1
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Feng J, Gong Z, Sun Z, Li J, Xu N, Thorne RF, Zhang XD, Liu X, Liu G. Microbiome and metabolic features of tissues and feces reveal diagnostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1034325. [PMID: 36712187 PMCID: PMC9880203 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1034325] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiome and their metabolites are increasingly being recognized for their role in colorectal cancer (CRC) carcinogenesis. Towards revealing new CRC biomarkers, we compared 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolite analyses in 10 CRC (TCRC) and normal paired tissues (THC) along with 10 matched fecal samples (FCRC) and 10 healthy controls (FHC). The highest microbial phyla abundance from THC and TCRC were Firmicutes, while the dominant phyla from FHC and FCRC were Bacteroidetes, with 72 different microbial genera identified among four groups. No changes in Chao1 indices were detected between tissues or between fecal samples whereas non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed distinctive clusters among fecal samples but not tissues. LEfSe analyses indicated Caulobacterales and Brevundimonas were higher in THC than in TCRC, while Burkholderialese, Sutterellaceaed, Tannerellaceaea, and Bacteroidaceae were higher in FHC than in FCRC. Microbial association networks indicated some genera had substantially different correlations. Tissue and fecal analyses indicated lipids and lipid-like molecules were the most abundant metabolites detected in fecal samples. Moreover, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on metabolic profiles showed distinct clusters for CRC and normal samples with a total of 102 differential metabolites between THC and TCRC groups and 700 metabolites different between FHC and FCRC groups. However, only Myristic acid was detected amongst all four groups. Highly significant positive correlations were recorded between genus-level microbiome and metabolomics data in tissue and feces. And several metabolites were associated with paired microbes, suggesting a strong microbiota-metabolome coupling, indicating also that part of the CRC metabolomic signature was attributable to microbes. Suggesting utility as potential biomarkers, most such microbiome and metabolites showed directionally consistent changes in CRC patients. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to increase sample sizes towards verifying these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Feng
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhizhong Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhangran Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Long Non-coding RNA and Cancer Metabolism, Translational Research Institute of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Oncology, BinHu Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, China
| | - Na Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Rick F. Thorne
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Long Non-coding RNA and Cancer Metabolism, Translational Research Institute of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China,School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Xu Dong Zhang
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Long Non-coding RNA and Cancer Metabolism, Translational Research Institute of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China,School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaoying Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Long Non-coding RNA and Cancer Metabolism, Translational Research Institute of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China,*Correspondence: Xiaoying Liu, ✉
| | - Gang Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Gang Liu, ✉
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2
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Yang XL, Wang P, Ye H, Jiang M, Su YB, Peng XX, Li H, Zhang JY. Untargeted serum metabolomics reveals potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways associated with esophageal cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:938234. [PMID: 36176418 PMCID: PMC9513043 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.938234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolomics has been reported as an efficient tool to screen biomarkers that are related to esophageal cancer. However, the metabolic biomarkers identifying malignant degrees and therapeutic efficacy are still largely unknown in the disease. Here, GC-MS-based metabolomics was used to understand metabolic alteration in 137 serum specimens from patients with esophageal cancer, which is approximately two- to fivefold as many plasma specimens as the previous reports. The elevated amino acid metabolism is in sharp contrast to the reduced carbohydrate as a characteristic feature of esophageal cancer. Comparative metabolomics showed that most metabolic differences were determined between the early stage (0–II) and the late stage (III and IV) among the 0–IV stages of esophageal cancer and between patients who received treatment and those who did not receive treatment. Glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism and glycine were identified as the potentially overlapped metabolic pathway and metabolite, respectively, in both disease progress and treatment effect. Glycine, fructose, ornithine, and threonine can be a potential array for the evaluation of disease prognosis and therapy in esophageal cancer. These results highlight the means of identifying previously unknown biomarkers related to esophageal cancer by a metabolomics approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Epidemiology and College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hua Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Epidemiology and College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-bin Su
