bims-camemi Biomed News
on Mitochondrial metabolism in cancer
Issue of 2022–01–16
forty-nine papers selected by
Christian Frezza, , University of Cambridge, MRC Cancer Unit
  1. Metabolic adaptations in cancers expressing isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations.
  2. Translational Activation of ATF4 through Mitochondrial Anaplerotic Metabolic Pathways Is Required for DLBCL Growth and Survival.
  3. Hepatic Fis1 regulates mitochondrial integrated stress response and improves metabolic homeostasis.
  4. Mosaic dysfunction of mitophagy in mitochondrial muscle disease.
  5. Atlas of exercise metabolism reveals time-dependent signatures of metabolic homeostasis.
  6. NHR-80 senses the mitochondrial UPR to rewire citrate metabolism for lipid accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
  7. Targeting and Insertion of Membrane Proteins in Mitochondria.
  8. Glutamine-Derived Aspartate Biosynthesis in Cancer Cells: Role of Mitochondrial Transporters and New Therapeutic Perspectives.
  9. Seipin localizes at endoplasmic-reticulum-mitochondria contact sites to control mitochondrial calcium import and metabolism in adipocytes.
  10. NFE2L1-mediated proteasome function protects from ferroptosis.
  11. Mitophagy: Molecular Mechanisms, New Concepts on Parkin Activation and the Emerging Role of AMPK/ULK1 Axis.
  12. Mitochondria shed their outer membrane in response to infection-induced stress.
  13. THEM6-mediated reprogramming of lipid metabolism supports treatment resistance in prostate cancer.
  14. Metabolic adaptation of lymphocytes in immunity and disease.
  15. Altered succinylation of mitochondrial proteins, APP and tau in Alzheimer's disease.
  16. Development of Nanocarrier-Based Mitochondrial Chaperone, TRAP-1 Inhibitor to Combat Cancer Metabolism.
  17. A GATA4-regulated secretory program suppresses tumors through recruitment of cytotoxic CD8 T cells.
  18. The role of metabolic ecosystem in cancer progression - metabolic plasticity and mTOR hyperactivity in tumor tissues.
  19. High-resolution structures of mitochondrial glutaminase C tetramers indicate conformational changes upon phosphate binding.
  20. Oxylipin metabolism is controlled by mitochondrial β-oxidation during bacterial inflammation.
  21. The role of m6A RNA methylation in cancer metabolism.
  22. Restriction of extracellular lipids renders pancreatic cancer dependent on autophagy.
  23. Age-Dependent Decline of NAD+-Universal Truth or Confounded Consensus?
  24. Biosensor for branched-chain amino acid metabolism in yeast and applications in isobutanol and isopentanol production.
  25. 2-Hydroxyglutarate destabilizes chromatin regulatory landscape and lineage fidelity to promote cellular heterogeneity.
  26. Towards targeting of shared mechanisms of cancer metastasis and therapy resistance.
  27. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in redox balance and diseases: a friend or foe?
  28. cGAS/STING: novel perspectives of the classic pathway.
  29. Loss of SDHB Induces a Metabolic Switch in the hPheo1 Cell Line toward Enhanced OXPHOS.
  30. Nicotinamide riboside supplementation confers marginal metabolic benefits in obese mice without remodeling the muscle acetyl-proteome.
  31. Pathogenic SLC25A26 variants impair SAH transport activity causing mitochondrial disease.
  32. High Expression of Glycolytic Genes in Clinical Glioblastoma Patients Correlates With Lower Survival.
  33. Mitochondrial Retinopathies.
  34. Author Correction: Histidine catabolism is a major determinant of methotrexate sensitivity.
  35. Polyamine import and accumulation causes immunomodulation in macrophages engulfing apoptotic cells.
  36. Beyond Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutations: Emerging Mechanisms for the Accumulation of the Oncometabolite 2-Hydroxyglutarate.
  37. Cell competition: Clonal competition protects against early tumorigenesis.
  38. Mapping organelle supply chains.
  39. Age influences on the molecular presentation of tumours.
  40. Citrulline depletion by ASS1 is required for proinflammatory macrophage activation and immune responses.
  41. Metabolic remodeling maintains a reducing environment for rapid activation of the yeast DNA replication checkpoint.
  42. Reprogramming of nucleotide metabolism by interferon confers dependence on the replication stress response pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.
  43. DRP1 interacts directly with BAX to induce its activation and apoptosis.
  44. When breaks get hot: inflammatory signaling in BRCA1/2-mutant cancers.
  45. Aging is associated with increased brain iron through cortex-derived hepcidin expression.
  46. Double-edge sword roles of iron in driving energy production versus instigating ferroptosis.
  47. Evolution of enzyme levels in metabolic pathways: A theoretical approach.
  48. Linking DNA repair and cell cycle progression through serine ADP-ribosylation of histones.
  49. The Roles of Coenzyme Q in Disease: Direct and Indirect Involvement in Cellular Functions.
  1. Cell Rep Med. 2021 Dec 21. 2(12): 100469
    Metabolic adaptations in cancers expressing isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations.
    Ingvild Comfort Hvinden, Tom Cadoux-Hudson, Christopher J Schofield, James S O McCullagh.
      The most frequently mutated metabolic genes in human cancer are those encoding the enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2; these mutations have so far been identified in more than 20 tumor types. Since IDH mutations were first reported in glioma over a decade ago, extensive research has revealed their association with altered cellular processes. Mutations in IDH lead to a change in enzyme function, enabling efficient conversion of 2-oxoglutarate to R-2-hydroxyglutarate (R-2-HG). It is proposed that elevated cellular R-2-HG inhibits enzymes that regulate transcription and metabolism, subsequently affecting nuclear, cytoplasmic, and mitochondrial biochemistry. The significance of these biochemical changes for tumorigenesis and potential for therapeutic exploitation remains unclear. Here we comprehensively review reported direct and indirect metabolic changes linked to IDH mutations and discuss their clinical significance. We also review the metabolic effects of first-generation mutant IDH inhibitors and highlight the potential for combination treatment strategies and new metabolic targets.
    Keywords:  2-oxoglutarate; IDH inhibition; R-2-HG; R-2-hydoxyglutarate; TCA cycle; cancer metabolism; chromatin modification; histone modification; metabolic target; mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase; redox metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100469
  2. Blood Cancer Discov. 2022 Jan;3(1): 50-65
    Translational Activation of ATF4 through Mitochondrial Anaplerotic Metabolic Pathways Is Required for DLBCL Growth and Survival.
    Meng Li, Matthew R Teater, Jun Young Hong, Noel R Park, Cihangir Duy, Hao Shen, Ling Wang, Zhengming Chen, Leandro Cerchietti, Shawn M Davidson, Hening Lin, Ari M Melnick.
      Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) are broadly dependent on anaplerotic metabolism regulated by mitochondrial SIRT3. Herein we find that translational upregulation of ATF4 is coupled with anaplerotic metabolism in DLBCLs due to nutrient deprivation caused by SIRT3 driving rapid flux of glutamine into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. SIRT3 depletion led to ATF4 downregulation and cell death, which was rescued by ectopic ATF4 expression. Mechanistically, ATF4 translation is inhibited in SIRT3-deficient cells due to the increased pools of amino acids derived from compensatory autophagy and decreased glutamine consumption by the TCA cycle. Absence of ATF4 further aggravates this state through downregulation of its target genes, including genes for amino acid biosynthesis and import. Collectively, we identify a SIRT3-ATF4 axis required to maintain survival of DLBCL cells by enabling them to optimize amino acid uptake and utilization. Targeting ATF4 translation can potentiate the cytotoxic effect of SIRT3 inhibitor to DLBCL cells. SIGNIFICANCE: We discovered the link between SIRT3 and ATF4 in DLBCL cells, which connected lymphoma amino acid metabolism with ATF4 translation via metabolic stress signals. SIRT3-ATF4 axis is required in DLBCL cells regardless of subtype, which indicates a common metabolic vulnerability in DLBCLs and can serve as a therapeutic target.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2643-3230.BCD-20-0183
  3. JCI Insight. 2022 Jan 11. pii: e150041. [Epub ahead of print]
    Hepatic Fis1 regulates mitochondrial integrated stress response and improves metabolic homeostasis.
    Yae-Huei Liou, Jean Personnaz, David Jacobi, Nelson H Knudsen, Mayer M Chalom, Kyle A Starost, Israel C Nnah, Chih-Hao Lee.
      Mitophagy and mitochondrial integrated stress response (ISR) are two primary protective mechanisms to maintain functional mitochondria. Whether these two processes are coordinately regulated remains unclear. Here we show that mitochondrial fission 1 protein (Fis1), which is required for completion of mitophagy, serves as a signaling hub linking mitophagy and ISR. In mouse hepatocytes, high fat diet (HFD) feeding induces unresolved oxidative stress, defective mitophagy and enhanced type I interferon (IFN-I) response implicated in promoting metabolic inflammation. Adenoviral-mediated acute hepatic Fis1 over-expression is sufficient to reduce oxidative damage and improve glucose homeostasis in HFD fed mice. RNA-seq analysis reveals that Fis1 triggers a retrograde mitochondria-to-nucleus communication upregulating ISR genes encoding anti-oxidant defense, redox homeostasis and proteostasis pathways. Fis1-mediated ISR also suppresses expression of IFN-I stimulated genes through Atf5, which inhibits the transactivation activity of Irf3 known to control IFN-I production. Metabolite analysis demonstrates that Fis1 activation leads to accumulation of fumarate, a TCA cycle intermediate capable of increasing Atf5 activity. Consequently, hepatic Atf5 over-expression or monomethyl fumarate (MMF) treatment improves glucose homeostasis in HFD fed mice. Collectively, these results support the potential use of small molecules targeting the Fis1-Atf5 axis, such as MMF, to treat metabolic diseases.
