bims-camemi Biomed News
on Mitochondrial metabolism in cancer
Issue of 2021‒03‒21
fifty-one papers selected by
Christian Frezza,

  1. The mitochondrial carrier SFXN1 is critical for complex III integrity and cellular metabolism.
  2. AMPK-dependent phosphorylation is required for transcriptional activation of TFEB and TFE3.
  3. Rheb mediates neuronal-activity-induced mitochondrial energetics through mTORC1-independent PDH activation.
  4. Peroxisomal-derived ether phospholipids link nucleotides to respirasome assembly.
  5. Metabolic implications of non-Electrogenic ATP/ADP exchange in Cancer cells: A mechanistic basis for the Warburg effect.
  6. Metabolic Reprogramming in Anticancer Drug Resistance: A Focus on Amino Acids.
  7. SILAC-based complexome profiling dissects the structural organization of the human respiratory supercomplexes in SCAFIKO cells.
  8. Branched-chain α-ketoacids are preferentially reaminated and activate protein synthesis in the heart.
  9. Mitochondrial morphology, bioenergetics and proteomic responses in fatty acid oxidation disorders.
  10. Fasting-induced FOXO4 blunts human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness.
  11. Mitophagy protein PINK1 suppresses colon tumor growth by metabolic reprogramming via p53 activation and reducing acetyl-CoA production.
  12. NIK promotes metabolic adaptation of glioblastoma cells to bioenergetic stress.
  13. Cancer cells escape autophagy inhibition via NRF2-induced macropinocytosis.
  14. Energy Metabolism Design of the Striated Muscle Cell.
  15. Lysosomes and Cancer Progression: A Malignant Liaison.
  16. Mitochondrial dynamics in health and disease.
  17. Tracing Nitrogen Metabolism in Mouse Tissues with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
  18. Hsp90-mediated regulation of DYRK3 couples stress granule disassembly and growth via mTORC1 signaling.
  19. Regulation of the redox metabolome and thiol proteome by hydrogen sulfide.
  20. Metabolic regulation of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells.
  21. Loss of Mitochondrial Protease CLPP Activates Type I IFN Responses through the Mitochondrial DNA-cGAS-STING Signaling Axis.
  22. SGK1 signaling promotes glucose metabolism and survival in extracellular matrix detached cells.
  23. Choline restores respiration in Psd1-deficient yeast by replenishing mitochondrial phosphatidylethanolamine.
  24. Mitophagy in Pancreatic Cancer.
  25. Mitochondria-rough-ER contacts in the liver regulate systemic lipid homeostasis.
  26. DRP1 Promotes BRAFV600E-Driven Tumor Progression and Metabolic Reprogramming in Colorectal Cancer.
  27. Autophagy facilitates mitochondrial rebuilding after acute heat stress via a DRP-1-dependent process.
  28. Rewiring of purine metabolism in response to acidosis stress in glioma stem cells.
  29. Crtc modulates fasting programs associated with 1-C metabolism and inhibition of insulin signaling.
  30. Citrullination of pyruvate kinase M2 by PADI1 and PADI3 regulates glycolysis and cancer cell proliferation.
  31. Impaired phosphatidylethanolamine metabolism activates a reversible stress response that detects and resolves mutant mitochondrial precursors.
  32. The lysosomal membrane protein Sidt2 is a vital regulator of mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.
  33. Harnessing metabolic dependencies in pancreatic cancers.
  34. Gene duplications trace mitochondria to the onset of eukaryote complexity.
  35. Excessive exercise training causes mitochondrial functional impairment and decreases glucose tolerance in healthy volunteers.
  36. Functional segmentation of CoQ and cyt c pools by respiratory complex superassembly.
  37. The Mevalonate Pathway, a Metabolic Target in Cancer Therapy.
  38. Lipid Metabolism in Cancer Cells.
  39. Lipid Metabolism in Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells.
  40. Dimethyl Itaconate-Loaded Nanofibers Rewrite Macrophage Polarization, Reduce Inflammation, and Enhance Repair of Myocardic Infarction.
  41. Measurement of Metabolites from Migrating Cells.
  42. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based 18O stable isotope labeling of Krebs cycle intermediates.
  43. Aging: All roads lead to mitochondria.
  44. Dietary restriction transforms the mammalian protein persulfidome in a tissue-specific and cystathionine γ-lyase-dependent manner.
  45. Mutagenesis screen uncovers lifespan extension through integrated stress response inhibition without reduced mRNA translation.
  46. Histone lactylation drives oncogenesis by facilitating m6A reader protein YTHDF2 expression in ocular melanoma.
  47. Metabolic plasticity allows cancer cells to thrive under nutrient starvation.
  48. Very long chain fatty acid metabolism is required in acute myeloid leukemia.
  49. The landscape of immune cell infiltration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma to aid immunotherapy.
  50. Non-IDH1-R132H IDH1/2 mutations are associated with increased DNA methylation and improved survival in astrocytomas, compared to IDH1-R132H mutations.
  51. A nuclear-based quality control pathway for non-imported mitochondrial proteins.
  1. Cell Rep. 2021 Mar 16. pii: S2211-1247(21)00183-2. [Epub ahead of print]34(11): 108869
    The mitochondrial carrier SFXN1 is critical for complex III integrity and cellular metabolism.
    Michelle Grace Acoba, Ebru S Selen Alpergin, Santosh Renuse, Lucía Fernández-Del-Río, Ya-Wen Lu, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Catherine F Clarke, Akhilesh Pandey, Michael J Wolfgang, Steven M Claypool.
      Mitochondrial carriers (MCs) mediate the passage of small molecules across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), enabling regulated crosstalk between compartmentalized reactions. Despite MCs representing the largest family of solute carriers in mammals, most have not been subjected to a comprehensive investigation, limiting our understanding of their metabolic contributions. Here, we functionally characterize SFXN1, a member of the non-canonical, sideroflexin family. We find that SFXN1, an integral IMM protein with an uneven number of transmembrane domains, is a TIM22 complex substrate. SFXN1 deficiency leads to mitochondrial respiratory chain impairments, most detrimental to complex III (CIII) biogenesis, activity, and assembly, compromising coenzyme Q levels. The CIII dysfunction is independent of one-carbon metabolism, the known primary role for SFXN1 as a mitochondrial serine transporter. Instead, SFXN1 supports CIII function by participating in heme and α-ketoglutarate metabolism. Our findings highlight the multiple ways that SFXN1-based amino acid transport impacts mitochondrial and cellular metabolic efficiency.
    Keywords:  Complex III; OXPHOS; SFXN1; TIM22 complex; amino acid; heme; mitochondria; mitochondrial carrier; serine; sideroflexin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108869
  2. Autophagy. 2021 Mar 18. 1-19
    AMPK-dependent phosphorylation is required for transcriptional activation of TFEB and TFE3.
    Mathieu Paquette, Leeanna El-Houjeiri, Linda C Zirden, Pietri Puustinen, Paola Blanchette, Hyeonju Jeong, Kurt Dejgaard, Peter M Siegel, Arnim Pause.
      Increased macroautophagy/autophagy and lysosomal activity promote tumor growth, survival and chemo-resistance. During acute starvation, autophagy is rapidly engaged by AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) activation and MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) complex 1 (MTORC1) inhibition to maintain energy homeostasis and cell survival. TFEB (transcription factor E3) and TFE3 (transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3) are master transcriptional regulators of autophagy and lysosomal activity and their cytoplasm/nuclear shuttling is controlled by MTORC1-dependent multisite phosphorylation. However, it is not known whether and how the transcriptional activity of TFEB or TFE3 is regulated. We show that AMPK mediates phosphorylation of TFEB and TFE3 on three serine residues, leading to TFEB and TFE3 transcriptional activity upon nutrient starvation, FLCN (folliculin) depletion and pharmacological manipulation of MTORC1 or AMPK. Collectively, we show that MTORC1 specifically controls TFEB and TFE3 cytosolic retention, whereas AMPK is essential for TFEB and TFE3 transcriptional activity. This dual and opposing regulation of TFEB and TFE3 by MTORC1 and AMPK is reminiscent of the regulation of another critical regulator of autophagy, ULK1 (unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1). Surprisingly, we show that chemoresistance is mediated by AMPK-dependent activation of TFEB, which is abolished by pharmacological inhibition of AMPK or mutation of serine 466, 467 and 469 to alanine residues within TFEB. Altogether, we show that AMPK is a key regulator of TFEB and TFE3 transcriptional activity, and we validate AMPK as a promising target in cancer therapy to evade chemotherapeutic resistance.AbbreviationsACACA: acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha; ACTB: actin beta; AICAR: 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; AMPKi: AMPK inhibitor, SBI-0206965; CA: constitutively active; CARM1: coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1; CFP: cyan fluorescent protein; CLEAR: coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation; DKO: double knock-out; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; DQ-BSA: self-quenched BODIPY® dye conjugates of bovine serum albumin; EBSS: Earle's balanced salt solution; FLCN: folliculin; GFP: green fluorescent protein; GST: glutathione S-transferases; HD: Huntington disease; HTT: huntingtin; KO: knock-out; LAMP1: lysosomal associated membrane protein 1; MEF: mouse embryonic fibroblasts; MITF: melanocyte inducing transcription factor; MTORC1: MTOR complex 1; PolyQ: polyglutamine; RPS6: ribosomal protein S6; RT-qPCR: reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction; TCL: total cell lysates; TFE3: transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3; TFEB: transcription factor EB; TKO: triple knock-out; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1.
    Keywords:  AMP-activated protein kinase; autophagy; drug resistance; lysosomal biogenesis; mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; phosphorylation; transcription factor E3; transcription factor EB
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2021.1898748
  3. Dev Cell. 2021 Mar 09. pii: S1534-5807(21)00162-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    Rheb mediates neuronal-activity-induced mitochondrial energetics through mTORC1-independent PDH activation.
    Wanchun Yang, Dejiang Pang, Mina Chen, Chongyangzi Du, Lanlan Jia, Luoling Wang, Yunling He, Wanxiang Jiang, Liping Luo, Zongyan Yu, Mengqian Mao, Qiuyun Yuan, Ping Tang, Xiaoqiang Xia, Yiyuan Cui, Bo Jing, Alexander Platero, Yanhui Liu, Yuquan Wei, Paul F Worley, Bo Xiao.
      Neuronal activity increases energy consumption and requires balanced production to maintain neuronal function. How activity is coupled to energy production remains incompletely understood. Here, we report that Rheb regulates mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle flux of acetyl-CoA by activating pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) to increase ATP production. Rheb is induced by synaptic activity and lactate and dynamically trafficked to the mitochondrial matrix through its interaction with Tom20. Mitochondria-localized Rheb protein is required for activity-induced PDH activation and ATP production. Cell-type-specific gain- and loss-of-function genetic models for Rheb reveal reciprocal changes in PDH phosphorylation/activity, acetyl-CoA, and ATP that are not evident with genetic or pharmacological manipulations of mTORC1. Mechanistically, Rheb physically associates with PDH phosphatase (PDP), enhancing its activity and association with the catalytic E1α-subunit of PDH to reduce PDH phosphorylation and increase its activity. Findings identify Rheb as a nodal point that balances neuronal activity and neuroenergetics via Rheb-PDH axis.