- Key Laboratory of Functional Protein Research of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan-xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Control, School of Life Sciences, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University, University City, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jian-ying Zhang, ; Hui Li,
| | - Jian-ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Academy of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jian-ying Zhang, ; Hui Li,
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3
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Zang B, Wang W, Wang Y, Li P, Xia T, Liu X, Chen D, Piao HL, Qi H, Ma Y. Metabolomic Characterization Reveals ILF2 and ILF3 Affected Metabolic Adaptions in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:721990. [PMID: 34568427 PMCID: PMC8459612 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.721990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common malignant disease in eastern countries. However, a study of the metabolomic characteristics associated with other biological factors in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is limited. Interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 (ILF2) and ILF3, double-stranded RNA-binding proteins, have been reported to contribute to the occurrence and development of various types of malignancy. Nevertheless, the underlying functions of ILF2 and ILF3 in ESCC metabolic reprogramming have never been reported. This study aimed to contribute to the metabolic characterization of ESCC and to investigate the metabolomic alterations associated with ILF2 and ILF3 in ESCC tissues. Here, we identified 112 differential metabolites, which were mainly enriched in phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism pathways, based on liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry approaches using ESCC tissues and paired para-cancer tissues from twenty-eight ESCC patients. In addition, ILF2 and ILF3 expression were significantly elevated in EC tissues compared to the histologically normal samples, and closely associated with PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways in ESCC. Moreover, in ESCC tissues with a high ILF2 expression, several short-chain acyl-carnitines (C3:0, C4:0, and C5:0) related to the BCAA metabolic pathway and long-chain acyl-carnitines (C14:0, C16:0, C16:0-OH, and C18:0) involved in the oxidation of fatty acids were obviously upregulated. Additionally, a series of intermediate metabolites involved in the glycolysis pathway, including G6P/F6P, F1,6BP, DHAP, G3P, and 2,3BPG, were remarkably downregulated in highly ILF3-expressed ESCC tissues compared with the corresponding para-cancer tissues. Overall, these findings may provide evidence for the roles of ILF2 and ILF3 during the process of ESCC metabolic alterations, and new insights into the development of early diagnosis and treatment for ESCC. Further investigation is needed to clarify the underlying mechanism of ILF2 and ILF3 on acyl-carnitines and the glycolysis pathway, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Wen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Yiqian Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Pengfei Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China
| | - Tian Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Di Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Hai-Long Piao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Huan Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Yegang Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, China
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4
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Huang S, Guo Y, Li Z, Zhang Y, Zhou T, You W, Pan K, Li W. A systematic review of metabolomic profiling of gastric cancer and esophageal cancer. Cancer Biol Med 2021; 17:181-198. [PMID: 32296585 PMCID: PMC7142846 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2019.0348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers, predominantly gastric cancer (GC) and esophageal cancer (EC), are malignant tumor types with high morbidity and mortality rates. Accumulating studies have focused on metabolomic profiling of UGI cancers in recent years. In this systematic review, we have provided a collective summary of previous findings on metabolites and metabolomic profiling associated with GC and EC. Methods: A systematic search of three databases (Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science) for molecular epidemiologic studies on the metabolomic profiles of GC and EC was conducted. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of the included articles. Results: A total of 52 original studies were included for review. A number of metabolites were differentially distributed between GC and EC cases and non-cases, including those involved in glycolysis, anaerobic respiration, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and protein and lipid metabolism. Lactic acid, glucose, citrate, and fumaric acid were among the most frequently reported metabolites of cellular respiration while glutamine, glutamate, and valine were among the most commonly reported amino acids. The lipid metabolites identified previously included saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids, aldehydes, and ketones. However, the key findings across studies to date have been inconsistent, potentially due to limited sample sizes and the majority being hospital-based case-control analyses lacking an independent replication group. Conclusions: Studies on metabolomics have thus far provided insights into etiological factors and biomarkers for UGI cancers, supporting the potential of applying metabolomic profiling in cancer prevention and management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Huang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Zhexuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Weicheng You