    Keywords:  Glucose metabolism; Metabolism; Mitochondria; Obesity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.150041
  4. Cell Metab. 2022 Jan 07. pii: S1550-4131(21)00636-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Mosaic dysfunction of mitophagy in mitochondrial muscle disease.
    Takayuki Mito, Amy E Vincent, Julie Faitg, Robert W Taylor, Nahid A Khan, Thomas G McWilliams, Anu Suomalainen.
      Mitophagy is a quality control mechanism that eliminates damaged mitochondria, yet its significance in mammalian pathophysiology and aging has remained unclear. Here, we report that mitophagy contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle of aged mice and human patients. The early disease stage is characterized by muscle fibers with central nuclei, with enhanced mitophagy around these nuclei. However, progressive mitochondrial dysfunction halts mitophagy and disrupts lysosomal homeostasis. Interestingly, activated or halted mitophagy occur in a mosaic manner even in adjacent muscle fibers, indicating cell-autonomous regulation. Rapamycin restores mitochondrial turnover, indicating mTOR-dependence of mitochondrial recycling in advanced disease stage. Our evidence suggests that (1) mitophagy is a hallmark of age-related mitochondrial pathology in mammalian muscle, (2) mosaic halting of mitophagy is a mechanism explaining mosaic respiratory chain deficiency and accumulation of pathogenic mtDNA variants in adult-onset mitochondrial diseases and normal aging, and (3) augmenting mitophagy is a promising therapeutic approach for muscle mitochondrial dysfunction.
    Keywords:  SBFSEM; centrally nucleated fibers; lysosome; mito-QC; mitochondrial disease; mitochondrial myopathy; mitophagy; patient; ragged-red fibers
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2021.12.017
  5. Cell Metab. 2022 Jan 10. pii: S1550-4131(21)00635-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Atlas of exercise metabolism reveals time-dependent signatures of metabolic homeostasis.
    Shogo Sato, Kenneth A Dyar, Jonas T Treebak, Sara L Jepsen, Amy M Ehrlich, Stephen P Ashcroft, Kajetan Trost, Thomas Kunzke, Verena M Prade, Lewin Small, Astrid Linde Basse, Milena Schönke, Siwei Chen, Muntaha Samad, Pierre Baldi, Romain Barrès, Axel Walch, Thomas Moritz, Jens J Holst, Dominik Lutter, Juleen R Zierath, Paolo Sassone-Corsi.
      Tissue sensitivity and response to exercise vary according to the time of day and alignment of circadian clocks, but the optimal exercise time to elicit a desired metabolic outcome is not fully defined. To understand how tissues independently and collectively respond to timed exercise, we applied a systems biology approach. We mapped and compared global metabolite responses of seven different mouse tissues and serum after an acute exercise bout performed at different times of the day. Comparative analyses of intra- and inter-tissue metabolite dynamics, including temporal profiling and blood sampling across liver and hindlimb muscles, uncovered an unbiased view of local and systemic metabolic responses to exercise unique to time of day. This comprehensive atlas of exercise metabolism provides clarity and physiological context regarding the production and distribution of canonical and novel time-dependent exerkine metabolites, such as 2-hydroxybutyrate (2-HB), and reveals insight into the health-promoting benefits of exercise on metabolism.
    Keywords:  2-hydroxybutyrate; arteriovenous metabolomics; circadian rhythms; exercise metabolism; exerkines; metabolomics; multitissue analysis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2021.12.016
  6. Cell Rep. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S2211-1247(21)01710-1. [Epub ahead of print]38(2): 110206
    NHR-80 senses the mitochondrial UPR to rewire citrate metabolism for lipid accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
    Rendan Yang, Yamei Li, Yanli Wang, Jingjing Zhang, Qijing Fan, Jianlin Tan, Weizhen Li, Xiaoju Zou, Bin Liang.
      Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell. Dysfunction of mitochondria homeostasis induces the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt), altering cellular metabolism. How cells sense the UPRmt to rewire metabolism is largely unknown. Here, we show that inactivation of either the citric/tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes aco-2 or idha-1, which encode aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase respectively, leads to citrate accumulation. In Caenorhabditis elegans, both in vitro and in vivo, citrate accumulation consequently triggers the UPRmt and also promotes lipid accumulation. The transcription factor DVE-1 binds to the promoter of the nuclear hormone receptor nhr-80 to transactivate its expression. NHR-80 then upregulates lipogenesis and lipid accumulation, shifting excess citrate for use in lipogenesis and for storage as triacylglycerol in lipid droplets. Inactivation of DVE-1 or NHR-80 fully abolishes the citrate-induced lipid accumulation. Therefore, our work uncovers a DVE-1-NHR-80-lipogenesis axis linking the transmission of the mitochondrial stress signal to lipid metabolism.
    Keywords:  citrate; citric/tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; lipid accumulation; mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR(mt)); nuclear hormone receptor NHR-80
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110206
  7. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 ;9 803205
    Targeting and Insertion of Membrane Proteins in Mitochondria.
    Ross Eaglesfield, Kostas Tokatlidis.
      Mitochondrial membrane proteins play an essential role in all major mitochondrial functions. The respiratory complexes of the inner membrane are key for the generation of energy. The carrier proteins for the influx/efflux of essential metabolites to/from the matrix. Many other inner membrane proteins play critical roles in the import and processing of nuclear encoded proteins (∼99% of all mitochondrial proteins). The outer membrane provides another lipidic barrier to nuclear-encoded protein translocation and is home to many proteins involved in the import process, maintenance of ionic balance, as well as the assembly of outer membrane components. While many aspects of the import and assembly pathways of mitochondrial membrane proteins have been elucidated, many open questions remain, especially surrounding the assembly of the respiratory complexes where certain highly hydrophobic subunits are encoded by the mitochondrial DNA and synthesised and inserted into the membrane from the matrix side. This review will examine the various assembly pathways for inner and outer mitochondrial membrane proteins while discussing the most recent structural and biochemical data examining the biogenesis process.
    Keywords:  assembly; membrane proteins; mitochondria; mitochondrial chaperones; translocons
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.803205
  8. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Jan 04. pii: 245. [Epub ahead of print]14(1):
    Glutamine-Derived Aspartate Biosynthesis in Cancer Cells: Role of Mitochondrial Transporters and New Therapeutic Perspectives.
    Ruggiero Gorgoglione, Valeria Impedovo, Christopher L Riley, Deborah Fratantonio, Stefano Tiziani, Luigi Palmieri, Vincenza Dolce, Giuseppe Fiermonte.
      Aspartate has a central role in cancer cell metabolism. Aspartate cytosolic availability is crucial for protein and nucleotide biosynthesis as well as for redox homeostasis. Since tumor cells display poor aspartate uptake from the external environment, most of the cellular pool of aspartate derives from mitochondrial catabolism of glutamine. At least four transporters are involved in this metabolic pathway: the glutamine (SLC1A5_var), the aspartate/glutamate (AGC), the aspartate/phosphate (uncoupling protein 2, UCP2), and the glutamate (GC) carriers, the last three belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF). The loss of one of these transporters causes a paucity of cytosolic aspartate and an arrest of cell proliferation in many different cancer types. The aim of this review is to clarify why different cancers have varying dependencies on metabolite transporters to support cytosolic glutamine-derived aspartate availability. Dissecting the precise metabolic routes that glutamine undergoes in specific tumor types is of upmost importance as it promises to unveil the best metabolic target for therapeutic intervention.
    Keywords:  SLC1A5_var; UCP2; aspartate; aspartate/glutamate carrier; cancer; glutamate carrier; glutamine metabolism; mitochondrial carriers
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14010245
  9. Cell Rep. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S2211-1247(21)01717-4. [Epub ahead of print]38(2): 110213
    Seipin localizes at endoplasmic-reticulum-mitochondria contact sites to control mitochondrial calcium import and metabolism in adipocytes.
    Yoann Combot, Veijo T Salo, Gilliane Chadeuf, Maarit Hölttä, Katharina Ven, Ilari Pulli, Simon Ducheix, Claire Pecqueur, Ophélie Renoult, Behnam Lak, Shiqian Li, Leena Karhinen, Ilya Belevich, Cedric Le May, Jennifer Rieusset, Soazig Le Lay, Mikael Croyal, Karim Si Tayeb, Helena Vihinen, Eija Jokitalo, Kid Törnquist, Corinne Vigouroux, Bertrand Cariou, Jocelyne Magré, Abdelhalim Larhlimi, Elina Ikonen, Xavier Prieur.