    Keywords:  Rheb; mTORC1; mitochondria; neuroenergetics; neuronal activity; pyruvate dehydrogenase
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2021.02.022
  4. Nat Chem Biol. 2021 Mar 15.
    Peroxisomal-derived ether phospholipids link nucleotides to respirasome assembly.
    Christopher F Bennett, Katherine E O'Malley, Elizabeth A Perry, Eduardo Balsa, Pedro Latorre-Muro, Christopher L Riley, Chi Luo, Mark Jedrychowski, Steven P Gygi, Pere Puigserver.
      The protein complexes of the mitochondrial electron transport chain exist in isolation and in higher order assemblies termed supercomplexes (SCs) or respirasomes (SC I+III2+IV). The association of complexes I, III and IV into the respirasome is regulated by unknown mechanisms. Here, we designed a nanoluciferase complementation reporter for complex III and IV proximity to determine in vivo respirasome levels. In a chemical screen, we found that inhibitors of the de novo pyrimidine synthesis enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) potently increased respirasome assembly and activity. By-passing DHODH inhibition via uridine supplementation decreases SC assembly by altering mitochondrial phospholipid composition, specifically elevated peroxisomal-derived ether phospholipids. Cell growth rates upon DHODH inhibition depend on ether lipid synthesis and SC assembly. These data reveal that nucleotide pools signal to peroxisomes to modulate synthesis and transport of ether phospholipids to mitochondria for SC assembly, which are necessary for optimal cell growth in conditions of nucleotide limitation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-021-00772-z
  5. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 2021 Mar 12. pii: S0005-2728(21)00043-8. [Epub ahead of print] 148410
    Metabolic implications of non-Electrogenic ATP/ADP exchange in Cancer cells: A mechanistic basis for the Warburg effect.
    John J Lemasters.
      In post-mitotic cells, mitochondrial ATP/ADP exchange occurs by the adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT). Driven by membrane potential (ΔΨ), ANT catalyzes electrogenic exchange of ATP4- for ADP3-, leading to higher ATP/ADP ratios in the cytosol than mitochondria. In cancer cells, ATP/ADP exchange occurs not by ANT but likely via the non-electrogenic ATP-Mg/phosphate carrier. Consequences of non-electrogenic exchange are: 1) Cytosolic ATP/ADP decreases to stimulate aerobic glycolysis. 2) Without proton utilization for exchange, ATP/O increases by 35% for complete glucose oxidation. 3) Decreased cytosolic ATP/ADP•Pi increases NAD(P)H/NAD(P)+. Increased NADH increases lactate/pyruvate, and increased NADPH promotes anabolic metabolism. Fourth, increased mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ magnifies the redox span across Complexes I and III, which increases ΔΨ, reactive oxygen species generation, and susceptibility to ferroptosis. 5) Increased mitochondrial NADPH/NADP+ favors a reverse isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 reaction with citrate accumulation and export for biomass formation. Consequently, 2-oxoglutarate formation occurs largely via oxidation of glutamine, the preferred respiratory substrate of cancer cells. Overall, non-electrogenic ATP/ADP exchange promotes aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) and confers growth advantages to cancer cells.
    Keywords:  ATP/ADP exchange; Aerobic glycolysis; Cancer; Glutamine; Mitochondria; Warburg effect
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148410
  6. Trends Cancer. 2021 Mar 15. pii: S2405-8033(21)00046-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Metabolic Reprogramming in Anticancer Drug Resistance: A Focus on Amino Acids.
    Erica Pranzini, Elisa Pardella, Paolo Paoli, Sarah-Maria Fendt, Maria Letizia Taddei.
      Overcoming anticancer drug resistance is a major challenge in cancer therapy, requiring innovative strategies that consider the extensive tumor heterogeneity and adaptability. We provide recent evidence highlighting the key role of amino acid (AA) metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells and the supportive microenvironment in driving resistance to anticancer therapies. AAs sustain the acquisition of anticancer resistance by providing essential building blocks for biosynthetic pathways and for maintaining a balanced redox status, and modulating the epigenetic profile of both malignant and non-malignant cells. In addition, AAs support the reduced intrinsic susceptibility of cancer stem cells to antineoplastic therapies. These findings shed new light on the possibility of targeting nonresponding tumors by modulating AA availability through pharmacological or dietary interventions.
    Keywords:  amino acids; anticancer drug resistance; cancer metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2021.02.004
  7. Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 2021 Mar 13. pii: S0005-2728(21)00047-5. [Epub ahead of print] 148414
    SILAC-based complexome profiling dissects the structural organization of the human respiratory supercomplexes in SCAFIKO cells.
    Erika Fernández-Vizarra, Sandra López-Calcerrada, Luke E Formosa, Rafael Pérez-Pérez, Shujing Ding, Ian M Fearnley, Joaquín Arenas, Miguel A Martín, Massimo Zeviani, Michael T Ryan, Cristina Ugalde.
      The study of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) function in relation with its structural organization is of great interest due to the central role of this system in eukaryotic cell metabolism. The complexome profiling technique has provided invaluable information for our understanding of the composition and assembly of the individual MRC complexes, and also of their association into larger supercomplexes (SCs) and respirasomes. The formation of the SCs has been highly debated, and their assembly and regulation mechanisms are still unclear. Previous studies demonstrated a prominent role for COX7A2L (SCAFI) as a structural protein bridging the association of individual MRC complexes III and IV in the minor SC III2 + IV, although its relevance for respirasome formation and function remains controversial. In this work, we have used SILAC-based complexome profiling to dissect the structural organization of the human MRC in HEK293T cells depleted of SCAFI (SCAFIKO) by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. SCAFI ablation led to a preferential loss of SC III2 + IV and of a minor subset of respirasomes without affecting OXPHOS function. Our data suggest that the loss of SCAFI-dependent respirasomes in SCAFIKO cells is mainly due to alterations on early stages of CI assembly, without impacting the biogenesis of complexes III and IV. Contrary to the idea of SCAFI being the main player in respirasome formation, SILAC-complexome profiling showed that, in wild-type cells, the majority of respirasomes (ca. 70%) contained COX7A2 and that these species were present at roughly the same levels when SCAFI was knocked-out. We thus demonstrate the co-existence of structurally distinct respirasomes defined by the preferential binding of complex IV via COX7A2, rather than SCAFI, in human cultured cells.
    Keywords:  COX7A2; COX7A2L/SCAFI; Mitochondria; oxidative phosphorylation; respiratory chain; respiratory supercomplexes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2021.148414
  8. Nat Commun. 2021 03 15. 12(1): 1680
    Branched-chain α-ketoacids are preferentially reaminated and activate protein synthesis in the heart.
    Jacquelyn M Walejko, Bridgette A Christopher, Scott B Crown, Guo-Fang Zhang, Adrian Pickar-Oliver, Takeshi Yoneshiro, Matthew W Foster, Stephani Page, Stephan van Vliet, Olga Ilkayeva, Michael J Muehlbauer, Matthew W Carson, Joseph T Brozinick, Craig D Hammond, Ruth E Gimeno, M Arthur Moseley, Shingo Kajimura, Charles A Gersbach, Christopher B Newgard, Phillip J White, Robert W McGarrah.
      Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and their cognate α-ketoacids (BCKA) are elevated in an array of cardiometabolic diseases. Here we demonstrate that the major metabolic fate of uniformly-13C-labeled α-ketoisovalerate ([U-13C]KIV) in the heart is reamination to valine. Activation of cardiac branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) by treatment with the BCKDH kinase inhibitor, BT2, does not impede the strong flux of [U-13C]KIV to valine. Sequestration of BCAA and BCKA away from mitochondrial oxidation is likely due to low levels of expression of the mitochondrial BCAA transporter SLC25A44 in the heart, as its overexpression significantly lowers accumulation of [13C]-labeled valine from [U-13C]KIV. Finally, exposure of perfused hearts to levels of BCKA found in obese rats increases phosphorylation of the translational repressor 4E-BP1 as well as multiple proteins in the MEK-ERK pathway, leading to a doubling of total protein synthesis. These data suggest that elevated BCKA levels found in obesity may contribute to pathologic cardiac hypertrophy via chronic activation of protein synthesis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21962-2
  9. Redox Biol. 2021 Mar 02. pii: S2213-2317(21)00071-9. [Epub ahead of print]41 101923
    Mitochondrial morphology, bioenergetics and proteomic responses in fatty acid oxidation disorders.
    Serena Raimo, Gabriella Zura-Miller, Hossein Fezelinia, Lynn A Spruce, Iordanis Zakopoulos, Al-Walid Mohsen, Jerry Vockley, Harry Ischiropoulos.
      Mutations in nuclear genes encoding for mitochondrial proteins very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) and trifunctional protein (TFP) cause rare autosomal recessive disorders. Studies in fibroblasts derived from patients with mutations in VLCAD and TFP exhibit mitochondrial defects. To gain insights on pathological changes that account for the mitochondrial deficits we performed quantitative proteomic, biochemical, and morphometric analyses in fibroblasts derived from subjects with three different VLCAD and three different TFP mutations. Proteomic data that was corroborated by antibody-based detection, indicated reduced levels of VLCAD and TFP protein in cells with VLCAD and TFP mutations respectively, which in part accounted for the diminished fatty acid oxidation capacity. Decreased mitochondrial respiratory capacity in cells with VLCAD and TFP mutations was quantified after glucose removal and cells with TFP mutations had lower levels of glycogen. Despite these energetic deficiencies, the cells with VLCAD and TFP mutations did not exhibit changes in mitochondria morphology, distribution, fusion and fission, quantified by either confocal or transmission electron microscopy and corroborated by proteomic and antibody-based protein analysis. Fibroblasts with VLCAD and to a lesser extend cells with TFP mutations had increased levels of mitochondrial respiratory chain proteins and proteins that facilitate the assembly of respiratory complexes. With the exception of reduced levels of catalase and glutathione S-transferase theta-1 in cells with TFP mutations, the levels of 45 proteins across all major intracellular antioxidant networks were similar between cells with VLCAD and TFP mutations and non-disease controls. Collectively the data indicate that despite the metabolic deficits, cells with VLCAD and TFP mutations maintain their proteomic integrity to preserve cellular and mitochondria architecture, support energy production and protect against oxidative stress.
