces the metabolic remodeling of H9c2 cells similar to that seen under oxygen deprivation. This metabolic phenotype exerting so-called aerobic glycolysis is also known as the Warburg effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Golchert
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
| | - Doreen Staar
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
| | - Jonathan Bennewitz
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
| | - Miriam Hartmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
| | - Nadin Hoffmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
| | - Sabine Ameling
- Department of Functional Genomics, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (S.A.); (U.V.)
- Partner Site Greifswald, DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Department of Functional Genomics, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (S.A.); (U.V.)
- Partner Site Greifswald, DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jörg Peters
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Heike Wanka
- Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (J.G.); (D.S.); (J.B.); (M.H.); (N.H.); (H.W.)
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Tumor Metabolism Is Affected by Obesity in Preclinical Models of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030562. [PMID: 35158830 PMCID: PMC8833372 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Obesity promotes both development and progression of breast cancer. As a disease, obesity is followed by hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperlipidemia. The impact of obesity, accumulation of fat depots, and related markers on the metabolism of tumors still remains poorly understood. The aim of this study is to characterize the putative differences in the metabolism of tumors from obese and lean mice. The findings reported here could help tailor personalized treatments targeting tumor metabolism in obese cancer patients by identifying the metabolic preferences of these tumors. Abstract Obesity is characterized by an excessive fat mass accumulation associated with multiple disorders, including impaired glucose homeostasis, altered adipokine levels, and hyperlipidemia. Despite clear associations between tumor progression and obesity, the effects of these disorders on tumor metabolism remain largely unknown. Thus, we studied the metabolic differences between tumors of obese and lean mice in murine models of triple-negative breast cancer (E0771 and PY8819). For this purpose, a real-time hyperpolarized 1-13C-pyruvate-to-lactate conversion was studied before and after glucose administration in fasting mice. This work was completed by U-13C glucose tracing experiments using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry (MS). Ex vivo analyses included immunostainings of major lipid, glucose, and monocarboxylic acids transporters. On the one hand, we discovered that tumors of obese mice yield higher lactate/pyruvate ratios after glucose administration. On the other hand, we found that the same tumors produce higher levels of lactate and alanine from glucose than tumors from lean mice, while no differences on the expression of key transporters associated with glycolysis (i.e., GLUT1, MCT1, MCT4) have been observed. In conclusion, our data suggests that breast tumor metabolism is regulated by the host’s physiological status, such as obesity and diabetes.
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Braun C, Weichhart T. mTOR-dependent immunometabolism as Achilles' heel of anticancer therapy. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:3161-3175. [PMID: 34648202 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune cells are important constituents of the tumor microenvironment and essential in eradicating tumor cells during conventional therapies or novel immunotherapies. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway senses the intra- and extracellular nutrient status, growth factor supply, and cell stress-related changes to coordinate cellular metabolism and activation dictating effector and memory functions in mainly all hematopoietic immune cells. In addition, the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2 are frequently deregulated and become activated in cancer cells to drive cell transformation, survival, neovascularization, and invasion. In this review, we provide an overview of the influence of mTOR complexes on immune and cancer cell function and metabolism. We discuss how mTOR inhibitors aiming to target cancer cells will influence immunometabolic cell functions participating either in antitumor responses or favoring tumor cell progression in individual immune cells. We suggest immunometabolism as the weak spot of anticancer therapy and propose to evaluate patients according to their predominant immune cell subtype in the cancer tissue. Advances in metabolic drug development that hold promise for more effective treatments in different types of cancer will have to consider their effects on the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Braun
- Center of Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Clinical Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Weichhart
- Center of Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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7
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Arundhathi JRD, Mathur SR, Gogia A, Deo SVS, Mohapatra P, Prasad CP. Metabolic changes in triple negative breast cancer-focus on aerobic glycolysis. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:4733-4745. [PMID: 34047880 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06414-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Among breast cancer subtypes, the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis. In absence of any permitted targeted therapy, standard chemotherapy is the mainstay for TNBC treatment. Hence, there is a crucial need to identify potential druggable targets in TNBCs for its effective treatment. In recent times, metabolic reprogramming has emerged as cancer cells hallmark, wherein cancer cells display discrete metabolic phenotypes to fuel cell progression and metastasis. Altered glycolysis is one such phenotype, in which even in oxygen abundance majority of cancer cells harvest considerable amount of energy through elevated glycolytic-flux. In the present review, we attempt to summarize the role of key glycolytic enzymes i.e. HK, Hexokinase; PFK, Phosphofructokinase; PKM2, Pyruvate kinase isozyme type 2; and LDH, Lactate dehydrogenase in TNBCs, and possible therapeutic options presently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Dev Arundhathi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Sandeep R Mathur