      Deficiency of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein seipin results in generalized lipodystrophy by incompletely understood mechanisms. Here, we report mitochondrial abnormalities in seipin-deficient patient cells. A subset of seipin is enriched at ER-mitochondria contact sites (MAMs) in human and mouse cells and localizes in the vicinity of calcium regulators SERCA2, IP3R, and VDAC. Seipin association with MAM calcium regulators is stimulated by fasting-like stimuli, while seipin association with lipid droplets is promoted by lipid loading. Acute seipin removal does not alter ER calcium stores but leads to defective mitochondrial calcium import accompanied by a widespread reduction in Krebs cycle metabolites and ATP levels. In mice, inducible seipin deletion leads to mitochondrial dysfunctions preceding the development of metabolic complications. Together, these data suggest that seipin controls mitochondrial energy metabolism by regulating mitochondrial calcium influx at MAMs. In seipin-deficient adipose tissue, reduced ATP production compromises adipocyte properties, contributing to lipodystrophy pathogenesis.
    Keywords:  ATP production; Adipocyte; Calcium handling; ER-LD contact sites; Krebs cycle metabolites; MAMs; Mitochondria dysfunction; lipid droplet; lipodystrophy; seipin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110213
  10. Mol Metab. 2022 Jan 06. pii: S2212-8778(22)00005-9. [Epub ahead of print] 101436
    NFE2L1-mediated proteasome function protects from ferroptosis.
    Stefan Kotschi, Anna Jung, Nienke Willemsen, Anahita Ofoghi, Bettina Proneth, Marcus Conrad, Alexander Bartelt.
       OBJECTIVE: Ferroptosis continues to emerge as a novel modality of cell death with important therapeutic implications for a variety of diseases, most notably cancer and degenerative diseases. While susceptibility, initiation, and execution of ferroptosis have been linked to reprogramming of cellular lipid metabolism, imbalances in iron-redox homeostasis, and aberrant mitochondrial respiration, the detailed mechanisms of ferroptosis are still insufficiently well understood.
    METHODS AND RESULTS: Here we show that diminished proteasome function is a new mechanistic feature of ferroptosis. The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2, like-1 (NFE2L1) protects from ferroptosis by sustaining proteasomal activity. In cellular systems, loss of NFE2L1 reduced cellular viability after the induction of both chemically and genetically induced ferroptosis, which was linked to the regulation of proteasomal activity under these conditions. Importantly, this was reproduced in a Sedaghatian-type Spondylometaphyseal Dysplasia (SSMD) patient-derived cell line carrying mutated glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4), a critical regulator of ferroptosis. Also, reduced proteasomal activity was associated with ferroptosis in Gpx4-deficient mice. In a mouse model for genetic Nfe2l1 deficiency, we observed brown adipose tissue (BAT) involution, hyperubiquitination of ferroptosis regulators, including the GPX4 pathway, and other hallmarks of ferroptosis.
    CONCLUSION: Our data highlight the relevance of the NFE2L1-proteasome pathway in ferroptosis. Manipulation of NFE2L1 activity might enhance ferroptosis-inducing cancer therapies as well as protect from aberrant ferroptosis in neurodegeneration, general metabolism, and beyond.
    Keywords:  Ferroptosis; GPX4; brown adipose tissue; lipids; proteasome; ubiquitin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101436
  11. Cells. 2021 Dec 23. pii: 30. [Epub ahead of print]11(1):
    Mitophagy: Molecular Mechanisms, New Concepts on Parkin Activation and the Emerging Role of AMPK/ULK1 Axis.
    Roberto Iorio, Giuseppe Celenza, Sabrina Petricca.
      Mitochondria are multifunctional subcellular organelles essential for cellular energy homeostasis and apoptotic cell death. It is, therefore, crucial to maintain mitochondrial fitness. Mitophagy, the selective removal of dysfunctional mitochondria by autophagy, is critical for regulating mitochondrial quality control in many physiological processes, including cell development and differentiation. On the other hand, both impaired and excessive mitophagy are involved in the pathogenesis of different ageing-associated diseases such as neurodegeneration, cancer, myocardial injury, liver disease, sarcopenia and diabetes. The best-characterized mitophagy pathway is the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin-dependent pathway. However, other Parkin-independent pathways are also reported to mediate the tethering of mitochondria to the autophagy apparatuses, directly activating mitophagy (mitophagy receptors and other E3 ligases). In addition, the existence of molecular mechanisms other than PINK1-mediated phosphorylation for Parkin activation was proposed. The adenosine5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is emerging as a key player in mitochondrial metabolism and mitophagy. Beyond its involvement in mitochondrial fission and autophagosomal engulfment, its interplay with the PINK1-Parkin pathway is also reported. Here, we review the recent advances in elucidating the canonical molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that regulate mitophagy, focusing on the early role and spatial specificity of the AMPK/ULK1 axis.
    Keywords:  AMPK; E3 ligases; PINK1–Parkin pathway; Parkin activation; ULK1; mitochondria; mitophagy; mitophagy receptors; ubiquitin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11010030
  12. Science. 2022 Jan 14. 375(6577): eabi4343
    Mitochondria shed their outer membrane in response to infection-induced stress.
    Xianhe Li, Julian Straub, Tânia Catarina Medeiros, Chahat Mehra, Fabian den Brave, Esra Peker, Ilian Atanassov, Katharina Stillger, Jonas Benjamin Michaelis, Emma Burbridge, Colin Adrain, Christian Münch, Jan Riemer, Thomas Becker, Lena F Pernas.
      [Figure: see text].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abi4343
  13. EMBO Mol Med. 2022 Jan 11. e14764
    THEM6-mediated reprogramming of lipid metabolism supports treatment resistance in prostate cancer.
    Arnaud Blomme, Coralie Peter, Ernest Mui, Giovanny Rodriguez Blanco, Ning An, Louise M Mason, Lauren E Jamieson, Grace H McGregor, Sergio Lilla, Chara Ntala, Rachana Patel, Marc Thiry, Sonia H Y Kung, Marine Leclercq, Catriona A Ford, Linda K Rushworth, David J McGarry, Susan Mason, Peter Repiscak, Colin Nixon, Mark J Salji, Elke Markert, Gillian M MacKay, Jurre J Kamphorst, Duncan Graham, Karen Faulds, Ladan Fazli, Martin E Gleave, Edward Avezov, Joanne Edwards, Huabing Yin, David Sumpton, Karen Blyth, Pierre Close, Daniel J Murphy, Sara Zanivan, Hing Y Leung.
      Despite the clinical benefit of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), the majority of patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa) ultimately develop lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In this study, we identified thioesterase superfamily member 6 (THEM6) as a marker of ADT resistance in PCa. THEM6 deletion reduces in vivo tumour growth and restores castration sensitivity in orthograft models of CRPC. Mechanistically, we show that the ER membrane-associated protein THEM6 regulates intracellular levels of ether lipids and is essential to trigger the induction of the ER stress response (UPR). Consequently, THEM6 loss in CRPC cells significantly alters ER function, reducing de novo sterol biosynthesis and preventing lipid-mediated activation of ATF4. Finally, we demonstrate that high THEM6 expression is associated with poor survival and correlates with high levels of UPR activation in PCa patients. Altogether, our results highlight THEM6 as a novel driver of therapy resistance in PCa as well as a promising target for the treatment of CRPC.
    Keywords:  ATF4; ER stress; lipid metabolism; prostate cancer; therapy resistance
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.202114764
  14. Immunity. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S1074-7613(21)00548-3. [Epub ahead of print]55(1): 14-30
    Metabolic adaptation of lymphocytes in immunity and disease.
    Nicole M Chapman, Hongbo Chi.
      Adaptive immune responses mediated by T cells and B cells are crucial for protective immunity against pathogens and tumors. Differentiation and function of immune cells require dynamic reprogramming of cellular metabolism. Metabolic inputs, pathways, and enzymes display remarkable flexibility and heterogeneity, especially in vivo. How metabolic plasticity and adaptation dictate functional specialization of immune cells is fundamental to our understanding and therapeutic modulation of the immune system. Extensive progress has been made in characterizing the effects of metabolic networks on immune cell fate and function in discrete microenvironments or immunological contexts. In this review, we summarize how rewiring of cellular metabolism determines the outcome of adaptive immunity in vivo, with a focus on how metabolites, nutrients, and driver genes in immunometabolism instruct cellular programming and immune responses during infection, inflammation, and cancer in mice and humans. Understanding context-dependent metabolic remodeling will manifest legitimate opportunities for therapeutic intervention of human disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2021.12.012
  15. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 10. 13(1): 159
    Altered succinylation of mitochondrial proteins, APP and tau in Alzheimer's disease.
    Yun Yang, Victor Tapias, Diana Acosta, Hui Xu, Huanlian Chen, Ruchika Bhawal, Elizabeth T Anderson, Elena Ivanova, Hening Lin, Botir T Sagdullaev, Jianer Chen, William L Klein, Kirsten L Viola, Sam Gandy, Vahram Haroutunian, M Flint Beal, David Eliezer, Sheng Zhang, Gary E Gibson.
      Abnormalities in brain glucose metabolism and accumulation of abnormal protein deposits called plaques and tangles are neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their relationship to disease pathogenesis and to each other remains unclear. Here we show that succinylation, a metabolism-associated post-translational protein modification (PTM), provides a potential link between abnormal metabolism and AD pathology. We quantified the lysine succinylomes and proteomes from brains of individuals with AD, and healthy controls. In AD, succinylation of multiple mitochondrial proteins declined, and succinylation of small number of cytosolic proteins increased. The largest increases occurred at critical sites of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and microtubule-associated tau. We show that in vitro, succinylation of APP disrupted its normal proteolytic processing thereby promoting Aβ accumulation and plaque formation and that succinylation of tau promoted its aggregation to tangles and impaired microtubule assembly. In transgenic mouse models of AD, elevated succinylation associated with soluble and insoluble APP derivatives and tau. These findings indicate that a metabolism-linked PTM may be associated with AD.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27572-2
  16. ACS Appl Bio Mater. 2020 Jul 20. 3(7): 4188-4197
    Development of Nanocarrier-Based Mitochondrial Chaperone, TRAP-1 Inhibitor to Combat Cancer Metabolism.