    Keywords:  Beta-oxidation; Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA); Mitochondria; Proteomics; Trifunctional protein (TFP); Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD)
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2021.101923
  10. Nat Metab. 2021 Mar 15.
    Fasting-induced FOXO4 blunts human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness.
    Kim Han, Komudi Singh, Matthew J Rodman, Shahin Hassanzadeh, Kaiyuan Wu, An Nguyen, Rebecca D Huffstutler, Fayaz Seifuddin, Pradeep K Dagur, Ankit Saxena, J Philip McCoy, Jinguo Chen, Angélique Biancotto, Katherine E R Stagliano, Heather L Teague, Nehal N Mehta, Mehdi Pirooznia, Michael N Sack.
      Intermittent fasting blunts inflammation in asthma1 and rheumatoid arthritis2, suggesting that fasting may be exploited as an immune-modulatory intervention. However, the mechanisms underpinning the anti-inflammatory effects of fasting are poorly characterized3-5. Here, we show that fasting in humans is sufficient to blunt CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness. RNA sequencing and flow cytometry immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from volunteers subjected to overnight or 24-h fasting and 3 h of refeeding suggest that fasting blunts CD4+ T helper cell activation and differentiation. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that longer fasting has a more robust effect on CD4+ T-cell biology. Through bioinformatics analyses, we identify the transcription factor FOXO4 and its canonical target FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) as a potential fasting-responsive regulatory axis. Genetic gain- or loss-of-function of FOXO4 and FKBP5 is sufficient to modulate TH1 and TH17 cytokine production. Moreover, we find that fasting-induced or genetic overexpression of FOXO4 and FKBP5 is sufficient to downregulate mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signalling and suppress signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/3 activation. Our results identify FOXO4-FKBP5 as a new fasting-induced, signal transducer and activator of transcription-mediated regulatory pathway to blunt human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00356-0
  11. Cell Death Differ. 2021 Mar 15.
    Mitophagy protein PINK1 suppresses colon tumor growth by metabolic reprogramming via p53 activation and reducing acetyl-CoA production.
    Kunlun Yin, Jordan Lee, Zhaoli Liu, Hyeoncheol Kim, David R Martin, Dandan Wu, Meilian Liu, Xiang Xue.
      Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. Understanding the mechanisms of CRC progression is essential to improve treatment. Mitochondria is the powerhouse for healthy cells. However, in tumor cells, less energy is produced by the mitochondria and metabolic reprogramming is an early hallmark of cancer. The metabolic differences between normal and cancer cells are being interrogated to uncover new therapeutic approaches. Mitochondria targeting PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) is a key regulator of mitophagy, the selective elimination of damaged mitochondria by autophagy. Defective mitophagy is increasingly associated with various diseases including CRC. However, a significant gap exists in our understanding of how PINK1-dependent mitophagy participates in the metabolic regulation of CRC. By mining Oncomine, we found that PINK1 expression was downregulated in human CRC tissues compared to normal colons. Moreover, disruption of PINK1 increased colon tumorigenesis in two colitis-associated CRC mouse models, suggesting that PINK1 functions as a tumor suppressor in CRC. PINK1 overexpression in murine colon tumor cells promoted mitophagy, decreased glycolysis and increased mitochondrial respiration potentially via activation of p53 signaling pathways. In contrast, PINK1 deletion decreased apoptosis, increased glycolysis, and reduced mitochondrial respiration and p53 signaling. Interestingly, PINK1 overexpression in vivo increased apoptotic cell death and suppressed colon tumor xenograft growth. Metabolomic analysis revealed that acetyl-CoA was significantly reduced in tumors with PINK1 overexpression, which was partly due to activation of the HIF-1α-pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase 1 (PDHK1)-PDHE1α axis. Strikingly, treating mice with acetate increased acetyl-CoA levels and rescued PINK1-suppressed tumor growth. Importantly, PINK1 disruption simultaneously increased xenografted tumor growth and acetyl-CoA production. In conclusion, mitophagy protein PINK1 suppresses colon tumor growth by metabolic reprogramming and reducing acetyl-CoA production.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41418-021-00760-9
  12. Cell Death Dis. 2021 Mar 15. 12(3): 271
    NIK promotes metabolic adaptation of glioblastoma cells to bioenergetic stress.
    Michael L Kamradt, Ji-Ung Jung, Kathryn M Pflug, Dong W Lee, Victor Fanniel, Raquel Sitcheran.
      Cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), undergo coordinated reprogramming of metabolic pathways that control glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to promote tumor growth in diverse tumor microenvironments. Adaptation to limited nutrient availability in the microenvironment is associated with remodeling of mitochondrial morphology and bioenergetic capacity. We recently demonstrated that NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) regulates mitochondrial morphology to promote GBM cell invasion. Here, we show that NIK is recruited to the outer membrane of dividing mitochondria with the master fission regulator, Dynamin-related protein1 (DRP1). Moreover, glucose deprivation-mediated metabolic shift to OXPHOS increases fission and mitochondrial localization of both NIK and DRP1. NIK deficiency results in decreased mitochondrial respiration, ATP production, and spare respiratory capacity (SRC), a critical measure of mitochondrial fitness. Although IκB kinase α and β (IKKα/β) and NIK are required for OXPHOS in high glucose media, only NIK is required to increase SRC under glucose deprivation. Consistent with an IKK-independent role for NIK in regulating metabolism, we show that NIK phosphorylates DRP1-S616 in vitro and in vivo. Notably, a constitutively active DRP1-S616E mutant rescues oxidative metabolism, invasiveness, and tumorigenic potential in NIK-/- cells without inducing IKK. Thus, we establish that NIK is critical for bioenergetic stress responses to promote GBM cell pathogenesis independently of IKK. Our data suggest that targeting NIK may be used to exploit metabolic vulnerabilities and improve therapeutic strategies for GBM.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-020-03383-z
  13. Cancer Cell. 2021 Mar 10. pii: S1535-6108(21)00118-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Cancer cells escape autophagy inhibition via NRF2-induced macropinocytosis.
    Hua Su, Fei Yang, Rao Fu, Xin Li, Randall French, Evangeline Mose, Xiaohong Pu, Brittney Trinh, Avi Kumar, Junlai Liu, Laura Antonucci, Jelena Todoric, Yuan Liu, Yinling Hu, Maria T Diaz-Meco, Jorge Moscat, Christian M Metallo, Andrew M Lowy, Beicheng Sun, Michael Karin.
      Many cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), depend on autophagy-mediated scavenging and recycling of intracellular macromolecules, suggesting that autophagy blockade should cause tumor starvation and regression. However, until now autophagy-inhibiting monotherapies have not demonstrated potent anti-cancer activity. We now show that autophagy blockade prompts established PDAC to upregulate and utilize an alternative nutrient procurement pathway: macropinocytosis (MP) that allows tumor cells to extract nutrients from extracellular sources and use them for energy generation. The autophagy to MP switch, which may be evolutionarily conserved and not cancer cell restricted, depends on activation of transcription factor NRF2 by the autophagy adaptor p62/SQSTM1. NRF2 activation by oncogenic mutations, hypoxia, and oxidative stress also results in MP upregulation. Inhibition of MP in autophagy-compromised PDAC elicits dramatic metabolic decline and regression of transplanted and autochthonous tumors, suggesting the therapeutic promise of combining autophagy and MP inhibitors in the clinic.
    Keywords:  NRF2; RAS-driven cancer; autophagy; macropinocytosis; p62/SQSTM1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2021.02.016
  14. Physiol Rev. 2021 Mar 18.
    Energy Metabolism Design of the Striated Muscle Cell.
    Brian Glancy, Robert S Balaban.
      The design of the energy metabolism system in striated muscle remains a major area of investigation. Here, we review our current understanding and emerging hypotheses regarding the metabolic support of muscle contraction. Maintenance of ATP free energy, so called energy homeostasis, via mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is critical to sustained contractile activity and this major design criterion is the focus of this review. Cell volume invested in mitochondria reduces the space available for generating contractile force, and this spatial balance between mitochondria and contractile elements to meet the varying sustained power demands across muscle types is another important design criterion. This is accomplished with remarkably similar mass-specific mitochondrial protein composition across muscle types, implying that it is the organization of mitochondria within the muscle cell that is critical to supporting sustained muscle function. Beyond the production of ATP, ubiquitous distribution of ATPases throughout the muscle requires rapid distribution of potential energy across these large cells. Distribution of potential energy has long been thought to occur primarily through facilitated metabolite diffusion but recent analysis has questioned the importance of this process under normal physiological conditions. Recent structural and functional studies have supported the hypothesis that the mitochondrial reticulum provides a rapid energy distribution system via the conduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential to maintain metabolic homeostasis during contractile activity. We extensively review this aspect of the energy metabolism design contrasting it with metabolite diffusion models and how mitochondrial structure can play a role in the delivery of energy in the striated muscle.
    Keywords:  cellular energy distribution; mitochondria; mitochondrial networks; mitochondrial reticulum; oxidative phosphorylation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00040.2020
  15. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 ;9 642494
    Lysosomes and Cancer Progression: A Malignant Liaison.
    Eda R Machado, Ida Annunziata, Diantha van de Vlekkert, Gerard C Grosveld, Alessandra d'Azzo.
      During primary tumorigenesis isolated cancer cells may undergo genetic or epigenetic changes that render them responsive to additional intrinsic or extrinsic cues, so that they enter a transitional state and eventually acquire an aggressive, metastatic phenotype. Among these changes is the alteration of the cell metabolic/catabolic machinery that creates the most permissive conditions for invasion, dissemination, and survival. The lysosomal system has emerged as a crucial player in this malignant transformation, making this system a potential therapeutic target in cancer. By virtue of their ubiquitous distribution in mammalian cells, their multifaced activities that control catabolic and anabolic processes, and their interplay with other organelles and the plasma membrane (PM), lysosomes function as platforms for inter- and intracellular communication. This is due to their capacity to adapt and sense nutrient availability, to spatially segregate specific functions depending on their position, to fuse with other compartments and with the PM, and to engage in membrane contact sites (MCS) with other organelles. Here we review the latest advances in our understanding of the role of the lysosomal system in cancer progression. We focus on how changes in lysosomal nutrient sensing, as well as lysosomal positioning, exocytosis, and fusion perturb the communication between tumor cells themselves and between tumor cells and their microenvironment. Finally, we describe the potential impact of MCS between lysosomes and other organelles in propelling cancer growth and spread.
    Keywords:  cancer progression; lysosomal exocytosis; lysosomal membrane contact sites; lysosome movement; lysosome positioning
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.642494
  16. FEBS Lett. 2021 Mar 20.
    Mitochondrial dynamics in health and disease.
    Nethmi M B Yapa, Valerie Lisnyak, Boris Reljic, Michael T Ryan.