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Kaifeng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Wenqing Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.,Joint International Research Center of Translational and Clinical Research, Beijing 100142, China
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5
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Jin X, Liu L, Wu J, Jin X, Yu G, Jia L, Wang F, Shi M, Lu H, Liu J, Liu D, Yang J, Li H, Ni Y, Luo Q, Jia W, Wang W, Chen W. A multi-omics study delineates new molecular features and therapeutic targets for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e538. [PMID: 34586744 PMCID: PMC8473482 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major histological subtype of esophageal cancer with inferior prognosis. Here, we conducted comprehensive transcriptomic, proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and metabolomic characterization of human, treatment-naive ESCC and paired normal adjacent tissues (cohort 1, n = 24) in an effort to identify new molecular vulnerabilities for ESCC and potential therapeutic targets. Integrative analysis revealed a small group of genes that were related to the active posttranscriptional and posttranslational regulation of ESCC. By using proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and metabolomic data, networks of ESCC-related signaling and metabolic pathways that were closely linked to cancer etiology were unraveled. Notably, integrative analysis of proteomic and phosphoproteomic data pinpointed that certain pathways involved in RNA transcription, processing, and metabolism were stimulated in ESCC. Importantly, proteins with close linkage to ESCC prognosis were identified. By enrolling an ESCC patient cohort 2 (n = 41), three top-ranked prognostic proteins X-prolyl aminopeptidase 3 (XPNPEP3), bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor (BPTF), and fibrillarin (FBL) were verified to have increased expression in ESCC. Among these prognostic proteins, only FBL, a well-known nucleolar methyltransferase, was essential for ESCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, a validation study using an ESCC patient cohort 3 (n = 100) demonstrated that high FBL expression predicted unfavorable patient survival. Finally, common cancer/testis antigens and established cancer drivers and kinases, all of which could direct therapeutic decisions, were characterized. Collectively, our multi-omics analyses delineated new molecular features associated with ESCC pathobiology involving epigenetic, posttranscriptional, posttranslational, and metabolic characteristics, and unveiled new molecular vulnerabilities with therapeutic potential for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Jin
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Jia Wu
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaoxia Jin
- Department of PathologyThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Guanzhen Yu
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Lijun Jia
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Fengying Wang
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Minxin Shi
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Haimin Lu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Jibin Liu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Dan Liu
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Jing Yang
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Hua Li
- Bio‐ID CenterSchool of Biomedical EngineeringShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yan Ni
- The Children's HospitalNational Clinical Research Center for Child HealthZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Qin Luo
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Wei Jia
- Hong Kong Traditional Chinese Medicine Phenome Research CenterSchool of Chinese MedicineHong Kong Baptist UniversityKowloon TongHong KongChina
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Wen‐Lian Chen
- Cancer InstituteLonghua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
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6
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Aftabi Y, Soleymani J, Jouyban A. Efficacy of Analytical Technologies in Metabolomics Studies of the Gastrointestinal Cancers. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2021; 52:1593-1605. [PMID: 33757389 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2021.1901646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
According to the reports of the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, cancer is the second leading cause of human death worldwide. However, early-stage detection of cancers can efficiently enhance the chance of therapy and saving lives. Metabolomics strategies apply a variety of approaches to discover new potential diagnoses, prognoses, and/or therapeutic biomarkers of various diseases. Metabolomics aims to identify and measure different low-molecular-weight biomolecules in physiological environments. In these studies, special metabolites are extracted from biological samples and identified using analytical techniques. Afterward, using data processing programs discovering significantly associated biomarkers is pursued. In the present review, we aimed to discuss recently reported analytical approaches on the metabolomics studies of gastrointestinal cancers including gastric, colorectal, and esophageal cancers. The gas- and liquid-chromatography with different detectors have been shown that are the main analytical techniques and for metabolites quantification, nuclear magnetic resonance has been utilized as a master method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younes Aftabi
- Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jafar Soleymani
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Abolghasem Jouyban
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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7
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Zhang Y, Wang J, Dai N, Han P, Li J, Zhao J, Yuan W, Zhou J, Zhou F. Alteration of plasma metabolites associated with chemoradiosensitivity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via untargeted metabolomics approach. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:835. [PMID: 32878621 PMCID: PMC7466788 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07336-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the differences in plasma metabolomic characteristics between pathological complete response (pCR) and non-pCR patients and identify biomarker candidates for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS A total of 46 ESCC patients were included in this study. Gas chromatography time-of- flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) technology was applied to detect the plasma samples collected before nCRT via untargeted metabolomics analysis. RESULTS Five differentially expressed metabolites (out of 109) was found in plasma between pCR and non-pCR groups. Compared with non-pCR group, isocitric acid (p = 0.0129), linoleic acid (p = 0.0137), citric acid (p = 0.0473) were upregulated, while L-histidine (p = 0.0155), 3'4 dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (p = 0.0339) were downregulated in the pCR plasma samples. Pathway analyses unveiled that citrate cycle (TCA cycle), glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolic pathway were associated with ESCC chemoradiosensitivity. CONCLUSION The present study provided supporting evidence that GC-TOF/MS based metabolomics approach allowed identification of metabolite differences between pCR and non-pCR patients in plasma levels, and the systemic metabolic status of patients may reflect the response of ESCC patient to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaowen Zhang
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China
| | - Jianpo Wang
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China
| | - Ningtao Dai
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China
| | - Peng Han
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China
| | - Jian Li
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China
| | - Jiangman Zhao
- Shanghai Zhangjiang Institue of Medical Innovation, Shanghai Biotecan Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., 180 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Weilan Yuan
- Shanghai Zhangjiang Institue of Medical Innovation, Shanghai Biotecan Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., 180 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Jiahuan Zhou
- Shanghai Zhangjiang Institue of Medical Innovation, Shanghai Biotecan Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., 180 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201204, China.
| | - Fuyou Zhou
- Anyang Cancer Hospital, The 4th Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, No.1 Huanbin North Road, Anyang, 455000, Henan Province, China.
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8
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Chen Z, Dai Y, Huang X, Chen K, Gao Y, Li N, Wang D, Chen A, Yang Q, Hong Y, Zeng S, Mao W. Combined Metabolomic Analysis of Plasma and Tissue Reveals a Prognostic Risk Score System and Metabolic Dysregulation in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1545. [PMID: 32984013 PMCID: PMC7479226 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a gastrointestinal malignancy with a poor prognosis. Although studies have shown metabolic reprogramming to be linked to ESCC development, no prognostic metabolic biomarkers or potential therapeutic metabolic targets have been identified. Method: The present study investigated some circulating metabolites associated with overall survival in 276 curatively resected ESCC patients using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry metabolomics and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Tissue metabolomic analysis of 23-paired ESCC tissue samples was performed to discover metabolic dysregulation in ESCC cancerous tissue. A method consisting of support vector machine recursive feature elimination and LIMMA differential expression analysis was utilized to select promising feature genes within transcriptomic data from 179-paired ESCC tissue samples. Joint pathway analysis with genes and metabolites identified relevant metabolic pathways and targets for ESCC. Results: Four metabolites, kynurenine, 1-myristoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC(14:0)sn-1), 2-piperidinone, and hippuric acid, were identified as prognostic factors in the preoperative plasma from ESCC patients. A risk score consisting of kynurenine and LPC(14:0)sn-1 significantly improved the prognostic performance of the tumor-node-metastasis staging system and was able to stratify risk for ESCC. Combined tissue metabolomic analysis and support vector machine recursive feature elimination gene selection revealed dysregulated kynurenine pathway as an important metabolic feature of ESCC, including accumulation of tryptophan, formylkynurenine, and kynurenine, as well as up-regulated indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 in ESCC cancerous tissue. Conclusions: This work identified for the first time four potential prognostic circulating metabolites. In addition, kynurenine pathway metabolism was shown to be up-regulated tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism in ESCC. Results not only provide a metabolite-based risk score system for prognosis, but also improve the understanding of the molecular basis of ESCC onset and progression, and as well as novel potential therapeutic targets for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjian Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yalan Dai