    Vijayalakshmi Amash, Khanderao Paithankar, Shrikant Purushottam Dharaskar, Abirami Arunachalam, Sreedhar Amere Subbarao.
      Among human diseases, cancer has been in the frontlines of drug discovery and development. Despite having several decades of research efforts, therapeutic targeting of cancer is still challenging, which is due to the ability of cancer cells to adapt to the tumor microenvironment, exhibiting resistance to therapeutic drugs, and facilitated altered cancer metabolism. The small molecule inhibitors aimed at targeting a selective pathway are becoming void since cancer cells can activate alternate mechanisms. Despite broad acceptance of the Warburg effect, cellular energy metabolism, which determines the cell fate, is often overlooked for cancer treatment. We reported earlier that mitochondrial chaperone, TRAP-1 acts as a switch for activating the alternate cellular metabolism. Hence, we hypothesized that interfering with TRAP-1 inhibition can target the activation of alternative energy metabolism and sensitize tumor cells to existing chemotherapeutic drugs. We developed a nanocarrier where the iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) were conjugated to Hsp90 inhibitor, geldanamycin (GA), and the mitochondria localization signal (MLS) peptide. We examined its effect against mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic status of human tumor cells. The synthesized nanocarrier exhibited both stability and target-specific activity and did not show nanoparticle-associated cytotoxicity. However, the nanocarrier treated cancer cells exhibited altered mitochondrial morphology and decreased cellular ATP levels suggesting that selective TRAP-1 targeting interferes with the altered energy metabolism. We present a nanoparticle-based TRAP-1 inhibitor to target tumor metabolism.
    Keywords:  MLS peptide; TRAP-1; cancer; geldanamycin; iron oxide nanoparticles; mitochondrion
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.0c00268
  17. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 11. 13(1): 256
    A GATA4-regulated secretory program suppresses tumors through recruitment of cytotoxic CD8 T cells.
    Rupesh S Patel, Rodrigo Romero, Emma V Watson, Anthony C Liang, Megan Burger, Peter M K Westcott, Kim L Mercer, Roderick T Bronson, Eric C Wooten, Arjun Bhutkar, Tyler Jacks, Stephen J Elledge.
      The GATA4 transcription factor acts as a master regulator of development of multiple tissues. GATA4 also acts in a distinct capacity to control a stress-inducible pro-inflammatory secretory program that is associated with senescence, a potent tumor suppression mechanism, but also operates in non-senescent contexts such as tumorigenesis. This secretory pathway is composed of chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, and proteases. Since GATA4 is deleted or epigenetically silenced in cancer, here we examine the role of GATA4 in tumorigenesis in mouse models through both loss-of-function and overexpression experiments. We find that GATA4 promotes non-cell autonomous tumor suppression in multiple model systems. Mechanistically, we show that Gata4-dependent tumor suppression requires cytotoxic CD8 T cells and partially requires the secreted chemokine CCL2. Analysis of transcriptome data in human tumors reveals reduced lymphocyte infiltration in GATA4-deficient tumors, consistent with our murine data. Notably, activation of the GATA4-dependent secretory program combined with an anti-PD-1 antibody robustly abrogates tumor growth in vivo.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27731-5
  18. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2022 Jan 14.
    The role of metabolic ecosystem in cancer progression - metabolic plasticity and mTOR hyperactivity in tumor tissues.
    Anna Sebestyén, Titanilla Dankó, Dániel Sztankovics, Dorottya Moldvai, Regina Raffay, Catherine Cervi, Ildikó Krencz, Viktória Zsiros, András Jeney, Gábor Petővári.
      Despite advancements in cancer management, tumor relapse and metastasis are associated with poor outcomes in many cancers. Over the past decade, oncogene-driven carcinogenesis, dysregulated cellular signaling networks, dynamic changes in the tissue microenvironment, epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, protein expression within regulatory pathways, and their part in tumor progression are described in several studies. However, the complexity of metabolic enzyme expression is considerably under evaluated. Alterations in cellular metabolism determine the individual phenotype and behavior of cells, which is a well-recognized hallmark of cancer progression, especially in the adaptation mechanisms underlying therapy resistance. In metabolic symbiosis, cells compete, communicate, and even feed each other, supervised by tumor cells. Metabolic reprogramming forms a unique fingerprint for each tumor tissue, depending on the cellular content and genetic, epigenetic, and microenvironmental alterations of the developing cancer. Based on its sensing and effector functions, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is considered the master regulator of metabolic adaptation. Moreover, mTOR kinase hyperactivity is associated with poor prognosis in various tumor types. In situ metabolic phenotyping in recent studies highlights the importance of metabolic plasticity, mTOR hyperactivity, and their role in tumor progression. In this review, we update recent developments in metabolic phenotyping of the cancer ecosystem, metabolic symbiosis, and plasticity which could provide new research directions in tumor biology. In addition, we suggest pathomorphological and analytical studies relating to metabolic alterations, mTOR activity, and their associations which are necessary to improve understanding of tumor heterogeneity and expand the therapeutic management of cancer.
    Keywords:  Cancer; Metabolic heterogeneity; Metabolic phenotypes; Metabolic plasticity; mTOR hyperactivity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-021-10006-2
  19. J Biol Chem. 2022 Jan 06. pii: S0021-9258(22)00004-7. [Epub ahead of print] 101564
    High-resolution structures of mitochondrial glutaminase C tetramers indicate conformational changes upon phosphate binding.
    Thuy-Tien T Nguyen, Sekar Ramachandran, Matthew J Hill, Richard A Cerione.
      The mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase C (GAC) is upregulated in many cancer cells to catalyze the first step in glutamine metabolism, the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate. The dependence of cancer cells on this transformed metabolic pathway highlights GAC as a potentially important therapeutic target. GAC acquires maximal catalytic activity upon binding to anionic activators such as inorganic phosphate. To delineate the mechanism of GAC activation, we used the tryptophan substitution of tyrosine 466 in the catalytic site of the enzyme as a fluorescent reporter for glutamine binding in the presence and absence of phosphate. We show that in the absence of phosphate, glutamine binding to the Y466W GAC tetramer exhibits positive cooperativity. A high-resolution X-ray structure of tetrameric Y466W GAC bound to glutamine suggests that cooperativity in substrate binding is coupled to tyrosine 249, located at the edge of the catalytic site (i.e. the 'lid'), adopting two distinct conformations. In one dimer within the GAC tetramer, the lids are open and glutamine binds weakly, whereas, in the adjoining dimer, the lids are closed over the substrates, resulting in higher affinity interactions. When crystallized in the presence of glutamine and phosphate, all four subunits of the Y466W GAC tetramer exhibited bound glutamine with closed lids. Glutamine can bind with high affinity to each subunit, which subsequently undergo simultaneous catalysis. These findings explain how the regulated transitioning of GAC between different conformational states ensures maximal catalytic activity is reached in cancer cells only when an allosteric activator is available.
    Keywords:  cancer biology; enzyme mechanism; glutaminase; mitochondrial metabolism; structure‐function
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101564
  20. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 10. 13(1): 139
    Oxylipin metabolism is controlled by mitochondrial β-oxidation during bacterial inflammation.
    Mariya Misheva, Konstantinos Kotzamanis, Luke C Davies, Victoria J Tyrrell, Patricia R S Rodrigues, Gloria A Benavides, Christine Hinz, Robert C Murphy, Paul Kennedy, Philip R Taylor, Marcela Rosas, Simon A Jones, James E McLaren, Sumukh Deshpande, Robert Andrews, Nils Helge Schebb, Magdalena A Czubala, Mark Gurney, Maceler Aldrovandi, Sven W Meckelmann, Peter Ghazal, Victor Darley-Usmar, Daniel A White, Valerie B O'Donnell.
      Oxylipins are potent biological mediators requiring strict control, but how they are removed en masse during infection and inflammation is unknown. Here we show that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dynamically enhances oxylipin removal via mitochondrial β-oxidation. Specifically, genetic or pharmacological targeting of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1), a mitochondrial importer of fatty acids, reveal that many oxylipins are removed by this protein during inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Using stable isotope-tracing lipidomics, we find secretion-reuptake recycling for 12-HETE and its intermediate metabolites. Meanwhile, oxylipin β-oxidation is uncoupled from oxidative phosphorylation, thus not contributing to energy generation. Testing for genetic control checkpoints, transcriptional interrogation of human neonatal sepsis finds upregulation of many genes involved in mitochondrial removal of long-chain fatty acyls, such as ACSL1,3,4, ACADVL, CPT1B, CPT2 and HADHB. Also, ACSL1/Acsl1 upregulation is consistently observed following the treatment of human/murine macrophages with LPS and IFN-γ. Last, dampening oxylipin levels by β-oxidation is suggested to impact on their regulation of leukocyte functions. In summary, we propose mitochondrial β-oxidation as a regulatory metabolic checkpoint for oxylipins during inflammation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27766-8
  21. Mol Cancer. 2022 Jan 12. 21(1): 14
    The role of m6A RNA methylation in cancer metabolism.