      In animals, mitochondria are mainly organised into an interconnected tubular network extending across the cell along a cytoskeletal scaffold. Mitochondrial fission and fusion, as well as distribution along cytoskeletal tracks, are counterbalancing mechanisms acting in concert to maintain a mitochondrial network tuned to cellular function. Balanced mitochondrial dynamics permits quality control of the network including biogenesis and turnover, distribution of mtDNA, and are tuned to metabolic status. Cellular and organismal health relies on a delicate balance between fission and fusion and large rearrangements in the mitochondrial network can be seen in response to cellular insults and disease. Indeed, dysfunction in the major components of the fission and fusion machineries including Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), Mitofusins 1 and 2 (MFN1, MFN2) and Optic atrophy protein 1 (OPA1) and ensuing imbalance of mitochondrial dynamics can lead to neurodegenerative disease. Altered mitochondrial dynamics is also seen in more common diseases. In this review, the machinery involved in mitochondrial dynamics and their dysfunction in disease will be discussed.
    Keywords:  membrane dynamics; mitochondria; mitochondrial disease; mitochondrial fission; mitochondrial fusion; organelles; oxidative phosphorylation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14077
  17. Bio Protoc. 2021 Feb 20. 11(4): e3925
    Tracing Nitrogen Metabolism in Mouse Tissues with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
    Rong Xu, Yekai Wang, Jianhai Du.
      Nitrogen-containing metabolites including ammonia, amino acids, and nucleotides, are essential for cell metabolism, growth, and neural transmission. Nitrogen metabolism is tightly coordinated with carbon metabolism in the breakdown and biosynthesis of amino acids and nucleotides. Both nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC MS) and liquid chromatography (LC MS) have been used to measure nitrogen metabolism. Here we describe a protocol to trace nitrogen metabolism in multiple mouse tissues using 15N-ammonia coupled with GC MS. This protocol includes detailed procedures in tracer injection, tissue preparation, metabolite extraction, GC MS analysis and natural abundance corrections. This protocol will provide a useful tool to study tissue-specific nitrogen in metabolically active tissues such as the retina, brain, liver, and tumor.
    Keywords:  15N tracing ; Amino acids; Ammonia; Ammonia metabolism; GC MS; Mass spectrometry; Nitrogen metabolism; Stable isotope tracer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.3925
  18. EMBO Rep. 2021 Mar 19. e51740
    Hsp90-mediated regulation of DYRK3 couples stress granule disassembly and growth via mTORC1 signaling.
    Laura Mediani, Francesco Antoniani, Veronica Galli, Jonathan Vinet, Arianna Dorotea Carrà, Ilaria Bigi, Vadreenath Tripathy, Tatiana Tiago, Marco Cimino, Giuseppina Leo, Triana Amen, Daniel Kaganovich, Cristina Cereda, Orietta Pansarasa, Jessica Mandrioli, Priyanka Tripathi, Dirk Troost, Eleonora Aronica, Johannes Buchner, Anand Goswami, Jared Sterneckert, Simon Alberti, Serena Carra.
      Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic condensates associated with protein misfolding diseases. They sequester stalled mRNAs and signaling factors, such as the mTORC1 subunit raptor, suggesting that SGs coordinate cell growth during and after stress. However, the molecular mechanisms linking SG dynamics and signaling remain undefined. We report that the chaperone Hsp90 is required for SG dissolution. Hsp90 binds and stabilizes the dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 3 (DYRK3) in the cytosol. Upon Hsp90 inhibition, DYRK3 dissociates from Hsp90 and becomes inactive. Inactive DYRK3 is subjected to two different fates: it either partitions into SGs, where it is protected from irreversible aggregation, or it is degraded. In the presence of Hsp90, DYRK3 is active and promotes SG disassembly, restoring mTORC1 signaling and translation. Thus, Hsp90 links stress adaptation and cell growth by regulating the activity of a key kinase involved in condensate disassembly and translation restoration.
    Keywords:  DYRK3; FUS-ALS; Hsp90; phase separation; stress granules
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202051740
  19. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol. 2021 Mar 15. 1-15
    Regulation of the redox metabolome and thiol proteome by hydrogen sulfide.
    Roshan Kumar, Ruma Banerjee.
      Overproduction of reactive oxygen species and compromised antioxidant defenses perturb intracellular redox homeostasis and is associated with a myriad of human diseases as well as with the natural process of aging. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is biosynthesized by organisms ranging from bacteria to man, influences a broad range of physiological functions. A highly touted molecular mechanism by which H2S exerts its cellular effects is via post-translational modification of the thiol redox proteome, converting cysteine thiols to persulfides, in a process referred to as protein persulfidation. The physiological relevance of this modification in the context of specific signal transmission pathways remains to be rigorously established, while a general protective role for protein persulfidation against hyper-oxidation of the cysteine proteome is better supported. A second mechanism by which H2S modulates redox homeostasis is via remodeling the redox metabolome, targeting the electron transfer chain and perturbing the major redox nodes i.e. CoQ/CoQH2, NAD+/NADH and FAD/FADH2. The metabolic changes that result from H2S-induced redox changes fan out from the mitochondrion to other compartments. In this review, we discuss recent developments in elucidating the roles of H2S and its oxidation products on redox homeostasis and its role in protecting the thiol proteome.
    Keywords:  Sulfide oxidation pathway; mitochondrial bioenergetics; persulfidation; reactive sulfur species; redox metabolome; redox proteome; sulfide quinone oxidoreductase
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/10409238.2021.1893641
  20. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2021 Mar 11. pii: S1471-4892(21)00009-6. [Epub ahead of print]57 117-124
    Metabolic regulation of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells.
    Trupti Vardam-Kaur, Jie Sun, Henrique Borges da Silva.
      Intracellular metabolic adaptations help define the function and homeostasis of memory CD8+ T cells. These cells, which promote protection against infections or cancer, undergo consecutive metabolic shifts, ultimately relying on mitochondrial-related pathways. Past CD8+ T cell metabolism studies focused on circulating memory cells, which are exclusive to secondary lymphoid organs or recirculate between lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs. Yet, now there is unequivocal evidence that memory CD8+ T cells reside in many non-lymphoid organs and mediate protective immunity in barrier tissues. The metabolic adaptations occurring in forming and established tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells are currently subject of intense research. In this review, we discuss the latest breakthroughs on the transcriptional and protein control of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cell metabolism.
    Keywords:  Bhlhe40; Memory CD8(+) T cells; Memory precursor; Mitochondria; P2RX7; T(RM) cells
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coph.2021.02.004
  21. J Immunol. 2021 Mar 17. pii: ji2001016. [Epub ahead of print]
    Loss of Mitochondrial Protease CLPP Activates Type I IFN Responses through the Mitochondrial DNA-cGAS-STING Signaling Axis.
    Sylvia Torres-Odio, Yuanjiu Lei, Suzana Gispert, Antonia Maletzko, Jana Key, Saeed S Menissy, Ilka Wittig, Georg Auburger, A Phillip West.
      Caseinolytic mitochondrial matrix peptidase proteolytic subunit (CLPP) is a serine protease that degrades damaged or misfolded mitochondrial proteins. CLPP-null mice exhibit growth retardation, deafness, and sterility, resembling human Perrault syndrome, but also display immune system alterations. However, the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying immunological changes in CLPP-null mice remain unclear. In this study, we report the steady-state activation of type I IFN signaling and antiviral gene expression in CLPP-deficient cells and tissues, resulting in marked resistance to RNA and DNA virus infection. Depletion of the cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAS)-stimulator of IFN genes (STING) DNA sensing pathway reduces steady-state IFN-I signaling and abrogates the broad antiviral phenotype of CLPP-null cells. Moreover, we report that CLPP deficiency leads to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) instability and packaging alterations. Pharmacological and genetic approaches to deplete mtDNA or inhibit cytosolic release markedly reduce antiviral gene expression, implicating mtDNA stress as the driver of IFN-I signaling in CLPP-null mice. Our work places the cGAS-STING-IFN-I innate immune pathway downstream of CLPP and may have implications for understanding Perrault syndrome and other human diseases involving CLPP dysregulation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2001016
  22. Cell Rep. 2021 Mar 16. pii: S2211-1247(21)00135-2. [Epub ahead of print]34(11): 108821
    SGK1 signaling promotes glucose metabolism and survival in extracellular matrix detached cells.
    Joshua A Mason, Jordan A Cockfield, Daniel J Pape, Hannah Meissner, Michael T Sokolowski, Taylor C White, José C Valentín López, Juan Liu, Xiaojing Liu, Inmaculada Martínez-Reyes, Navdeep S Chandel, Jason W Locasale, Zachary T Schafer.
      Loss of integrin-mediated attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins can trigger a variety of cellular changes that affect cell viability. Foremost among these is the activation of anoikis, caspase-mediated cell death induced by ECM detachment. In addition, loss of ECM attachment causes profound alterations in cellular metabolism, which can lead to anoikis-independent cell death. Here, we describe a surprising role for serum and glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK1) in the promotion of energy production when cells are detached. Our data demonstrate that SGK1 activation is necessary and sufficient for ATP generation during ECM detachment and anchorage-independent growth. More specifically, SGK1 promotes a substantial elevation in glucose uptake because of elevated GLUT1 transcription. In addition, carbon flux into the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is necessary to accommodate elevated glucose uptake and PPP-mediated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) is necessary for ATP production. Thus, our data show SGK1 as master regulator of glucose metabolism and cell survival during ECM-detached conditions.
    Keywords:  SGK1; anoikis; glucose metabolism; pentose phosphate pathway; signal transduction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108821
  23. J Biol Chem. 2021 Mar 12. pii: S0021-9258(21)00317-3. [Epub ahead of print] 100539
    Choline restores respiration in Psd1-deficient yeast by replenishing mitochondrial phosphatidylethanolamine.
    Donna M Iadarola, Alaumy Joshi, Cameron B Caldwell, Vishal M Gohil.
      Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is essential for mitochondrial respiration in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas the most abundant mitochondrial phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), is largely dispensable. Surprisingly, choline (Cho), which is a biosynthetic precursor of PC, has been shown to rescue the respiratory growth of mitochondrial PE deficient yeast; however, the mechanism underlying this rescue has remained unknown. Using a combination of yeast genetics, lipid biochemistry, and cell biological approaches, we uncover the mechanism by showing that Cho rescues mitochondrial respiration by partially replenishing mitochondrial PE levels in yeast cells lacking the mitochondrial PE-biosynthetic enzyme Psd1. This rescue is dependent on the conversion of Cho to PC via the Kennedy pathway as well as on Psd2, an enzyme catalyzing PE biosynthesis in the endosome. Metabolic labeling experiments reveal that in the absence of exogenously supplied Cho, PE biosynthesized via Psd2 is mostly directed to the methylation pathway for PC biosynthesis and is unavailable for replenishing mitochondrial PE in Psd1-deleted cells. In this setting, stimulating the Kennedy pathway for PC biosynthesis by Cho spares Psd2-synthesized PE from the methylation pathway and redirects it to the mitochondria. Cho-mediated elevation in mitochondrial PE is dependent on Vps39, which has been recently implicated in PE trafficking to the mitochondria. Accordingly, epistasis experiments placed Vps39 downstream of Psd2 in choline-based rescue. Our work, thus, provides a mechanism of choline-based rescue of mitochondrial PE deficiency and uncovers an intricate inter-organelle phospholipid regulatory network that maintains mitochondrial PE homeostasis.