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiancong Huang
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keke Chen
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,School of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yun Gao
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Na Li
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ding Wang
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Aiping Chen
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingxia Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanjun Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Su Zeng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weimin Mao
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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9
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Fong LY, Taccioli C, Palamarchuk A, Tagliazucchi GM, Jing R, Smalley KJ, Fan S, Altemus J, Fiehn O, Huebner K, Farber JL, Croce CM. Abrogation of esophageal carcinoma development in miR-31 knockout rats. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:6075-6085. [PMID: 32123074 PMCID: PMC7084137 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920333117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) is overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a deadly disease associated with dietary Zn deficiency and inflammation. In a Zn deficiency-promoted rat ESCC model with miR-31 up-regulation, cancer-associated inflammation, and a high ESCC burden following N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA) exposure, systemic antimiR-31 delivery reduced ESCC incidence from 85 to 45% (P = 0.038) and miR-31 gene knockout abrogated development of ESCC (P = 1 × 10-6). Transcriptomics, genome sequencing, and metabolomics analyses in these Zn-deficient rats revealed the molecular basis of ESCC abrogation by miR-31 knockout. Our identification of EGLN3, a known negative regulator of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), as a direct target of miR-31 establishes a functional link between oncomiR-31, tumor suppressor target EGLN3, and up-regulated NF-κB-controlled inflammation signaling. Interaction among oncogenic miR-31, EGLN3 down-regulation, and inflammation was also documented in human ESCCs. miR-31 deletion resulted in suppression of miR-31-associated EGLN3/NF-κB-controlled inflammatory pathways. ESCC-free, Zn-deficient miR-31-/- rat esophagus displayed no genome instability and limited metabolic activity changes vs. the pronounced mutational burden and ESCC-associated metabolic changes of Zn-deficient wild-type rats. These results provide conclusive evidence that miR-31 expression is necessary for ESCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Y Fong
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107;
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Cristian Taccioli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Alexey Palamarchuk
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | | | - Ruiyan Jing
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Karl J Smalley
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Sili Fan
- NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Joseph Altemus
- Office of Animal Resources, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Oliver Fiehn
- NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Kay Huebner
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - John L Farber
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Carlo M Croce
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210;
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10
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Wu XM, Jin C, Gu YL, Chen WQ, Zhu MQ, Zhang S, Zhang Z. Gluconokinase IDNK Promotes Cell Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:1767-1776. [PMID: 32161472 PMCID: PMC7049873 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s234055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers globally with a poor prognosis. Breakthroughs in the treatment of HCC are urgently needed. This study explored the role of IDNK in the development and progression of HCC. Methods IDNK expression was suppressed using short hairpin (shRNA) in BEL-7404 and Huh-7 cells. The expression of IDNK in HCC cells after IDNK knockdown was evaluated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis and Western blot. After IDNK silencing, the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells were evaluated by Celigo cell counting, flow cytometry analysis, MTT assay, and caspase3/7 assay. Gene expressions in BEL-7404 cells transfected with IDNK shRNA lentivirus plasmid and blank control plasmid were evaluated by microarray analysis. The differentially expressed genes induced by deregulation of IDNKwere identified, followed by pathway analysis. Results The expression of IDNK at the mRNA and protein levels was considerably reduced in shRNA IDNK transfected cells. Knockdown of IDNK significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. A total of 1196 genes (585 upregulated and 611 downregulated) were differentially expressed in IDNK knockdown BEL-7404 cells. The pathway of tRNA charging with Z-score = -3 was significantly inhibited in BEL-7404 cells with IDNK knockdown. Conclusion IDNK plays a key role in the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells. IDNK may be a candidate therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Min Wu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Long Gu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, People's Republic of China