    Yuanyuan An, Hua Duan.
      Metabolic reprogramming is one of the main characteristics of malignant tumors, which is due to the flexible changes of cell metabolism that can meet the needs of cell growth and maintain the homeostasis of tissue environments. Cancer cells can obtain metabolic adaptation through a variety of endogenous and exogenous signaling pathways, which can not only promote the growth of malignant cancer cells, but also start the transformation process of cells to adapt to tumor microenvironment. Studies show that m6A RNA methylation is widely involved in the metabolic recombination of tumor cells. In eukaryotes, m6A methylation is the most abundant modification in mRNA, which is involved in almost all the RNA cycle stages, including regulation the transcription, maturation, translation, degradation and stability of mRNA. M6A RNA methylation can be involved in the regulation of physiological and pathological processes, including cancer. In this review, we discuss the role of m6A RNA methylation modification plays in tumor metabolism-related molecules and pathways, aiming to show the importance of targeting m6A in regulating tumor metabolism.
    Keywords:  Cancer; Metabolism reprogramming; The m6A
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-022-01500-4
  22. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022 Jan 08. 41(1): 16
    Restriction of extracellular lipids renders pancreatic cancer dependent on autophagy.
    Maria Saliakoura, Matteo Rossi Sebastiano, Ioanna Nikdima, Chiara Pozzato, Georgia Konstantinidou.
       BACKGROUND: KRAS is the predominant oncogene mutated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the fourth cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Mutant KRAS-driven tumors are metabolically programmed to support their growth and survival, which can be used to identify metabolic vulnerabilities. In the present study, we aimed to understand the role of extracellularly derived fatty acids in KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer.
    METHODS: To assess the dependence of PDAC cells on extracellular fatty acids we employed delipidated serum or RNAi-mediated suppression of ACSL3 (to inhibit the activation and cellular retention of extracellular fatty acids) followed by cell proliferation assays, qPCR, apoptosis assays, immunoblots and fluorescence microscopy experiments. To assess autophagy in vivo, we employed the KrasG12D/+;p53flox/flox;Pdx1-CreERT2 (KPC) mice crossed with Acsl3 knockout mice, and to assess the efficacy of the combination therapy of ACSL3 and autophagy inhibition we used xenografted human cancer cell-derived tumors in immunocompromised mice.
    RESULTS: Here we show that depletion of extracellularly derived lipids either by serum lipid restriction or suppression of ACSL3, triggers autophagy, a process that protects PDAC cells from the reduction of bioenergetic intermediates. Combined extracellular lipid deprivation and autophagy inhibition exhibits anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects against PDAC cell lines in vitro and promotes suppression of xenografted human pancreatic cancer cell-derived tumors in mice. Therefore, we propose lipid deprivation and autophagy blockade as a potential co-targeting strategy for PDAC treatment.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our work unravels a central role of extracellular lipid supply in ensuring fatty acid provision in cancer cells, unmasking a previously unappreciated metabolic vulnerability of PDAC cells.
    Keywords:  Combination therapy; Extracellular lipids; Lipid metabolism; Pancreatic cancer; Tumor metabolic vulnerabilities
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13046-021-02231-y
  23. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 27. pii: 101. [Epub ahead of print]14(1):
    Age-Dependent Decline of NAD+-Universal Truth or Confounded Consensus?
    Augusto Peluso, Mads V Damgaard, Marcelo A S Mori, Jonas T Treebak.
      Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an essential molecule involved in various metabolic reactions, acting as an electron donor in the electron transport chain and as a co-factor for NAD+-dependent enzymes. In the early 2000s, reports that NAD+ declines with aging introduced the notion that NAD+ metabolism is globally and progressively impaired with age. Since then, NAD+ became an attractive target for potential pharmacological therapies aiming to increase NAD+ levels to promote vitality and protect against age-related diseases. This review summarizes and discusses a collection of studies that report the levels of NAD+ with aging in different species (i.e., yeast, C. elegans, rat, mouse, monkey, and human), to determine whether the notion that overall NAD+ levels decrease with aging stands true. We find that, despite systematic claims of overall changes in NAD+ levels with aging, the evidence to support such claims is very limited and often restricted to a single tissue or cell type. This is particularly true in humans, where the development of NAD+ levels during aging is still poorly characterized. There is a need for much larger, preferably longitudinal, studies to assess how NAD+ levels develop with aging in various tissues. This will strengthen our conclusions on NAD metabolism during aging and should provide a foundation for better pharmacological targeting of relevant tissues.
    Keywords:  C. elegans; NAD+; aging; human; monkey; mouse; rat; yeast
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010101
  24. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 12. 13(1): 270
    Biosensor for branched-chain amino acid metabolism in yeast and applications in isobutanol and isopentanol production.
    Yanfei Zhang, Jeremy D Cortez, Sarah K Hammer, César Carrasco-López, Sergio Á García Echauri, Jessica B Wiggins, Wei Wang, José L Avalos.
      Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism fulfills numerous physiological roles and can be harnessed to produce valuable chemicals. However, the lack of eukaryotic biosensors specific for BCAA-derived products has limited the ability to develop high-throughput screens for strain engineering and metabolic studies. Here, we harness the transcriptional regulator Leu3p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to develop a genetically encoded biosensor for BCAA metabolism. In one configuration, we use the biosensor to monitor yeast production of isobutanol, an alcohol derived from valine degradation. Small modifications allow us to redeploy Leu3p in another biosensor configuration that monitors production of the leucine-derived alcohol, isopentanol. These biosensor configurations are effective at isolating high-producing strains and identifying enzymes with enhanced activity from screens for branched-chain higher alcohol (BCHA) biosynthesis in mitochondria as well as cytosol. Furthermore, this biosensor has the potential to assist in metabolic studies involving BCAA pathways, and offers a blueprint to develop biosensors for other products derived from BCAA metabolism.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27852-x
  25. Cell Rep. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S2211-1247(21)01724-1. [Epub ahead of print]38(2): 110220
    2-Hydroxyglutarate destabilizes chromatin regulatory landscape and lineage fidelity to promote cellular heterogeneity.
    Meena Kusi, Maryam Zand, Li-Ling Lin, Meizhen Chen, Anthony Lopez, Chun-Lin Lin, Chiou-Miin Wang, Nicholas D Lucio, Nameer B Kirma, Jianhua Ruan, Tim H-M Huang, Kohzoh Mitsuya.
      The epigenome delineates lineage-specific transcriptional programs and restricts cell plasticity to prevent non-physiological cell fate transitions. Although cell diversification fosters tumor evolution and therapy resistance, upstream mechanisms that regulate the stability and plasticity of the cancer epigenome remain elusive. Here we show that 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) not only suppresses DNA repair but also mediates the high-plasticity chromatin landscape. A combination of single-cell epigenomics and multi-omics approaches demonstrates that 2HG disarranges otherwise well-preserved stable nucleosome positioning and promotes cell-to-cell variability. 2HG induces loss of motif accessibility to the luminal-defining transcriptional factors FOXA1, FOXP1, and GATA3 and a shift from luminal to basal-like gene expression. Breast tumors with high 2HG exhibit enhanced heterogeneity with undifferentiated epigenomic signatures linked to adverse prognosis. Further, ascorbate-2-phosphate (A2P) eradicates heterogeneity and impairs growth of high 2HG-producing breast cancer cells. These findings suggest 2HG as a key determinant of cancer plasticity and provide a rational strategy to counteract tumor cell evolution.
    Keywords:  2-hydroxyglutarate; DNA repair; breast cancer; cancer cell plasticity; chromatin CyTOF; epigenome fluctuation; lineage fidelity; luminal-to-basal transition; oncometabolite; single-cell epigenomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110220
  26. Nat Rev Cancer. 2022 Jan 10.
    Towards targeting of shared mechanisms of cancer metastasis and therapy resistance.
    Felix Weiss, Douglas Lauffenburger, Peter Friedl.
      Resistance to therapeutic treatment and metastatic progression jointly determine a fatal outcome of cancer. Cancer metastasis and therapeutic resistance are traditionally studied as separate fields using non-overlapping strategies. However, emerging evidence, including from in vivo imaging and in vitro organotypic culture, now suggests that both programmes cooperate and reinforce each other in the invasion niche and persist upon metastatic evasion. As a consequence, cancer cell subpopulations exhibiting metastatic invasion undergo multistep reprogramming that - beyond migration signalling - supports repair programmes, anti-apoptosis processes, metabolic adaptation, stemness and survival. Shared metastasis and therapy resistance signalling are mediated by multiple mechanisms, such as engagement of integrins and other context receptors, cell-cell communication, stress responses and metabolic reprogramming, which cooperate with effects elicited by autocrine and paracrine chemokine and growth factor cues present in the activated tumour microenvironment. These signals empower metastatic cells to cope with therapeutic assault and survive. Identifying nodes shared in metastasis and therapy resistance signalling networks should offer new opportunities to improve anticancer therapy beyond current strategies, to eliminate both nodular lesions and cells in metastatic transit.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-021-00427-0
  27. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Jan 11.
    Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in redox balance and diseases: a friend or foe?
    Nirmala Koju, Zheng-Hong Qin, Rui Sheng.