    Keywords:  Phospholipid; Psd1; Psd2; Vps39; choline; ethanolamine; mitochondria; phosphatidylethanolamine; yeast
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100539
  24. Front Oncol. 2021 ;11 616079
    Mitophagy in Pancreatic Cancer.
    Yangchun Xie, Jiao Liu, Rui Kang, Daolin Tang.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most aggressive solid malignancies, is characterized by the presence of oncogenic KRAS mutations, poor response to current therapies, prone to metastasis, and a low 5-year overall survival rate. Macroautophagy (herein referred to as autophagy) is a lysosome-dependent degradation system that forms a series of dynamic membrane structures to engulf, degrade, and recycle various cargoes, such as unused proteins, damaged organelles, and invading pathogens. Autophagy is usually upregulated in established cancers, but it plays a dual role in the regulation of the initiation and progression of PDAC. As a type of selective autophagy, mitophagy is a mitochondrial quality control mechanism that uses ubiquitin-dependent (e.g., the PINK1-PRKN pathway) and -independent (e.g., BNIP3L/NIX, FUNDC1, and BNIP3) pathways to regulate mitochondrial turnover and participate in the modulation of metabolism and cell death. Genetically engineered mouse models indicate that the loss of PINK1 or PRKN promotes, whereas the depletion of BNIP3L inhibits oncogenic KRAS-driven pancreatic tumorigenesis. Mitophagy also play a dual role in the regulation of the anticancer activity of certain cytotoxic agents (e.g., rocaglamide A, dichloroacetate, fisetin, and P. suffruticosa extracts) in PDAC cells or xenograft models. In this min-review, we summarize the latest advances in understanding the complex role of mitophagy in the occurrence and treatment of PDAC.
    Keywords:  PDAC - pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; autophagy; mitophagy; therapy; tumorigenesis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.616079
  25. Cell Rep. 2021 Mar 16. pii: S2211-1247(21)00187-X. [Epub ahead of print]34(11): 108873
    Mitochondria-rough-ER contacts in the liver regulate systemic lipid homeostasis.
    Irene Anastasia, Nicolò Ilacqua, Andrea Raimondi, Philippe Lemieux, Rana Ghandehari-Alavijeh, Guilhem Faure, Sergei L Mekhedov, Kevin J Williams, Federico Caicci, Giorgio Valle, Marta Giacomello, Ariel D Quiroga, Richard Lehner, Michael J Miksis, Katalin Toth, Thomas Q de Aguiar Vallim, Eugene V Koonin, Luca Scorrano, Luca Pellegrini.
      Contacts between organelles create microdomains that play major roles in regulating key intracellular activities and signaling pathways, but whether they also regulate systemic functions remains unknown. Here, we report the ultrastructural organization and dynamics of the inter-organellar contact established by sheets of curved rough endoplasmic reticulum closely wrapped around the mitochondria (wrappER). To elucidate the in vivo function of this contact, mouse liver fractions enriched in wrappER-associated mitochondria are analyzed by transcriptomics, proteomics, and lipidomics. The biochemical signature of the wrappER points to a role in the biogenesis of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Altering wrappER-mitochondria contacts curtails VLDL secretion and increases hepatic fatty acids, lipid droplets, and neutral lipid content. Conversely, acute liver-specific ablation of Mttp, the most upstream regulator of VLDL biogenesis, recapitulates this hepatic dyslipidemia phenotype and promotes remodeling of the wrappER-mitochondria contact. The discovery that liver wrappER-mitochondria contacts participate in VLDL biology suggests an involvement of inter-organelle contacts in systemic lipid homeostasis.
    Keywords:  MAM; MUP; Rrbp1; VLDL; endoplasmic reticulum; inter-organelle contact; lipoprotein; liver metabolism; mitochondria; wrappER
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108873
  26. Front Oncol. 2020 ;10 592130
    DRP1 Promotes BRAFV600E-Driven Tumor Progression and Metabolic Reprogramming in Colorectal Cancer.
    Rayees Ahmad Padder, Zafar Iqbal Bhat, Zaki Ahmad, Neetu Singh, Mohammad Husain.
      Background: Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles which remain in a continuous state of fission/ fusion dynamics to meet the metabolic needs of a cell. However, this fission/fusion dynamism has been reported to be dysregulated in most cancers. Such enhanced mitochondrial fission is demonstrated to be positively regulated by some activating oncogenic mutations; such as those of KRAS (Kristen rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue) or BRAF (B- rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma), thereby increasing tumor progression/ chemotherapeutic resistance and metabolic deregulation. However, the underlying mechanism(s) are still not clear, thus highlighting the need to further explore possible mechanism(s) of intervention. We sought to investigate how BRAFV600E driven CRC (colorectal cancer) progression is linked to mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics and whether this window could be exploited to target CRC progression.Methods: Western blotting was employed to study the differences in expression levels of key proteins regulating mitochondrial dynamics, which was further confirmed by confocal microscopy imaging of mitochondria in endogenously expressing BRAFWT and BRAFV600E CRC cells. Proliferation assays, soft agar clonogenic assays, glucose uptake/lactate production, ATP/ NADPH measurement assays were employed to study the extent of carcinogenesis and metabolic reprograming in BRAFV600E CRC cells. Genetic knockdown (shRNA/ siRNA) and/or pharmacologic inhibition of Dynamin related protein1/Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase1 (DRP1/PDK1) and/or BRAFV600E were employed to study the involvement and possible mechanism of these proteins in BRAFV600E driven CRC. Statistical analyses were carried out using Graph Pad Prism v 5.0, data was analyzed by unpaired t-test and two-way ANOVA with appropriate post hoc tests.
    Results: Our results demonstrate that BRAFV600E CRC cells have higher protein levels of mitochondrial fission factor- DRP1/pDRP1S616 leading to a more fragmented mitochondrial state compared to those harboring BRAFWT . This fragmented mitochondrial state was found to confer glycolytic phenotype, clonogenic potential and metastatic advantage to cells harboring BRAFV600E . Interestingly, such fragmented mitochondrial state seemed positively regulated by mitochondrial PDK1 as observed through pharmacologic as well as genetic inhibition of PDK1.
    Conclusion: In conclusion, our data suggest that BRAFV600E driven colorectal cancers have fragmented mitochondria which confers glycolytic phenotype and growth advantage to these tumors, and such phenotype is dependent at least in part on PDK1- thus highlighting a potential therapeutic target.
    Keywords:  BRAFV600E; DRP1; colorectal cancer; metabolic reprogramming; mitochondrial dynamics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.592130
  27. J Cell Biol. 2021 Apr 05. pii: e201909139. [Epub ahead of print]220(4):
    Autophagy facilitates mitochondrial rebuilding after acute heat stress via a DRP-1-dependent process.
    Yanfang Chen, Romane Leboutet, Céline Largeau, Siham Zentout, Christophe Lefebvre, Agnès Delahodde, Emmanuel Culetto, Renaud Legouis.
      Acute heat stress (aHS) can induce strong developmental defects in Caenorhabditis elegans larva but not lethality or sterility. This stress results in transitory fragmentation of mitochondria, formation of aggregates in the matrix, and decrease of mitochondrial respiration. Moreover, active autophagic flux associated with mitophagy events enables the rebuilding of the mitochondrial network and developmental recovery, showing that the autophagic response is protective. This adaptation to aHS does not require Pink1/Parkin or the mitophagy receptors DCT-1/NIX and FUNDC1. We also find that mitochondria are a major site for autophagosome biogenesis in the epidermis in both standard and heat stress conditions. In addition, we report that the depletion of the dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP-1) affects autophagic processes and the adaptation to aHS. In drp-1 animals, the abnormal mitochondria tend to modify their shape upon aHS but are unable to achieve fragmentation. Autophagy is induced, but autophagosomes are abnormally elongated and clustered on mitochondria. Our data support a role for DRP-1 in coordinating mitochondrial fission and autophagosome biogenesis in stress conditions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201909139
  28. Cell Death Dis. 2021 Mar 15. 12(3): 277
    Rewiring of purine metabolism in response to acidosis stress in glioma stem cells.
    Xiaoyu Xu, Liping Wang, Qingce Zang, Shanshan Li, Limei Li, Zhixing Wang, Jiuming He, Boqin Qiang, Wei Han, Ruiping Zhang, Xiaozhong Peng, Zeper Abliz.
      Glioma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to therapy resistance and poor outcomes for glioma patients. A significant feature of GSCs is their ability to grow in an acidic microenvironment. However, the mechanism underlying the rewiring of their metabolism in low pH remains elusive. Here, using metabolomics and metabolic flux approaches, we cultured GSCs at pH 6.8 and pH 7.4 and found that cells cultured in low pH exhibited increased de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis activity. The overexpression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, encoded by G6PD or H6PD, supports the metabolic dependency of GSCs on nucleotides when cultured under acidic conditions, by enhancing the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The high level of reduced glutathione (GSH) under acidic conditions also causes demand for the PPP to provide NADPH. Taken together, upregulation of G6PD/H6PD in the PPP plays an important role in acidic-driven purine metabolic reprogramming and confers a predilection toward glioma progression. Our findings indicate that targeting G6PD/H6PD, which are closely related to glioma patient survival, may serve as a promising therapeutic target for improved glioblastoma therapeutics. An integrated metabolomics and metabolic flux analysis, as well as considering microenvironment and cancer stem cells, provide a precise insight into understanding cancer metabolic reprogramming.
    Keywords:  Acidic microenvironment; Glioma stem cells; Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; Metabolomics; Purine metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-021-03543-9
  29. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Mar 23. pii: e2024865118. [Epub ahead of print]118(12):
    Crtc modulates fasting programs associated with 1-C metabolism and inhibition of insulin signaling.
    Tian Wang, Ezra Wiater, Xinmin Zhang, John B Thomas, Marc Montminy.
