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Xia H, Zhu J, Zheng Z, Xiao P, Yu X, Wu M, Xue L, Xu X, Wang X, Guo Y, Zheng C, Ding S, Wang Y, Peng X, Fu S, Li J, Deng X. Amino acids and their roles in tumor immunotherapy of breast cancer. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3647. [PMID: 38084655 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3647] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. The primary treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hormone therapy. The effectiveness of breast cancer therapy varies depending on the stage and aggressiveness of the cancer, as well as individual factors. Advances in early detection and improved treatments have significantly increased survival rates for breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, specific subtypes of breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer, still lack effective treatment strategies. Thus, novel and effective therapeutic targets for breast cancer need to be explored. As substrates of protein synthesis, amino acids are important sources of energy and nutrition, only secondly to glucose. The rich supply of amino acids enables the tumor to maintain its proliferative competence through participation in energy generation, nucleoside synthesis and maintenance of cellular redox balance. Amino acids also play an important role in immune-suppressive microenvironment formation. Thus, the biological effects of amino acids may change unexpectedly in tumor-specific or oncogene-dependent manners. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the study of amino acid metabolism, particularly in their potential application as therapeutic targets in breast cancer. In this review, we provide an update on amino acid metabolism and discuss the therapeutic implications of amino acids in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhuo Xia
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jianyu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jishou University, Jishou, Hunan, China
| | - Zhuomeng Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Peiyao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaohui Yu
- Department of Pathology, Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Muyao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lian Xue
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuxuan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chanjuan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Siyu Ding
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoning Peng
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jishou University, Jishou, Hunan, China
| | - Shujun Fu
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Junjun Li
- Department of Pathology, Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiyun Deng
- Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Departments of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathophysiology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Papalazarou V, Newman AC, Huerta-Uribe A, Legrave NM, Falcone M, Zhang T, McGarry L, Athineos D, Shanks E, Blyth K, Vousden KH, Maddocks ODK. Phenotypic profiling of solute carriers characterizes serine transport in cancer. Nat Metab 2023; 5:2148-2168. [PMID: 38066114 PMCID: PMC10730406 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-023-00936-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Serine is a vital amino acid in tumorigenesis. While cells can perform de novo serine synthesis, most transformed cells rely on serine uptake to meet their increased biosynthetic requirements. Solute carriers (SLCs), a family of transmembrane nutrient transport proteins, are the gatekeepers of amino acid acquisition and exchange in mammalian cells and are emerging as anticancer therapeutic targets; however, the SLCs that mediate serine transport in cancer cells remain unknown. Here we perform an arrayed RNAi screen of SLC-encoding genes while monitoring amino acid consumption and cell proliferation in colorectal cancer cells using metabolomics and high-throughput imaging. We identify SLC6A14 and SLC25A15 as major cytoplasmic and mitochondrial serine transporters, respectively. We also observe that SLC12A4 facilitates serine uptake. Dual targeting of SLC6A14 and either SLC25A15 or SLC12A4 diminishes serine uptake and growth of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, particularly in cells with compromised de novo serine biosynthesis. Our results provide insight into the mechanisms that contribute to serine uptake and intracellular handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios Papalazarou
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Alice C Newman
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alejandro Huerta-Uribe
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nathalie M Legrave
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Metabolomics Platform, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Department of Cancer Research, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Mattia Falcone
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tong Zhang
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Lynn McGarry
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Emma Shanks
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Karen Blyth
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Oliver D K Maddocks
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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Duncan RP, Anderson CMH, Thwaites DT, Luetje CW, Wilson ACC. Co-option of a conserved host glutamine transporter facilitates aphid/ Buchnera metabolic integration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308448120. [PMID: 37844224 PMCID: PMC10614625 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308448120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms across the tree of life colonize novel environments by partnering with bacterial symbionts. These symbioses are characterized by intimate integration of host/endosymbiont biology at multiple levels, including metabolically. Metabolic integration is particularly important for sap-feeding insects and their symbionts, which supplement nutritionally unbalanced host diets. Many studies reveal parallel evolution of host/endosymbiont metabolic complementarity in amino acid biosynthesis, raising questions about how amino acid metabolism is regulated, how regulatory mechanisms evolve, and the extent to which similar mechanisms evolve in different systems. In the aphid/Buchnera symbiosis, the transporter ApGLNT1 (Acyrthosiphon pisum glutamine transporter 1) supplies glutamine, an amino donor in transamination reactions, to bacteriocytes (where Buchnera reside) and is competitively inhibited by Buchnera-supplied arginine-consistent with a role regulating amino acid metabolism given host demand for Buchnera-produced amino acids. We examined how ApGLNT1 evolved a regulatory role by functionally characterizing orthologs in insects with and without endosymbionts. ApGLNT1 orthologs are functionally similar, and orthology searches coupled with homology modeling revealed that GLNT1 is ancient and structurally conserved across insects. Our results indicate that the ApGLNT1 symbiotic regulatory role is derived from its ancestral role and, in aphids, is likely facilitated by loss of arginine biosynthesis through the urea cycle. Given consistent loss of host arginine biosynthesis and retention of endosymbiont arginine supply, we hypothesize that GLNT1 is a general mechanism regulating amino acid metabolism in sap-feeding insects. This work fills a gap, highlighting the broad importance of co-option of ancestral proteins to novel contexts in the evolution of host/symbiont systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catriona M. H. Anderson
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon TyneNE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - David T. Thwaites
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon TyneNE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Charles W. Luetje
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL33136
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