      The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+/NADPH) redox couples function as cofactors or/and substrates for numerous enzymes to retain cellular redox balance and energy metabolism. Thus, maintaining cellular NADH and NADPH balance is critical for sustaining cellular homeostasis. The sources of NADPH generation might determine its biological effects. Newly-recognized biosynthetic enzymes and genetically encoded biosensors help us better understand how cells maintain biosynthesis and distribution of compartmentalized NAD(H) and NADP(H) pools. It is essential but challenging to distinguish how cells sustain redox couple pools to perform their integral functions and escape redox stress. However, it is still obscure whether NADPH is detrimental or beneficial as either deficiency or excess in cellular NADPH levels disturbs cellular redox state and metabolic homeostasis leading to redox stress, energy stress, and eventually, to the disease state. Additional study of the pathways and regulatory mechanisms of NADPH generation in different compartments, and the means by which NADPH plays a role in various diseases, will provide innovative insights into its roles in human health and may find a value of NADPH for the treatment of certain diseases including aging, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular diseases, ischemic stroke, diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; aging; cancer; diabetes; obesity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-021-00838-7
  28. Mol Biomed. 2020 Sep 20. 1(1): 7
    cGAS/STING: novel perspectives of the classic pathway.
    Menghui Gao, Yuchen He, Haosheng Tang, Xiangyu Chen, Shuang Liu, Yongguang Tao.
      Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) is a cytosolic DNA sensor and innate immune response initiator. Binding with exogenous or endogenous nucleic acids, cGAS activates its downstream adaptor, stimulator of interferon genes (STING). STING then triggers protective immune to enable the elimination of the pathogens and the clearance of cancerous cells. Apparently, aberrantly activated by self-DNA, cGAS/STING pathway is threatening to cause autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The effects of cGAS/STING in defenses against infection and autoimmune diseases have been well studied, still it is worthwhile to discuss the roles of cGAS/STING pathway beyond the "classical" realm of innate immunity. Recent studies have revealed its involvement in non-canonical inflammasome formation, calcium hemostasis regulation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, perception of leaking mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), autophagy induction, cellular senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) production, providing an exciting area for future exploration. Previous studies generally focused on the function of cGAS/STING pathway in cytoplasm and immune response. In this review, we summarize the latest research of this pathway on the regulation of other physiological process and STING independent reactions to DNA in micronuclei and nuclei. Together, these studies provide a new perspective of cGAS/STING pathway in human diseases.
    Keywords:  DNA sensor; Immune; Micronuclei; Nuclei; STING; Senescence; Tumor; cGAS
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s43556-020-00006-z
  29. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 05. pii: 560. [Epub ahead of print]23(1):
    Loss of SDHB Induces a Metabolic Switch in the hPheo1 Cell Line toward Enhanced OXPHOS.
    Mouna Tabebi, Ravi Kumar Dutta, Camilla Skoglund, Peter Söderkvist, Oliver Gimm.
       BACKGROUND: Enzymes of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) have recently been recognized as tumor suppressors. Mutations in the SDHB subunit of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) cause pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PCCs/PGLs) and predispose patients to malignant disease with poor prognosis.
    METHODS: Using the human pheochromocytoma cell line (hPheo1), we knocked down SDHB gene expression using CRISPR-cas9 technology.
    RESULTS: Microarray gene expression analysis showed that >500 differentially expressed gene targets, about 54%, were upregulated in response to SDHB knock down. Notably, genes involved in glycolysis, hypoxia, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation were up regulated, whereas genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) were downregulated. In vitro studies show that hPheo1 proliferation is not affected negatively and the cells that survive by shifting their metabolism to the use of glutamine as an alternative energy source and promote OXPHOS activity. Knock down of SDHB expression results in a significant increase in GLUD1 expression in hPheo1 cells cultured as monolayer or as 3D culture. Analysis of TCGA data confirms the enhancement of GLUD1 in SDHB mutated/low expressed PCCs/PGLs.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the downregulation of SDHB in PCCs/PGLs results in increased GLUD1 expression and may represent a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in SDHB mutated tumors and SDHB loss of activity-dependent diseases.
    Keywords:  GLUD1; OXPHOS; PCCs/PGLs; SDHB; glutamine; hPheo1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010560
  30. iScience. 2022 Jan 21. 25(1): 103635
    Nicotinamide riboside supplementation confers marginal metabolic benefits in obese mice without remodeling the muscle acetyl-proteome.
    Ashley S Williams, Timothy R Koves, Yasminye D Pettway, James A Draper, Dorothy H Slentz, Paul A Grimsrud, Olga R Ilkayeva, Deborah M Muoio.
      Nicotinamide riboside supplements (NRS) have been touted as a nutraceutical that promotes cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal health by enhancing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthesis, mitochondrial function, and/or the activities of NAD-dependent sirtuin deacetylase enzymes. This investigation examined the impact of NRS on whole body energy homeostasis, skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, and corresponding shifts in the acetyl-lysine proteome, in the context of diet-induced obesity using C57BL/6NJ mice. The study also included a genetically modified mouse model that imposes greater demand on sirtuin flux and associated NAD+ consumption, specifically within muscle tissues. In general, whole body glucose control was marginally improved by NRS when administered at the midpoint of a chronic high-fat diet, but not when given as a preventative therapy upon initiation of the diet. Contrary to anticipated outcomes, the study produced little evidence that NRS increases tissue NAD+ levels, augments mitochondrial function, and/or mitigates diet-induced hyperacetylation of the skeletal muscle proteome.
    Keywords:  Nutrition; Physiology; Proteomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.103635
  31. Hum Mol Genet. 2022 Jan 13. pii: ddac002. [Epub ahead of print]
    Pathogenic SLC25A26 variants impair SAH transport activity causing mitochondrial disease.
    Florian A Schober, Jia Xin Tang, Kate Sergeant, Marco F Moedas, Charlotte M Zierz, David Moore, Conrad Smith, David Lewis, Nishan Guha, Sila Hopton, Gavin Falkous, Amanda Lam, Angela Pyle, Joanna Poulton, Gráinne S Gorman, Robert W Taylor, Christoph Freyer, Anna Wredenberg.
      The SLC25A26 gene encodes a mitochondrial inner membrane carrier that transports S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) into the mitochondrial matrix in exchange for S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). SAM is the predominant methyl-group donor for most cellular methylation processes, of which SAH is produced as a by-product. Pathogenic, bi-allelic SLC25A26 variants are a recognised cause of mitochondrial disease in children, with a severe neonatal-onset caused by decreased SAM transport activity. Here, we describe two, unrelated adult cases, one of whom presented with recurrent episodes of severe abdominal pain and metabolic decompensation with lactic acidosis. Both patients had exercise intolerance and mitochondrial myopathy associated with bi-allelic variants in SLC25A26 which led to marked respiratory chain deficiencies and mitochondrial histopathological abnormalities in skeletal muscle that are comparable to those previously described in early-onset cases. We demonstrate using both mouse and fruit fly models that impairment of SAH, rather than SAM, transport across the mitochondrial membrane is likely the cause of this milder, late-onset phenotype. Our findings associate a novel pathomechanism with a known disease-causing protein and highlight the quests of precision medicine in optimising diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and prognosis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddac002
  32. Front Mol Biosci. 2021 ;8 752404
    High Expression of Glycolytic Genes in Clinical Glioblastoma Patients Correlates With Lower Survival.
    Kimberly M Stanke, Carrick Wilson, Srivatsan Kidambi.
      Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive brain tumor, is associated with a median survival at diagnosis of 16-20 months and limited treatment options. The key hallmark of GBM is altered tumor metabolism and marked increase in the rate of glycolysis. Aerobic glycolysis along with elevated glucose consumption and lactate production supports rapid cell proliferation and GBM growth. In this study, we examined the gene expression profile of metabolic targets in GBM samples from patients with lower grade glioma (LGG) and GBM. We found that gene expression of glycolytic enzymes is up-regulated in GBM samples and significantly associated with an elevated risk for developing GBM. Our findings of clinical outcomes showed that GBM patients with high expression of HK2 and PKM2 in the glycolysis related genes and low expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism-SDHB and COX5A related to tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), respectively, was associated with poor patient overall survival. Surprisingly, expression levels of genes involved in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism are markedly increased in GBM compared to LGG but was lower compared to normal brain. The fact that in GBM the expression levels of TCA cycle and OXPHOS-related genes are higher than those in LGG patients suggests the metabolic shift in GBM cells when progressing from LGG to GBM. These results are an important step forward in our understanding of the role of metabolic reprogramming in glioma as drivers of the tumor and could be potential prognostic targets in GBM therapies.
    Keywords:  aerobic glycolysis; brain; glioblastoma; glucose metabolism; the Warburg effect
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2021.752404
  33. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 25. pii: 210. [Epub ahead of print]23(1):
    Mitochondrial Retinopathies.
    Massimo Zeviani, Valerio Carelli.
      The retina is an exquisite target for defects of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) associated with mitochondrial impairment. Retinal involvement occurs in two ways, retinal dystrophy (retinitis pigmentosa) and subacute or chronic optic atrophy, which are the most common clinical entities. Both can present as isolated or virtually exclusive conditions, or as part of more complex, frequently multisystem syndromes. In most cases, mutations of mtDNA have been found in association with mitochondrial retinopathy. The main genetic abnormalities of mtDNA include mutations associated with neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP) sometimes with earlier onset and increased severity (maternally inherited Leigh syndrome, MILS), single large-scale deletions determining Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS, of which retinal dystrophy is a cardinal symptom), and mutations, particularly in mtDNA-encoded ND genes, associated with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). However, mutations in nuclear genes can also cause mitochondrial retinopathy, including autosomal recessive phenocopies of LHON, and slowly progressive optic atrophy caused by dominant or, more rarely, recessive, mutations in the fusion/mitochondrial shaping protein OPA1, encoded by a nuclear gene on chromosome 3q29.