      Fasting in mammals promotes increases in circulating glucagon and decreases in circulating insulin that stimulate catabolic programs and facilitate a transition from glucose to lipid burning. The second messenger cAMP mediates effects of glucagon on fasting metabolism, in part by promoting the phosphorylation of CREB and the dephosphorylation of the cAMP-regulated transcriptional coactivators (CRTCs) in hepatocytes. In Drosophila, fasting also triggers activation of the single Crtc homolog in neurons, via the PKA-mediated phosphorylation and inhibition of salt-inducible kinases. Crtc mutant flies are more sensitive to starvation and oxidative stress, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we use RNA sequencing to identify Crtc target genes that are up-regulated in response to starvation. We found that Crtc stimulates a subset of fasting-inducible genes that have conserved CREB binding sites. In keeping with its role in the starvation response, Crtc was found to induce the expression of genes that inhibit insulin secretion (Lst) and insulin signaling (Impl2). In parallel, Crtc also promoted the expression of genes involved in one-carbon (1-C) metabolism. Within the 1-C pathway, Crtc stimulated the expression of enzymes that encode modulators of S-adenosyl-methionine metabolism (Gnmt and Sardh) and purine synthesis (ade2 and AdSl) Collectively, our results point to an important role for the CREB/CRTC pathway in promoting energy balance in the context of nutrient stress.
    Keywords:  CREB; CRTC; fasting metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2024865118
  30. Nat Commun. 2021 Mar 19. 12(1): 1718
    Citrullination of pyruvate kinase M2 by PADI1 and PADI3 regulates glycolysis and cancer cell proliferation.
    Sébastien Coassolo, Guillaume Davidson, Luc Negroni, Giovanni Gambi, Sylvain Daujat, Christophe Romier, Irwin Davidson.
      Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 4 (CHD4) is an ATPase subunit of the Nucleosome Remodelling and Deacetylation (NuRD) complex that regulates gene expression. CHD4 is essential for growth of multiple patient derived melanoma xenografts and for breast cancer. Here we show that CHD4 regulates expression of PADI1 (Protein Arginine Deiminase 1) and PADI3 in multiple cancer cell types modulating citrullination of arginine residues of the allosterically-regulated glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). Citrullination of PKM2 R106 reprogrammes cross-talk between PKM2 ligands lowering its sensitivity to the inhibitors Tryptophan, Alanine and Phenylalanine and promoting activation by Serine. Citrullination thus bypasses normal physiological regulation by low Serine levels to promote excessive glycolysis and reduced cell proliferation. We further show that PADI1 and PADI3 expression is up-regulated by hypoxia where PKM2 citrullination contributes to increased glycolysis. We provide insight as to how conversion of arginines to citrulline impacts key interactions within PKM2 that act in concert to reprogramme its activity as an additional mechanism regulating this important enzyme.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21960-4
  31. iScience. 2021 Mar 19. 24(3): 102196
    Impaired phosphatidylethanolamine metabolism activates a reversible stress response that detects and resolves mutant mitochondrial precursors.
    Pingdewinde N Sam, Elizabeth Calzada, Michelle Grace Acoba, Tian Zhao, Yasunori Watanabe, Anahita Nejatfard, Jonathan C Trinidad, Timothy E Shutt, Sonya E Neal, Steven M Claypool.
      Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) made in mitochondria has long been recognized as an important precursor for phosphatidylcholine production that occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recently, the strict mitochondrial localization of the enzyme that makes PE in the mitochondrion, phosphatidylserine decarboxylase 1 (Psd1), was questioned. Since a dual localization of Psd1 to the ER would have far-reaching implications, we initiated our study to independently re-assess the subcellular distribution of Psd1. Our results support the unavoidable conclusion that the vast majority, if not all, of functional Psd1 resides in the mitochondrion. Through our efforts, we discovered that mutant forms of Psd1 that impair a self-processing step needed for it to become functional are dually localized to the ER when expressed in a PE-limiting environment. We conclude that severely impaired cellular PE metabolism provokes an ER-assisted adaptive response that is capable of identifying and resolving nonfunctional mitochondrial precursors.
    Keywords:  Cell Biology; Molecular Physiology; Proteomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102196
  32. FASEB J. 2021 Apr;35(4): e21223
    The lysosomal membrane protein Sidt2 is a vital regulator of mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.
    Lizhuo Wang, Cui Yu, Wenjun Pei, Mengya Geng, Yao Zhang, Zihui Li, Feiteng Liang, Fengbiao Tan, Hui Du, Jialin Gao.
      The role of Sidt2 in the process of glucose and lipid metabolism has been recently reported. However, whether Sidt2 is involved in the metabolic regulation in skeletal muscle remains unknown. In this study, for the first time, using skeletal muscle-selective Sidt2 knockout mice, we found that Sidt2 was vital for the quality control of mitochondria in mouse skeletal muscle. These mice showed significantly reduced muscle tolerance and structurally abnormal mitochondria. Deletion of the Sidt2 gene resulted in decreased expression of mitochondrial fusion protein 2 (Mfn2) and Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1 (PGC1-α). In addition, the clearance of damaged mitochondria in skeletal muscle was inhibited upon Sidt2 deletion, which was caused by blockade of autophagy flow. Mechanistically, the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes was compromised in Sidt2 knockout skeletal muscle cells. In summary, the deletion of the Sidt2 gene not only interfered with the quality control of mitochondria, but also inhibited the clearance of mitochondria and caused the accumulation of a large number of damaged mitochondria, ultimately leading to the abnormal structure and function of skeletal muscle.
    Keywords:  Sidt2; autophagy; mitochondria; myopathy; quality control
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202000424R
  33. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Mar 19.
    Harnessing metabolic dependencies in pancreatic cancers.
    Joel Encarnación-Rosado, Alec C Kimmelman.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive disease with a 5-year survival rate of <10%. The tumour microenvironment (TME) of PDAC is characterized by excessive fibrosis and deposition of extracellular matrix, termed desmoplasia. This unique TME leads to high interstitial pressure, vascular collapse and low nutrient and oxygen diffusion. Together, these factors contribute to the unique biology and therapeutic resistance of this deadly tumour. To thrive in this hostile environment, PDAC cells adapt by using non-canonical metabolic pathways and rely on metabolic scavenging pathways such as autophagy and macropinocytosis. Here, we review the metabolic pathways that PDAC use to support their growth in the setting of an austere TME. Understanding how PDAC tumours rewire their metabolism and use scavenging pathways under environmental stressors might enable the identification of novel therapeutic approaches.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-021-00431-7
  34. Genome Biol Evol. 2021 Mar 19. pii: evab055. [Epub ahead of print]
    Gene duplications trace mitochondria to the onset of eukaryote complexity.
    Fernando D K Tria, Julia Brueckner, Josip Skejo, Joana C Xavier, Nils Kapust, Michael Knopp, Jessica L E Wimmer, Falk S P Nagies, Verena Zimorski, Sven B Gould, Sriram G Garg, William F Martin.
      The last eukaryote common ancestor (LECA) possessed mitochondria and all key traits that make eukaryotic cells more complex than their prokaryotic ancestors, yet the timing of mitochondrial acquisition and the role of mitochondria in the origin of eukaryote complexity remain debated. Here we report evidence from gene duplications in LECA indicating an early origin of mitochondria. Among 163,545 duplications in 24,571 gene trees spanning 150 sequenced eukaryotic genomes, we identify 713 gene duplication events that occurred in LECA. LECA's bacterial derived genes include numerous mitochondrial functions and were duplicated significantly more often than archaeal derived and eukaryote specific genes. The surplus of bacterial derived duplications in LECA most likely reflects the serial copying of genes from the mitochondrial endosymbiont to the archaeal host's chromosomes. Clustering, phylogenies and likelihood ratio tests for 22.4 million genes from 5,655 prokaryotic and 150 eukaryotic genomes reveal no evidence for lineage specific gene acquisitions in eukaryotes, except from the plastid in the plant lineage. That finding, and the functions of bacterial genes duplicated in LECA, suggest that the bacterial genes in eukaryotes are acquisitions from the mitochondrion, followed by vertical gene evolution and differential loss across eukaryotic lineages, flanked by concomitant lateral gene transfer among prokaryotes. Overall, the data indicate that recurrent gene transfer via the copying of genes from a resident mitochondrial endosymbiont to archaeal host chromosomes preceded the onset of eukaryotic cellular complexity, favoring mitochondria-early over mitochondria-late hypotheses for eukaryote origin.
    Keywords:  endosymbiosis; eukaryote origin; evolution; gene duplication; gene transfer; paralogy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evab055
  35. Cell Metab. 2021 Mar 13. pii: S1550-4131(21)00102-9. [Epub ahead of print]
    Excessive exercise training causes mitochondrial functional impairment and decreases glucose tolerance in healthy volunteers.
    Mikael Flockhart, Lina C Nilsson, Senna Tais, Björn Ekblom, William Apró, Filip J Larsen.
      Exercise training positively affects metabolic health through increased mitochondrial oxidative capacity and improved glucose regulation and is the first line of treatment in several metabolic diseases. However, the upper limit of the amount of exercise associated with beneficial therapeutic effects has not been clearly identified. Here, we used a training model with a progressively increasing exercise load during an intervention over 4 weeks. We closely followed changes in glucose tolerance, mitochondrial function and dynamics, physical exercise capacity, and whole-body metabolism. Following the week with the highest exercise load, we found a striking reduction in intrinsic mitochondrial function that coincided with a disturbance in glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. We also assessed continuous blood glucose profiles in world-class endurance athletes and found that they had impaired glucose control compared with a matched control group.
    Keywords:  athletes; continuous glucose monitoring; exercise; exercise adaptations; glucose tolerance; high-intensity interval training; insulin resistance; metabolic dysfunction; mitochondria; mitochondrial dynamics; mitochondrial dysfunction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2021.02.017
  36. Free Radic Biol Med. 2021 Mar 12. pii: S0891-5849(21)00162-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    Functional segmentation of CoQ and cyt c pools by respiratory complex superassembly.
    Pablo Hernansanz-Agustín, José Antonio Enríquez.
      Electron transfer between respiratory complexes is an essential step for the efficiency of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Until recently, it was stablished that ubiquinone and cytochrome c formed homogenous single pools in the inner mitochondrial membrane which were not influenced by the presence of respiratory supercomplexes. However, this idea was challenged by the fact that bottlenecks in electron transfer appeared after disruption of supercomplexes into their individual complexes. The postulation of the plasticity model embraced all these observations and concluded that complexes and supercomplexes co-exist and are dedicated to a spectrum of metabolic requirements. Here, we review the involvement of superassembly in complex I stability, the role of supercomplexes in ROS production and the segmentation of the CoQ and cyt c pools, together with their involvement in signaling and disease. Taking apparently conflicting literature we have built up a comprehensive model for the segmentation of CoQ and cyt c mediated by supercomplexes, discuss the current limitations and provide a prospect of the current knowledge in the field.
    Keywords:  CoQ; cyt c; pools; respirasomes; supercomplexes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.03.010
  37. Front Oncol. 2021 ;11 626971
    The Mevalonate Pathway, a Metabolic Target in Cancer Therapy.
    Borja Guerra, Carlota Recio, Haidée Aranda-Tavío, Miguel Guerra-Rodríguez, José M García-Castellano, Leandro Fernández-Pérez.
