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Liao M, Yao D, Wu L, Luo C, Wang Z, Zhang J, Liu B. Targeting the Warburg effect: A revisited perspective from molecular mechanisms to traditional and innovative therapeutic strategies in cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:953-1008. [PMID: 38487001 PMCID: PMC10935242 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.12.003] [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] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer reprogramming is an important facilitator of cancer development and survival, with tumor cells exhibiting a preference for aerobic glycolysis beyond oxidative phosphorylation, even under sufficient oxygen supply condition. This metabolic alteration, known as the Warburg effect, serves as a significant indicator of malignant tumor transformation. The Warburg effect primarily impacts cancer occurrence by influencing the aerobic glycolysis pathway in cancer cells. Key enzymes involved in this process include glucose transporters (GLUTs), HKs, PFKs, LDHs, and PKM2. Moreover, the expression of transcriptional regulatory factors and proteins, such as FOXM1, p53, NF-κB, HIF1α, and c-Myc, can also influence cancer progression. Furthermore, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circular RNAs play a vital role in directly regulating the Warburg effect. Additionally, gene mutations, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and immune system interactions are closely associated with the Warburg effect. Notably, the development of drugs targeting the Warburg effect has exhibited promising potential in tumor treatment. This comprehensive review presents novel directions and approaches for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients by conducting in-depth research and summarizing the bright prospects of targeting the Warburg effect in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minru Liao
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dahong Yao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Lifeng Wu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chaodan Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Mahmoudian RA, Akhlaghipour I, Lotfi M, Shahidsales S, Moghbeli M. Circular RNAs as the pivotal regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastrointestinal tumor cells. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 245:154472. [PMID: 37087995 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, as the most common human malignancies are always considered one of the most important health challenges in the world. Late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages is one of the main reasons for the high mortality rate and treatment failure in these patients. Therefore, investigating the molecular pathways involved in GI tumor progression is required to introduce the efficient markers for the early tumor diagnosis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the main cellular mechanisms involved in the GI tumor metastasis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are one of the main regulatory factors in EMT process. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a group of covalently closed loop ncRNAs that have higher stability in body fluids compared with other ncRNAs. Considering the importance of circRNAs in regulation of EMT process, in the present review we discussed the role of circRNAs in EMT process during GI tumor invasion. It has been reported that circRNAs mainly affect the EMT process through the regulation of EMT-specific transcription factors and signaling pathways such as WNT, PI3K/AKT, TGF-β, and MAPK. This review can be an effective step in introducing a circRNA/EMT based diagnostic panel marker for the early tumor detection among GI cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reihaneh Alsadat Mahmoudian
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Iman Akhlaghipour
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Malihe Lotfi
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Zhang W, Wang C, Hu X, Lian Y, Ding C, Ming L. Inhibition of LDHA suppresses cell proliferation and increases mitochondrial apoptosis via the JNK signaling pathway in cervical cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2022; 47:77. [PMID: 35191522 PMCID: PMC8892607 DOI: 10.3892/or.2022.8288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The Warburg effect or aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which catalyzes conversion of pyruvate into lactate, serves a critical role during Warburg effect. LDH A chain (LDHA), a member of the LDH family, is upregulated in multiple types of cancer and serves a vital role in tumor growth and progression. However, its expression and function in cervical cancer has not been characterized. The present study evaluated LDHA expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas database and found that LDHA was upregulated in cervical cancer compared with normal tissue. To clarify the role of LDHA in cervical cancer HeLa and SiHa cells, lentiviral shRNA was used to stably knockdown LDHA and oxamate, a small-molecule inhibitor of LDHA, was used to inhibit the activity of LDHA. Glucose uptake assay, lactate production measurement and ATP detection assay demonstrated LDHA inhibition notably decreased glucose consumption, lactate production and ATP levels in both HeLa and SiHa cells. Furthermore, the effect of LDHA inhibition on cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis was investigated by MTT, BrdU incorporation, colony formation assay, flow cytometry and western blotting; LDHA knockdown or oxamate treatment led to decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. Inhibition of LDHA induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and activated the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Mechanistically, the JNK signaling pathway was key for LDHA inhibition-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, these results indicated that LDHA was involved in cervical cancer pathogenesis and may be a promising therapeutic target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R China
| | - Cui Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R China
| | - Xiaomei Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R China
| | - Yanzhen Lian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R China
| | - Caili Ding
- Zhengzhou Hang Gang Ding Shi Medical Laboratory Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, P.R. China
| | - Liang Ming
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R Chin
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Zou Y, Zhong C, Hu Z, Duan S. MiR-873-5p: A Potential Molecular Marker for Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:743701. [PMID: 34676171 PMCID: PMC8523946 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.743701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
miR-873 is a microRNA located on chromosome 9p21.1. miR-873-5p and miR-873-3p are the two main members of the miR-873 family. Most studies focus on miR-873-5p, and there are a few studies on miR-873-3p. The expression level of miR-873-5p was down-regulated in 14 cancers and up-regulated in 4 cancers. miR-873-5p has many targeted genes, which have unique molecular functions such as catalytic activity, transcription regulation, and binding. miR-873-5p affects cancer development through the PIK3/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-Catenin, NF-κβ, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In addition, the target genes of miR-873-5p are closely related to the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, cell cycle, cell stemness, and glycolysis of cancer cells. The target genes of miR-873-5p are also related to the efficacy of several anti-cancer drugs. Currently, in cancer, the expression of miR-873-5p is regulated by a variety of epigenetic factors. This review summarizes the role and mechanism of miR-873-5p in human tumors shows the potential value of miR-873-5p as a molecular marker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Zou
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
- Medical Genetics Center, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo, China
| | - Chenming Zhong
- Medical Genetics Center, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo, China
| | - Zekai Hu
- Medical Genetics Center, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo, China
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
- Medical Genetics Center, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University City College School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Zhao X, Yang L, Qin L. Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury through miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p. Cell Biol Int 2021; 46:992. [PMID: 34553450 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) mediated N6 -methyladenosine (m6A) promotes microRNAs (miRNAs) maturation by processing the primary miRNAs, and METTL3 involves in regulating the development of various diseases, including myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, up until now, the association between METTL3 regulated miRNAs and I/R injury is not fully investigated, which makes investigations on this academic issue necessary. In this study, we showed that METTL3 was downregulated in mice I/R myocardial tissues and hypoxic/re-oxygenated (H/R) cardiomyocytes, and upregulation of METTL3 attenuated I/R and H/R-induced cell apoptosis. In addition, we screened out that two miRNAs, including miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p, were positively regulated by METTL3 in cardiomyocytes in a DGCR8-dependent manner. In addition, both miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p were significantly downregulated by I/R and H/R treatments in mice tissues and cardiomyocytes, and overexpression of the above two miRNAs were effective to improve cell viability in cardiomyocytes under H/R stress. Next, we evidenced that METTL3 suppressed H/R-induced cell death via upregulating miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p. Finally, the potential downstream mechanisms were investigated, and we expectedly found that METTL3 activated the PI3K/Akt pathway in H/R-treated cardiomyocytes through modulating miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p, and the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor (LY294002) abrogated the protective effects of METTL3 overexpression in cardiomyocytes with H/R treatment. Collectively, we concluded that METTL3 upregulated miR-25-3p and miR-873-5p to activate the PI3K/Akt pathway, resulting in the suppression of I/R injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangmei Zhao
- Department of Emergency, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Emergency, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lijie Qin
- Department of Emergency, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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