    Keywords:  Kearns-Sayre syndrome; Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON); ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP); autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA); mitochondrial DNA; mitochondrial disorders; mtDNA heteroplasmic deletions; neurogenic muscle weakness; optic atrophy; retina; retinitis pigmentosa
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010210
  34. Nature. 2022 Jan 11.
    Author Correction: Histidine catabolism is a major determinant of methotrexate sensitivity.
    Naama Kanarek, Heather R Keys, Jason R Cantor, Caroline A Lewis, Sze Ham Chan, Tenzin Kunchok, Monther Abu-Remaileh, Elizaveta Freinkman, Lawrence D Schweitzer, David M Sabatini.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03487-2
  35. Cell Rep. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S2211-1247(21)01726-5. [Epub ahead of print]38(2): 110222
    Polyamine import and accumulation causes immunomodulation in macrophages engulfing apoptotic cells.
    Alexandra L McCubbrey, Shannon A McManus, Jazalle D McClendon, Stacey M Thomas, Hope B Chatwin, Julie A Reisz, Angelo D'Alessandro, Kara J Mould, Donna L Bratton, Peter M Henson, William J Janssen.
      Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, termed efferocytosis, is critical for tissue homeostasis and drives anti-inflammatory programming in engulfing macrophages. Here, we assess metabolites in naive and inflammatory macrophages following engulfment of multiple cellular and non-cellular targets. Efferocytosis leads to increases in the arginine-derived polyamines, spermidine and spermine, in vitro and in vivo. Surprisingly, polyamine accumulation after efferocytosis does not arise from retention of apoptotic cell metabolites or de novo synthesis but from enhanced polyamine import that is dependent on Rac1, actin, and PI3 kinase. Blocking polyamine import prevents efferocytosis from suppressing macrophage interleukin (IL)-1β or IL-6. This identifies efferocytosis as a trigger for polyamine import and accumulation, and imported polyamines as mediators of efferocytosis-induced immune reprogramming.
    Keywords:  apoptosis; arginine; efferocytosis; macrophage; metabolites; phagocytosis; polyamines
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110222
  36. Chem Res Toxicol. 2022 Jan 12.
    Beyond Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutations: Emerging Mechanisms for the Accumulation of the Oncometabolite 2-Hydroxyglutarate.
    Shufen Peng, Huimin Chen, Li Chen, Guang Yang, Jingjing Liu, Xueer Cheng, Yuhan Tang.
      2-Hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) is an unconventional oncometabolite of α-ketoglutarate. Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation is generally acknowledged to be the main cause of 2-HG accumulation. In isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant tumors, 2-HG accumulation inhibits α-ketoglutarate/Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases, resulting in epigenetic alterations. Recently, the increase of 2-HG has also been observed in the cases of mitochondrial dysfunction and hypoxia. In these cases, 2-HG not only inhibits α-ketoglutarate/Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases to regulate epigenetics but also affects other cellular pathways, such as regulating hypoxia-inducible transcription factors and glycolysis. These provide a new perspective for the study of 2-HG.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00254
  37. Curr Biol. 2022 Jan 10. pii: S0960-9822(21)01553-0. [Epub ahead of print]32(1): R52-R54
    Cell competition: Clonal competition protects against early tumorigenesis.
    Joshua D'Ambrogio, Liam Hill, Catherine Hogan.
      Aging tissues accumulate somatic mutations, yet cancer occurrence is relatively rare. A new study provides compelling evidence for why this may be the case and reveals that competition between mutant clones in oesophageal tissues protects against early tumorigenesis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.029
  38. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2022 Jan 13.
    Mapping organelle supply chains.
    W Mike Henne.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00450-5
  39. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 11. 13(1): 208
    Age influences on the molecular presentation of tumours.
    Constance H Li, Syed Haider, Paul C Boutros.
      Cancer is often called a disease of aging. There are numerous ways in which cancer epidemiology and behaviour change with the age of the patient. The molecular bases for these relationships remain largely underexplored. To characterise them, we analyse age-associations in the nuclear and mitochondrial somatic mutational landscape of 20,033 tumours across 35 tumour-types. Age influences both the number of mutations in a tumour (0.077 mutations per megabase per year) and their evolutionary timing. Specific mutational signatures are associated with age, reflecting differences in exogenous and endogenous oncogenic processes such as a greater influence of tobacco use in the tumours of younger patients, but higher activity of DNA damage repair signatures in those of older patients. We find that known cancer driver genes such as CDKN2A and CREBBP are mutated in age-associated frequencies, and these alter the transcriptome and predict for clinical outcomes. These effects are most striking in brain cancers where alterations like SUFU loss and ATRX mutation are age-dependent prognostic biomarkers. Using three cancer datasets, we show that age shapes the somatic mutational landscape of cancer, with clinical implications.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27889-y
  40. Mol Cell. 2021 Dec 31. pii: S1097-2765(21)01068-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    Citrulline depletion by ASS1 is required for proinflammatory macrophage activation and immune responses.
    Youxiang Mao, Di Shi, Gen Li, Peng Jiang.
      Citrulline can be converted into argininosuccinate by argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1) in the urea cycle and the citrulline-nitric oxide cycle. However, the regulation and biological function of citrulline metabolism remain obscure in the immune system. Unexpectedly, we found that macrophage citrulline declines rapidly after interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, which is required for efficient proinflammatory signaling activation. Mechanistically, IFN-γ and/or LPS stimulation promotes signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1)-mediated ASS1 transcription and Janus kinase2 (JAK2)-mediated phosphorylation of ASS1 at tyrosine 87, thereby leading to citrulline depletion. Reciprocally, increased citrulline directly binds to JAK2 and inhibits JAK2-STAT1 signaling. Blockage of ASS1-mediated citrulline depletion suppresses the host defense against bacterial infection in vivo. We therefore define a central role for ASS1 in controlling inflammatory macrophage activation and antibacterial defense through depletion of cellular citrulline and, further, identify citrulline as an innate immune-signaling metabolite that engages a metabolic checkpoint for proinflammatory responses.
    Keywords:  ASS1; JAK2-STAT1 signaling; citrulline; metabolite sensing; phosphorylation; proinflammatory macrophage activation; transcriptional regulation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2021.12.006
  41. EMBO J. 2022 Jan 14. e108290
    Metabolic remodeling maintains a reducing environment for rapid activation of the yeast DNA replication checkpoint.
    Lili Li, Jie Wang, Zijia Yang, Yiling Zhao, Hui Jiang, Luguang Jiang, Wenya Hou, Risheng Ye, Qun He, Martin Kupiec, Brian Luke, Qinhong Cao, Zhi Qi, Zhen Li, Huiqiang Lou.
      Nucleotide metabolism fuels normal DNA replication and is also primarily targeted by the DNA replication checkpoint when replication stalls. To reveal a comprehensive interconnection between genome maintenance and metabolism, we analyzed the metabolomic changes upon replication stress in the budding yeast S. cerevisiae. We found that upon treatment of cells with hydroxyurea, glucose is rapidly diverted to the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). This effect is mediated by the AMP-dependent kinase, SNF1, which phosphorylates the transcription factor Mig1, thereby relieving repression of the gene encoding the rate-limiting enzyme of the PPP. Surprisingly, NADPH produced by the PPP is required for efficient recruitment of replication protein A (RPA) to single-stranded DNA, providing the signal for the activation of the Mec1/ATR-Rad53/CHK1 checkpoint signaling kinase cascade. Thus, SNF1, best known as a central energy controller, determines a fast mode of replication checkpoint activation through a redox mechanism. These findings establish that SNF1 provides a hub with direct links to cellular metabolism, redox, and surveillance of DNA replication in eukaryotes.
    Keywords:  DNA replication stress; carbon metabolism; cell cycle checkpoints; genome stability; reductive/oxidative (redox)
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2021108290
  42. Cell Rep. 2022 Jan 11. pii: S2211-1247(21)01745-9. [Epub ahead of print]38(2): 110236
    Reprogramming of nucleotide metabolism by interferon confers dependence on the replication stress response pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.
    Evan R Abt, Thuc M Le, Amanda M Dann, Joseph R Capri, Soumya Poddar, Vincent Lok, Luyi Li, Keke Liang, Amanda L Creech, Khalid Rashid, Woosuk Kim, Nanping Wu, Jing Cui, Arthur Cho, Hailey Rose Lee, Ethan W Rosser, Jason M Link, Johannes Czernin, Ting-Ting Wu, Robert Damoiseaux, David W Dawson, Timothy R Donahue, Caius G Radu.
      We determine that type I interferon (IFN) response biomarkers are enriched in a subset of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors; however, actionable vulnerabilities associated with IFN signaling have not been systematically defined. Integration of a phosphoproteomic analysis and a chemical genomics synergy screen reveals that IFN activates the replication stress response kinase ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) in PDAC cells and sensitizes them to ATR inhibitors. IFN triggers cell-cycle arrest in S-phase, which is accompanied by nucleotide pool insufficiency and nucleoside efflux. In combination with IFN, ATR inhibitors induce lethal DNA damage and downregulate nucleotide biosynthesis. ATR inhibition limits the growth of PDAC tumors in which IFN signaling is driven by stimulator of interferon genes (STING). These results identify a cross talk between IFN, DNA replication stress response networks, and nucleotide metabolism while providing the rationale for targeted therapeutic interventions that leverage IFN signaling in tumors.