- Department of Pathology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ajay Gogia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - S V S Deo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
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8
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Poon A, Saini H, Sethi S, O'Sullivan GA, Plun-Favreau H, Wray S, Dawson LA, McCarthy JM. The role of SQSTM1 (p62) in mitochondrial function and clearance in human cortical neurons. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1276-1289. [PMID: 33891871 PMCID: PMC8185463 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1/p62) is involved in cellular processes such as autophagy and metabolic reprogramming. Mutations resulting in the loss of function of SQSTM1 lead to neurodegenerative diseases including frontotemporal dementia. The pathogenic mechanism that contributes to SQSTM1-related neurodegeneration has been linked to its role as an autophagy adaptor, but this is poorly understood, and its precise role in mitochondrial function and clearance remains to be clarified. Here, we assessed the importance of SQSTM1 in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cortical neurons through the knockout of SQSTM1. We show that SQSTM1 depletion causes altered mitochondrial gene expression and functionality, as well as autophagy flux, in iPSC-derived neurons. However, SQSTM1 is not essential for mitophagy despite having a significant impact on early PINK1-dependent mitophagy processes including PINK1 recruitment and phosphorylation of ubiquitin on depolarized mitochondria. These findings suggest that SQSTM1 is important for mitochondrial function rather than clearance. SQSTM1 is dispensable for cortical neuron differentiation, modeled with human iPSCs Expression of bioenergetic genes is altered in human cortical neurons lacking SQSTM1 Loss of SQSTM1 causes aberration in mitochondrial functionality SQSTM1 affects mitophagic processes but is not required for mitochondrial clearance
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Poon
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK
| | - Harpreet Saini
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK
| | - Siddharth Sethi
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK
| | - Gregory A O'Sullivan
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK
| | - Hélène Plun-Favreau
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Lee A Dawson
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK
| | - James M McCarthy
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, UK.
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9
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Abstract
Dysregulated metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Under normal physiological conditions, ATP is primarily generated by oxidative phosphorylation. Cancers commonly undergo a dramatic shift toward glycolysis, despite the presence of oxygen. This phenomenon is known as the Warburg effect, and requires the activity of LDHA. LDHA converts pyruvate to lactate in the final step of glycolysis and is often upregulated in cancer. LDHA inhibitors present a promising therapeutic option, as LDHA blockade leads to apoptosis in cancer cells. Despite this, existing LDHA inhibitors have shown limited clinical efficacy. Here, we review recent progress in LDHA structure, function and regulation as well as strategies to target this critical enzyme.
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Alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase as a biomarker for predicting systemic lupus erythematosus with liver injury. Int Immunopharmacol 2019; 77:105922. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.105922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Anderson G. Breast cancer: Occluded role of mitochondria N-acetylserotonin/melatonin ratio in co-ordinating pathophysiology. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 168:259-268. [PMID: 31310736 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A plethora of factors contribute to the biochemical underpinnings of breast cancer, in the absence of any clear, integrative framework. This article proposes that melatonergic pathway regulation within mitochondria provides an integrative framework for the wide array of data driving breast cancer pathophysiology. As melatonin is toxic to breast cancer cells, its production within mitochondria poses a significant challenge to breast cancer cell survival. Consequently, the diverse plasticity in breast cancer cells may arise from a requirement to decrease mitochondria melatonin synthesis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor role in breast cancer pathophysiology may be mediated by an increase in cytochrome P450 (CYP)1b1 in mitochondria, leading to the backward conversion of melatonin to N-acetylserotonin (NAS). NAS has distinct effects to melatonin, including its activation of the tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) receptor. TrkB activation significantly contributes to breast cancer cell survival and migration. However, the most important aspect of NAS induction by CYP1b1 in breast cancer cells is the prevention of melatonin effects in mitochondria. Many of the changes occurring in breast cancer cells arise from the need to regulate this pathway in mitochondria, allowing this to provide a framework that integrates a host of previously disparate data, including: microRNAs, estrogen, 14-3-3 proteins, sirtuins, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and the kynurenine pathways. It is also proposed that this framework provides a pathoetiological model incorporating the early developmental regulation of the gut microbiome that integrates breast cancer risk factors, including obesity. This has significant treatment, prevention and research implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Anderson
- CRC Scotland & London, Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PH, UK.
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