      A hallmark of cancer cells includes a metabolic reprograming that provides energy, the essential building blocks, and signaling required to maintain survival, rapid growth, metastasis, and drug resistance of many cancers. The influence of tumor microenviroment on cancer cells also results an essential driving force for cancer progression and drug resistance. Lipid-related enzymes, lipid-derived metabolites and/or signaling pathways linked to critical regulators of lipid metabolism can influence gene expression and chromatin remodeling, cellular differentiation, stress response pathways, or tumor microenviroment, and, collectively, drive tumor development. Reprograming of lipid metabolism includes a deregulated activity of mevalonate (MVA)/cholesterol biosynthetic pathway in specific cancer cells which, in comparison with normal cell counterparts, are dependent of the continuous availability of MVA/cholesterol-derived metabolites (i.e., sterols and non-sterol intermediates) for tumor development. Accordingly, there are increasing amount of data, from preclinical and epidemiological studies, that support an inverse association between the use of statins, potent inhibitors of MVA biosynthetic pathway, and mortality rate in specific cancers (e.g., colon, prostate, liver, breast, hematological malignances). In contrast, despite the tolerance and therapeutic efficacy shown by statins in cardiovascular disease, cancer treatment demands the use of relatively high doses of single statins for a prolonged period, thereby limiting this therapeutic strategy due to adverse effects. Clinically relevant, synergistic effects of tolerable doses of statins with conventional chemotherapy might enhance efficacy with lower doses of each drug and, probably, reduce adverse effects and resistance. In spite of that, clinical trials to identify combinatory therapies that improve therapeutic window are still a challenge. In the present review, we revisit molecular evidences showing that deregulated activity of MVA biosynthetic pathway has an essential role in oncogenesis and drug resistance, and the potential use of MVA pathway inhibitors to improve therapeutic window in cancer.
    Keywords:  cancer; cholesterol; isoprenoids; mevalonate; oxysterols; statins; sterol regulatory element binding protein
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.626971
  38. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021 ;1316 49-69
    Lipid Metabolism in Cancer Cells.
    Minhua Zheng, Wei Wang, Jun Liu, Xiao Zhang, Rui Zhang.
      Metabolic reprogramming is one of the most critical hallmarks in cancer cells. In the past decades, mounting evidence has demonstrated that, besides the Warburg Effect, lipid metabolism dysregulation is also one of the essential characteristics of cancer cell metabolism. Lipids are water-insoluble molecules with diverse categories of phosphoglycerides, triacylglycerides, sphingolipids, sterols, etc. As the major utilization for energy storage, fatty acids are the primary building blocks for synthesizing triacylglycerides. And phosphoglycerides, sphingolipids, and sterols are the main components constructing biological membranes. More importantly, lipids play essential roles in signal transduction by functioning as second messengers or hormones. Much evidence has shown specific alterations of lipid metabolism in cancer cells. Consequently, the structural configuration of biological membranes, the energy homeostasis under nutrient stress, and the abundance of lipids in the intracellular signal transduction are affected by these alterations. Furthermore, lipid droplets accumulate in cancer cells and function adaptively to different types of harmful stress. This chapter reviews the regulation, functions, and therapeutic benefits of targeting lipid metabolism in cancer cells. Overall, this chapter highlights the significance of exploring more potential therapeutic strategies for malignant diseases by unscrambling lipid metabolism regulation in cancer cells.
    Keywords:  Cancer; Cancer therapy; Lipid metabolism; Metabolic reprogramming
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6785-2_4
  39. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021 ;1316 149-167
    Lipid Metabolism in Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells.
    Shangwen He, Ting Cai, Juanjuan Yuan, Xiaojun Zheng, Wei Yang.
      T cells recognize "foreign" antigens and induce durable humoral and cellular immune responses, which are indispensable for defending pathogens, as well as maintaining the integrity and homeostasis of tissues and organs. T cells are the major immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment which play a critical role in the antitumor immune response and cancer immune surveillance. Defective immune response of tumor-infiltrating T cells is the main cause of cancer immune evasion. The antitumor response of T cells is affected by multiple factors in the tumor microenvironment, including immunosuppressive cells, immune inhibitory cytokines, tumor-derived suppressive signals like PD-L1, immnuogenicity of tumor cells, as well as metabolic factors like hypoxia and nutrient deprivation. Abundant studies in past decades have proved the metabolic regulations of the immune response of T cells and the tumor-infiltrating T cells. In this chapter, we will discuss the regulations of the antitumor response of tumor-infiltrating T cells by lipid metabolism, which is one of the main components of metabolic regulation.
    Keywords:  Fatty acid; Lipid; Metabolism; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor-infiltrating T cell
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6785-2_10
  40. Small. 2021 Mar 14. e2006992
    Dimethyl Itaconate-Loaded Nanofibers Rewrite Macrophage Polarization, Reduce Inflammation, and Enhance Repair of Myocardic Infarction.
    Jayachandra Reddy Nakkala, Yuejun Yao, Zihe Zhai, Yiyuan Duan, Deteng Zhang, Zhengwei Mao, Linrong Lu, Changyou Gao.
      Cellular metabolism plays a major role in the regulation of inflammation. The inflammatory macrophages undergo a wide-range of metabolic rewriting due to the production of significant amount of itaconate metabolite from cis-aconitate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This itaconate molecule has been recently described as a promising immunoregulator. However, its function and mode of action on macrophages and tissue repair and regeneration are yet unclear. Herein, the itaconate-derivative dimethyl itaconate (DMI) suppresses the IL-23/IL-17 inflammatory axis-associated genes and promotes antioxidant nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 target genes. The poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL)/DMI nanofibers implanted in mice initially maintain inflammation by suppressing anti-inflammatory activity and particular inflammation, while at later stage promotes anti-inflammatory activity for an appropriate tissue repair. Furthermore, the PCL/DMI nanofiber patches show an excellent myocardial protection by reducing infarct area and improving ventricular function via time-dependent regulation of myocardium-associated genes. This study unveils potential DMI macrophage modulatory functions in tissue microenvironment and macrophages rewriting for proper tissue repair.
    Keywords:  chemokines; cytokines; dimethyl itaconate; myocardial infarction; nanofibers; tissue repair
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202006992
  41. Methods Mol Biol. 2021 ;2294 143-150
    Measurement of Metabolites from Migrating Cells.
    Demond Williams, Barbara Fingleton.
      Metastasis is a multistep process that involves responses to extrinsic and intrinsic signals at every step. It is thus only truly appreciated in the context of a whole organism. Nevertheless, in vitro studies can be used to facilitate understanding of the possible factors contributing to any phenotype that is associated with metastatic competence. The use of migration assays-where monolayers of cells migrate to cover gaps or "wounds"-has been described for decades to identify signaling pathways that regulate motile competence and to screen for ways of interfering with this ability. Here we depict the combination of such an assay with assessment of indicators of carbon metabolism using commercially available assays. This enables identification of changes in cellular metabolism associated with actively migrating cells.
    Keywords:  Glucose consumption; Lactate production; Metastasis; Migration; Scratch assay
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1350-4_10
  42. Anal Chim Acta. 2021 Apr 15. pii: S0003-2670(21)00151-3. [Epub ahead of print]1154 338325
    Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based 18O stable isotope labeling of Krebs cycle intermediates.
    Cemil Can Eylem, İpek Baysal, Acelya Erikci, Samiye Yabanoglu-Ciftci, Song Zhang, Sedef Kır, Andre Terzic, Petras Dzeja, Emirhan Nemutlu.
      New technologies permit determining metabolomic profiles of human diseases by fingerprinting metabolites levels. However, to fully understand metabolomic phenotypes, metabolite levels and turnover rates are necessary to know. Krebs cycle is the major hub of energy metabolism and cell signaling. Traditionally, 13C stable isotope labeled substrates were used to track the carbon turnover rates in Krebs cycle metabolites. In this study, for the first time we introduce H2[18O] based stable isotope marker that permit tracking oxygen exchange rates in separate segments of Krebs cycle. The chromatographic and non-chromatographic parameters were systematically tested on the effect of labeling ratio of Krebs cycle mediators to increase selectivity and sensitivity of the method. We have developed a rapid, precise, and robust GC-MS method for determining the percentage of 18O incorporation to Krebs cycle metabolites. The developed method was applied to track the cancer-induced shift in the Krebs cycle dynamics of Caco-2 cells as compared to the control FHC cells revealing Warburg effects in Caco-2 cells. We demonstrate that unique information could be obtained using this newly developed 18O-labeling analytical technology by following the oxygen exchange rates of Krebs cycle metabolites. Thus, 18O-labeling of Krebs cycle metabolites expands the arsenal of techniques for monitoring the dynamics of cellular metabolism. Moreover, the developed method will allow to apply the 18O-labeling technique to numerous other metabolic pathways where oxygen exchange with water takes place.
    Keywords:  (18)O stable isotope labeling; Citric acid cycle; Colon adenocarcinoma; Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Krebs cycle; Warburg effect
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2021.338325
  43. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Mar 16. pii: S1084-9521(21)00030-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    Aging: All roads lead to mitochondria.
    Jyung Mean Son, Changhan Lee.
      Mitochondria were described as early as 1890 as ubiquitous intracellular structures by Ernster and Schatz (1981) [1]. Since then, the accretion of knowledge in the past century has revealed much of the molecular details of mitochondria, ranging from mitochondrial origin, structure, metabolism, genetics, and signaling, and their implications in health and disease. We now know that mitochondria are remarkably multifunctional and deeply intertwined with many vital cellular processes. They are quasi-self organelles that still possess remnants of its bacterial ancestry, including an independent genome. The mitochondrial free radical theory of aging (MFRTA), which postulated that aging is a product of oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA, provided a conceptual framework that put mitochondria on the map of aging research. However, several studies have more recently challenged the general validity of the theory, favoring novel ideas based on emerging evidence to understand how mitochondria contribute to aging and age-related diseases. One prominent topic of investigation lies on the fact that mitochondria are not only production sites for bioenergetics and macromolecules, but also regulatory hubs that communicate and coordinate many vital physiological processes at the cellular and organismal level. The bi-directional communication and coordination between the co-evolved mitochondrial and nuclear genomes is especially interesting in terms of cellular regulation. Mitochondria are dynamic and adaptive, rendering their function sensitive to cellular context. Tissues with high energy demands, such as the brain, seem to be uniquely affected by age-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction, providing a foundation for the development of novel mitochondrial-based therapeutics and diagnostics.
    Keywords:  Aging; Communication; Genomic instability; Immunity; Inflammation; Longevity; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial-derived peptides; Mitonuclear; Oxidative stress
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.02.006
  44. Nat Commun. 2021 Mar 19. 12(1): 1745
    Dietary restriction transforms the mammalian protein persulfidome in a tissue-specific and cystathionine γ-lyase-dependent manner.