| | - Wu-Qiang Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, People's Republic of China
| | - Mao-Qun Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214041, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214062, People's Republic of China
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11
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González-Riano C, Dudzik D, Garcia A, Gil-de-la-Fuente A, Gradillas A, Godzien J, López-Gonzálvez Á, Rey-Stolle F, Rojo D, Ruperez FJ, Saiz J, Barbas C. Recent Developments along the Analytical Process for Metabolomics Workflows. Anal Chem 2019; 92:203-226. [PMID: 31625723 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina González-Riano
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Danuta Dudzik
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain.,Department of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy , Medical University of Gdańsk , 80-210 Gdańsk , Poland
| | - Antonia Garcia
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Alberto Gil-de-la-Fuente
- Department of Information Technology, Escuela Politécnica Superior , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , 28003 Madrid , Spain
| | - Ana Gradillas
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Joanna Godzien
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain.,Clinical Research Centre , Medical University of Bialystok , 15-089 Bialystok , Poland
| | - Ángeles López-Gonzálvez
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Fernanda Rey-Stolle
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - David Rojo
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Francisco J Ruperez
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Jorge Saiz
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Pharmacy Faculty , Universidad San Pablo-CEU , Boadilla del Monte , 28668 Madrid , Spain
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12
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Mycielska ME, Mohr MTJ, Schmidt K, Drexler K, Rümmele P, Haferkamp S, Schlitt HJ, Gaumann A, Adamski J, Geissler EK. Potential Use of Gluconate in Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol 2019; 9:522. [PMID: 31275855 PMCID: PMC6593216 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently discovered that cancer cells take up extracellular citrate through plasma membrane citrate transporter (pmCiC) and advantageously use citrate for their metabolism. Citrate uptake can be blocked with gluconate and this results in decreased tumor growth and altered metabolic characteristics of tumor tissue. Interestingly, gluconate, considered to be physiologically neutral, is incidentally used in medicine as a cation carrier, but not as a therapeutically active substance. In this review we discuss the results of our recent research with available literature and suggest that gluconate may be useful in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Mycielska
- Section of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Markus T J Mohr
- Metempyrosis-Data Analysis in Medicine and Information Technology, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Schmidt
- Section of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Konstantin Drexler
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Petra Rümmele
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Haferkamp
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hans J Schlitt
- Section of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Gaumann
- Institute of Pathology Kaufbeuren-Ravensburg, Kaufbeuren, Germany
| | - Jerzy Adamski
- Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.,Lehrstuhl Für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Edward K Geissler
- Section of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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13
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A critical review of the role of M 2PYK in the Warburg effect. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2019; 1871:225-239. [PMID: 30708038 PMCID: PMC6525063 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
It is becoming generally accepted in recent literature that the Warburg effect in cancer depends on inhibition of M2PYK, the pyruvate kinase isozyme most commonly expressed in tumors. We remain skeptical. There continues to be a general lack of solid experimental evidence for the underlying idea that a bottle neck in aerobic glycolysis at the level of M2PYK results in an expanded pool of glycolytic intermediates (which are thought to serve as building blocks necessary for proliferation and growth of cancer cells). If a bottle neck at M2PYK exists, then the remarkable increase in lactate production by cancer cells is a paradox, particularly since a high percentage of the carbons of lactate originate from glucose. The finding that pyruvate kinase activity is invariantly increased rather than decreased in cancer undermines the logic of the M2PYK bottle neck, but is consistent with high lactate production. The "inactive" state of M2PYK in cancer is often described as a dimer (with reduced substrate affinity) that has dissociated from an active tetramer of M2PYK. Although M2PYK clearly dissociates easier than other isozymes of pyruvate kinase, it is not clear that dissociation of the tetramer occurs in vivo when ligands are present that promote tetramer formation. Furthermore, it is also not clear whether the dissociated dimer retains any activity at all. A number of non-canonical functions for M2PYK have been proposed, all of which can be challenged by the finding that not all cancer cell types are dependent on M2PYK expression. Additional in-depth studies of the Warburg effect and specifically of the possible regulatory role of M2PYK in the Warburg effect are needed.
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