    Keywords:  STING; interferon; nucleotide metabolism; pancreas cancer; replication stress
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110236
  43. EMBO J. 2022 Jan 13. e108587
    DRP1 interacts directly with BAX to induce its activation and apoptosis.
    Andreas Jenner, Aida Peña-Blanco, Raquel Salvador-Gallego, Begoña Ugarte-Uribe, Cristiana Zollo, Tariq Ganief, Jan Bierlmeier, Marcus Mund, Jason E Lee, Jonas Ries, Dirk Schwarzer, Boris Macek, Ana J Garcia-Saez.
      The apoptotic executioner protein BAX and the dynamin-like protein DRP1 co-localize at mitochondria during apoptosis to mediate mitochondrial permeabilization and fragmentation. However, the molecular basis and functional consequences of this interplay remain unknown. Here, we show that BAX and DRP1 physically interact, and that this interaction is enhanced during apoptosis. Complex formation between BAX and DRP1 occurs exclusively in the membrane environment and requires the BAX N-terminal region, but also involves several other BAX surfaces. Furthermore, the association between BAX and DRP1 enhances the membrane activity of both proteins. Forced dimerization of BAX and DRP1 triggers their activation and translocation to mitochondria, where they induce mitochondrial remodeling and permeabilization to cause apoptosis even in the absence of apoptotic triggers. Based on this, we propose that DRP1 can promote apoptosis by acting as noncanonical direct activator of BAX through physical contacts with its N-terminal region.
    Keywords:  BCL-2 proteins; fluorescence correlation spectroscopy; membrane protein complex; mitochondrial division; super-resolution microscopy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2021108587
  44. Trends Cancer. 2022 Jan 06. pii: S2405-8033(21)00251-X. [Epub ahead of print]
    When breaks get hot: inflammatory signaling in BRCA1/2-mutant cancers.
    Marcel A T M van Vugt, Eileen E Parkes.
      Genomic instability and inflammation are intricately connected hallmark features of cancer. DNA repair defects due to BRCA1/2 mutation instigate immune signaling through the cGAS/STING pathway. The subsequent inflammatory signaling provides both tumor-suppressive as well as tumor-promoting traits. To prevent clearance by the immune system, genomically instable cancer cells need to adapt to escape immune surveillance. Currently, it is unclear how genomically unstable cancers, including BRCA1/2-mutant tumors, are rewired to escape immune clearance. Here, we summarize the mechanisms by which genomic instability triggers inflammatory signaling and describe adaptive mechanisms by which cancer cells can 'fly under the radar' of the immune system. Additionally, we discuss how therapeutic activation of the immune system may improve treatment of genomically instable cancers.
    Keywords:  BRCA1; BRCA2; STING; cGAS; genomic instability; immune checkpoints; inflammation; mitosis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2021.12.003
  45. Elife. 2022 Jan 11. pii: e73456. [Epub ahead of print]11
    Aging is associated with increased brain iron through cortex-derived hepcidin expression.
    Tatsuya Sato, Jason Solomon Shapiro, Hsiang-Chun Chang, Richard A Miller, Hossein Ardehali.
      Iron is an essential molecule for biological processes, but its accumulation can lead to oxidative stress and cellular death. Due to its oxidative effects, iron accumulation is implicated in the process of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanism for this increase in iron with aging, and whether this increase is localized to specific cellular compartment(s), are not known. Here, we measured the levels of iron in different tissues of aged mice, and demonstrated that while cytosolic non-heme iron is increased in the liver and muscle tissue, only the aged brain cortex exhibits an increase in both the cytosolic and mitochondrial non-heme iron. This increase in brain iron is associated with elevated levels of local hepcidin mRNA and protein in the brain. We also demonstrate that the increase in hepcidin is associated with increased ubiquitination and reduced levels of the only iron exporter, ferroportin-1 (FPN1). Overall, our studies provide a potential mechanism for iron accumulation in the brain through increased local expression of hepcidin, and subsequent iron accumulation due to decreased iron export. Additionally, our data support that aging is associated with mitochondrial and cytosolic iron accumulation only in the brain and not in other tissues.
    Keywords:  Aging; Iron; medicine; mouse; oxidative stress
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.73456
  46. Cell Death Dis. 2022 01 10. 13(1): 40
    Double-edge sword roles of iron in driving energy production versus instigating ferroptosis.
    Shuping Zhang, Wei Xin, Gregory J Anderson, Ruibin Li, Ling Gao, Shuguang Chen, Jiajun Zhao, Sijin Liu.
      Iron is vital for many physiological functions, including energy production, and dysregulated iron homeostasis underlies a number of pathologies. Ferroptosis is a recently recognized form of regulated cell death that is characterized by iron dependency and lipid peroxidation, and this process has been reported to be involved in multiple diseases. The mechanisms underlying ferroptosis are complex, and involve both well-described pathways (including the iron-induced Fenton reaction, impaired antioxidant capacity, and mitochondrial dysfunction) and novel interactions linked to cellular energy production. In this review, we examine the contribution of iron to diverse metabolic activities and their relationship to ferroptosis. There is an emphasis on the role of iron in driving energy production and its link to ferroptosis under both physiological and pathological conditions. In conclusion, excess reactive oxygen species production driven by disordered iron metabolism, which induces Fenton reaction and/or impairs mitochondrial function and energy metabolism, is a key inducer of ferroptosis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-021-04490-1
  47. J Theor Biol. 2022 Jan 08. pii: S0022-5193(22)00013-3. [Epub ahead of print] 111015
    Evolution of enzyme levels in metabolic pathways: A theoretical approach.
    Charlotte Coton, Grégoire Talbot, Maud Le Louarn, Christine Dillmann, Dominique Vienne.
      The central role of metabolism in cell functioning and adaptation has given rise to countless studies on the evolution of enzyme-coding genes and network topology. However, very few studies have addressed the question of how enzyme concentrations change in response to positive selective pressure on the flux, considered a proxy of fitness. In particular, the way cellular constraints, such as resource limitations and co-regulation, affect the adaptive landscape of a pathway under selection has never been analyzed theoretically. To fill this gap, we developed a model of the evolution of enzyme concentrations that combines metabolic control theory and an adaptive dynamics approach, and integrates possible dependencies between enzyme concentrations. We determined the evolutionary equilibria of enzyme concentrations and their range of neutral variation, and showed that they differ with the properties of the enzymes, the constraints applied to the system and the initial enzyme concentrations. Simulations of long-term evolution confirmed all analytical and numerical predictions, even though we relaxed the simplifying assumptions used in the analytical treatment.
    Keywords:  Adaptive landscape; Co-regulation; Enzyme concentration; Evolutionary equilibrium; Selective neutrality
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111015
  48. Nat Commun. 2022 Jan 13. 13(1): 185
    Linking DNA repair and cell cycle progression through serine ADP-ribosylation of histones.
    Julien Brustel, Tetsuya Muramoto, Kazuki Fumimoto, Jessica Ellins, Catherine J Pears, Nicholas D Lakin.
      Although serine ADP-ribosylation (Ser-ADPr) by Poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerases is a cornerstone of the DNA damage response, how this regulates DNA repair and genome stability is unknown. Here, we exploit the ability to manipulate histone genes in Dictyostelium to identify that ADPr of the histone variant H3b at S10 and S28 maintains genome stability by integrating double strand break (DSB) repair with mitotic entry. Given the critical requirement for mitotic H3S10/28 phosphorylation, we develop separation of function mutations that maintain S10 phosphorylation whilst disrupting ADPr. Mechanistically, this reveals a requirement for H3bS10/28 ADPr in non-homologous end-joining by recruiting Ku to DSBs. Moreover, this also identifies H3bS10/S28 ADPr is critical to prevent premature mitotic entry with unresolved DNA damage, thus maintaining genome stability. Together, these data demonstrate how serine ADPr of histones coordinates DNA repair with cell cycle progression to maintain genome stability.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27867-4
  49. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 23. pii: 128. [Epub ahead of print]23(1):
    The Roles of Coenzyme Q in Disease: Direct and Indirect Involvement in Cellular Functions.
    Francesco Pallotti, Christian Bergamini, Costanza Lamperti, Romana Fato.
      Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a key component of the respiratory chain of all eukaryotic cells. Its function is closely related to mitochondrial respiration, where it acts as an electron transporter. However, the cellular functions of coenzyme Q are multiple: it is present in all cell membranes, limiting the toxic effect of free radicals, it is a component of LDL, it is involved in the aging process, and its deficiency is linked to several diseases. Recently, it has been proposed that coenzyme Q contributes to suppressing ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent programmed cell death characterized by lipid peroxidation. In this review, we report the latest hypotheses and theories analyzing the multiple functions of coenzyme Q. The complete knowledge of the various cellular CoQ functions is essential to provide a rational basis for its possible therapeutic use, not only in diseases characterized by primary CoQ deficiency, but also in large number of diseases in which its secondary deficiency has been found.
    Keywords:  LDL; OxPhos; age-related diseases; coenzyme Q10; mitochondria; statins; ubiquinol-10; ubiquinone-10
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010128
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