    Nazmin Bithi, Christopher Link, Yoko O Henderson, Suzie Kim, Jie Yang, Ling Li, Rui Wang, Belinda Willard, Christopher Hine.
      Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a cytoprotective redox-active metabolite that signals through protein persulfidation (R-SSnH). Despite the known importance of persulfidation, tissue-specific persulfidome profiles and their associated functions are not well characterized, specifically under conditions and interventions known to modulate H2S production. We hypothesize that dietary restriction (DR), which increases lifespan and can boost H2S production, expands tissue-specific persulfidomes. Here, we find protein persulfidation enriched in liver, kidney, muscle, and brain but decreased in heart of young and aged male mice under two forms of DR, with DR promoting persulfidation in numerous metabolic and aging-related pathways. Mice lacking cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL) have overall decreased tissue protein persulfidation numbers and fail to functionally augment persulfidomes in response to DR, predominantly in kidney, muscle, and brain. Here, we define tissue- and CGL-dependent persulfidomes and how diet transforms their makeup, underscoring the breadth for DR and H2S to impact biological processes and organismal health.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22001-w
  45. Nat Commun. 2021 03 15. 12(1): 1678
    Mutagenesis screen uncovers lifespan extension through integrated stress response inhibition without reduced mRNA translation.
    Maxime J Derisbourg, Laura E Wester, Ruth Baddi, Martin S Denzel.
      Protein homeostasis is modulated by stress response pathways and its deficiency is a hallmark of aging. The integrated stress response (ISR) is a conserved stress-signaling pathway that tunes mRNA translation via phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2. ISR activation and translation initiation are finely balanced by eIF2 kinases and by the eIF2 guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B. However, the role of the ISR during aging remains poorly understood. Using a genomic mutagenesis screen for longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans, we define a role of eIF2 modulation in aging. By inhibiting the ISR, dominant mutations in eIF2B enhance protein homeostasis and increase lifespan. Consistently, full ISR inhibition using phosphorylation-defective eIF2α or pharmacological ISR inhibition prolong lifespan. Lifespan extension through impeding the ISR occurs without a reduction in overall protein synthesis. Instead, we observe changes in the translational efficiency of a subset of mRNAs, of which the putative kinase kin-35 is required for lifespan extension. Evidently, lifespan is limited by the ISR and its inhibition may provide an intervention in aging.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21743-x
  46. Genome Biol. 2021 Mar 16. 22(1): 85
    Histone lactylation drives oncogenesis by facilitating m6A reader protein YTHDF2 expression in ocular melanoma.
    Jie Yu, Peiwei Chai, Minyue Xie, Shengfang Ge, Jing Ruan, Xianqun Fan, Renbing Jia.
      BACKGROUND: Histone lactylation, a metabolic stress-related histone modification, plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression during M1 macrophage polarization. However, the role of histone lactylation in tumorigenesis remains unclear.RESULTS: Here, we show histone lactylation is elevated in tumors and is associated with poor prognosis of ocular melanoma. Target correction of aberrant histone lactylation triggers therapeutic efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, histone lactylation contributes to tumorigenesis by facilitating YTHDF2 expression. Moreover, YTHDF2 recognizes the m6A modified PER1 and TP53 mRNAs and promotes their degradation, which accelerates tumorigenesis of ocular melanoma.
    CONCLUSION: We reveal the oncogenic role of histone lactylation, thereby providing novel therapeutic targets for ocular melanoma therapy. We also bridge histone modifications with RNA modifications, which provides novel understanding of epigenetic regulation in tumorigenesis.
    Keywords:  Histone lactylation; Ocular melanoma; Transcriptional activation; YTHDF2; m6A
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-021-02308-z
  47. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Apr 05. pii: e2102057118. [Epub ahead of print]118(14):
    Metabolic plasticity allows cancer cells to thrive under nutrient starvation.
    Wilhelm Palm.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102057118
  48. Blood. 2021 Mar 15. pii: blood.2020008551. [Epub ahead of print]
    Very long chain fatty acid metabolism is required in acute myeloid leukemia.
    Matthew Tcheng, Alessia Roma, Nawaz Ahmed, Richard William Smith, Preethi Jayanth, Mark D Minden, Aaron D Schimmer, David A Hess, Kristin Hope, Tariq Akhtar, Eric Bohrnsen, Angelo D'Alessandro, Al-Walid Mohsen, Jerry Vockley, Paul A Spagnuolo.
      Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells have an atypical metabolic phenotype characterized by increased mitochondrial mass as well as a greater reliance on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) for survival. To exploit this altered metabolism, we assessed publicly available databases to identify FAO enzyme overexpression. VLCAD (ACADVL) was found to be overexpressed and critical to leukemia cell mitochondrial metabolism. Genetic attenuation or pharmacological inhibition of VLCAD hindered mitochondrial respiration and FAO contribution to the TCA cycle, resulting in decreased viability, proliferation, clonogenic growth and AML cell engraftment. Suppression of FAO at VLCAD triggered an increase in PDH activity insufficient to increase glycolysis but resulted in ATP depletion and AML cell death with no effect in normal hematopoietic cells. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of VLCAD in AML cell biology and highlight a novel metabolic vulnerability for this devastating disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2020008551
  49. Cancer Sci. 2021 Mar 18.
    The landscape of immune cell infiltration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma to aid immunotherapy.
    Dan Bai, Huhu Feng, Jiajun Yang, Aiping Yin, Airong Qian, Hiroshi Sugiyama.
      The tumor microenvironment comprised to tumor cell and tumor-infiltrating immune cells is tightly associated with the clinical outcome of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the landscape of immune infiltrative in ccRCC has been not fully elucidated. Herein, we applied multiple computational methods and data sets to reveal the immune infiltrative landscape of ccRCC patients. The TII level of 525 ccRCC patients using the single-sample gene were examined and further categorized into immune infiltration subgroups. The TII score was characterized by distinctly clinical traits and showed a significant divergence in gender, grade and stage. The high TII score was associated with ERBB signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway, MTOR signaling pathway, and showed a better prognosis. Furthermore, the high TII score exhibited drug sensitivity in Pazopanib. The low TII score was characterized by high immune infiltration level of CD8 + T cell, T follicular helper cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and immune function. Moreover, the immune check point genes including CTLA-4, LAG3, PD-1, and IDO1 presented a high expression level in low TII score group. Immunotherapy cohorts confirmed that patients in high TII score group demonstrated significant therapeutic advantages and clinical benefits. The findings in this study have potential assisting the strategic design of immunotherapeutic treatments for ccRCC.
    Keywords:  clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); immune cell infiltration; immune check point; immunotherapy; tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/cas.14887
  50. Acta Neuropathol. 2021 Mar 19.
    Non-IDH1-R132H IDH1/2 mutations are associated with increased DNA methylation and improved survival in astrocytomas, compared to IDH1-R132H mutations.
    C Mircea S Tesileanu, Wies R Vallentgoed, Marc Sanson, Walter Taal, Paul M Clement, Wolfgang Wick, Alba Ariela Brandes, Jean Francais Baurain, Olivier L Chinot, Helen Wheeler, Sanjeev Gill, Matthew Griffin, Leland Rogers, Roberta Rudà, Michael Weller, Catherine McBain, Jaap Reijneveld, Roelien H Enting, Francesca Caparrotti, Thierry Lesimple, Susan Clenton, Anja Gijtenbeek, Elizabeth Lim, Filip de Vos, Paul J Mulholland, Martin J B Taphoorn, Iris de Heer, Youri Hoogstrate, Maurice de Wit, Lorenzo Boggiani, Sanne Venneker, Jan Oosting, Judith V M G Bovée, Sara Erridge, Michael A Vogelbaum, Anna K Nowak, Warren P Mason, Johan M Kros, Pieter Wesseling, Ken Aldape, Robert B Jenkins, Hendrikus J Dubbink, Brigitta Baumert, Vassilis Golfinopoulos, Thierry Gorlia, Martin van den Bent, Pim J French.
      Somatic mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase genes IDH1 and IDH2 occur at high frequency in several tumour types. Even though these mutations are confined to distinct hotspots, we show that gliomas are the only tumour type with an exceptionally high percentage of IDH1R132H mutations. Patients harbouring IDH1R132H mutated tumours have lower levels of genome-wide DNA-methylation, and an associated increased gene expression, compared to tumours with other IDH1/2 mutations ("non-R132H IDH1/2 mutations"). This reduced methylation is seen in multiple tumour types and thus appears independent of the site of origin. For 1p/19q non-codeleted glioma (astrocytoma) patients, we show that this difference is clinically relevant: in samples of the randomised phase III CATNON trial, patients harbouring tumours with IDH mutations other than IDH1R132H have a better outcome (hazard ratio 0.41, 95% CI [0.24, 0.71], p = 0.0013). Such non-R132H IDH1/2-mutated tumours also had a significantly lower proportion of tumours assigned to prognostically poor DNA-methylation classes (p < 0.001). IDH mutation-type was independent in a multivariable model containing known clinical and molecular prognostic factors. To confirm these observations, we validated the prognostic effect of IDH mutation type on a large independent dataset. The observation that non-R132H IDH1/2-mutated astrocytomas have a more favourable prognosis than their IDH1R132H mutated counterpart indicates that not all IDH-mutations are identical. This difference is clinically relevant and should be taken into account for patient prognostication.
    Keywords:  Astrocytoma; Gene expression; Genome-wide DNA methylation; IDH1; IDH2
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-021-02291-6
  51. Elife. 2021 Mar 18. pii: e61230. [Epub ahead of print]10
    A nuclear-based quality control pathway for non-imported mitochondrial proteins.
    Viplendra Ps Shakya, William A Barbeau, Tianyao Xiao, Christina S Knutson, Max H Schuler, Adam L Hughes.
      Mitochondrial import deficiency causes cellular toxicity due to the accumulation of non-imported mitochondrial precursor proteins, termed mitoprotein-induced stress. Despite the burden mis-localized mitochondrial precursors place on cells, our understanding of the systems that dispose of these proteins is incomplete. Here, we cataloged the location and steady-state abundance of mitochondrial precursor proteins during mitochondrial impairment in S. cerevisiae. We found that a number of non-imported mitochondrial proteins localize to the nucleus, where they are subjected to proteasome-dependent degradation through a process we term nuclear-associated mitoprotein degradation (mitoNUC). Recognition and destruction of mitochondrial precursors by the mitoNUC pathway requires the presence of an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) and is mediated by combined action of the E3 ubiquitin ligases San1, Ubr1, and Doa10. Impaired breakdown of precursors leads to alternative sequestration in nuclear-associated foci. These results identify the nucleus as an important destination for the disposal of non-imported mitochondrial precursors.
    Keywords:  S. cerevisiae; cell biology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.61230
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