bims-mascan 2019-06-23 papers

bims-mascan

Biomed News

on Mass spectrometry in cancer research

Issue of 2019‒06‒23
thirteen papers selected by
Giovanny Rodriguez Blanco
The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research

Lipid and Metabolite Profiles in Human Plasma and Associations with the Microbiome and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (P20-033-19).
Starve Cancer Cells of Glutamine: Break the Spell or Make a Hungry Monster?
Recent development on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of oxidized lipids.
The cancer driver genes IDH1/2, JARID1C/ KDM5C, and UTX/ KDM6A: crosstalk between histone demethylation and hypoxic reprogramming in cancer metabolism.
6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase Links Cytosolic Carbohydrate Metabolism to Protein Secretion via Modulation of Glutathione Levels.
Evaluation of air oxidized PAPC: A multi laboratory study by LC-MS/MS.
Inhibition of ERRα Prevents Mitochondrial Pyruvate Uptake Exposing NADPH-Generating Pathways as Targetable Vulnerabilities in Breast Cancer.
A Quantitative HILIC-MS/MS Assay of the Metabolic Response of Huh-7 Cells Exposed to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin.
Oxylipins in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins of dyslipidemic subjects promote endothelial inflammation following a high fat meal.
Systems-level analysis reveals multiple modulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and identifies DNAJB4 and CD81 as novel metastasis inducers in breast cancer.
The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Brain Lipidome After Chemotherapy (P15-024-19).
Cell Culture Medium Formulation and Its Implications in Cancer Metabolism.
Hydrogen sulfide perturbs mitochondrial bioenergetics and triggers metabolic reprogramming in colon cells.

Curr Dev Nutr. 2019 Jun;pii: nzz040.P20-033-19. [Epub ahead of print]3(Suppl 1):

Lipid and Metabolite Profiles in Human Plasma and Associations with the Microbiome and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (P20-033-19).

Karl Fraser, Wayne Young, Warren McNabb, Richard Gearry, Nicole Roy.

Objectives: Metabolomic profiling of plasma provides a biochemical fingerprint of the circulating metabolites from the host and microbiome, and may assist with understanding mechanisms underlying functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In a case-control study, we aimed to identify microbial and host factors in plasma to provide mechanistic insights into functional GI disorders and increase the predictability of phenotypes for use in nutrition intervention studies.Methods: Plasma samples from 246 individuals with functional GI disorders (cases) or asymptomatic (controls), consisting of 93 healthy controls, 54 with functional constipation (C) or IBS-C, 60 with functional diarrhoea (D) or IBS-D, and 39 diagnosed as IBS-mixed or awaiting diagnosis. Plasma was subjected to biphasic extraction and global metabolite profiling was performed using three separate untargeted liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS) methods (polar, semi-polar and non-polar chromatography).
Results: Plasma metabolomic profiles differed considerably between the IBS phenotypes and those of the control subjects. Multivariate partial least squares discriminant analysis of 428 annotated lipid species highlighted significant differences (P < 0.001) between IBS-C and healthy control subjects. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the concentrations of 48 lipid species (P < 0.05) between the two groups, including elevated concentrations of many sphingolipids and phospholipids in the IBS-C group. Biochemical network analysis also revealed major perturbations in amino acid, bile acid and lipid metabolism, and highlighted key metabolic pathways included microbial related pathways.
Conclusions: Perturbations of plasma lipid concentrations in the IBS subjects suggest changes may occur with both host and microbial lipid metabolism. Future efforts to investigate these links will utilize a systems biology approach integrating metabolomic and fecal metagenomic datasets to further identify key pathways and biomarkers that characterize functional GI disorders and how nutrition can improve GI health and function.
Funding Sources: Funded by the New Zealand National Science Challenge High-Value Nutrition program.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz040.P20-033-19
Cancers (Basel). 2019 Jun 11. pii: E804. [Epub ahead of print]11(6):

Starve Cancer Cells of Glutamine: Break the Spell or Make a Hungry Monster?

Jie Jiang, Sankalp Srivastava, Ji Zhang.

  Distinct from normal differentiated tissues, cancer cells reprogram nutrient uptake and utilization to accommodate their elevated demands for biosynthesis and energy production. A hallmark of these types of reprogramming is the increased utilization of, and dependency on glutamine, a nonessential amino acid, for cancer cell growth and survival. It is well-accepted that glutamine is a versatile biosynthetic substrate in cancer cells beyond its role as a proteinogenic amino acid. In addition, accumulating evidence suggests that glutamine metabolism is regulated by many factors, including tumor origin, oncogene/tumor suppressor status, epigenetic alternations and tumor microenvironment. However, despite the emerging understanding of why cancer cells depend on glutamine for growth and survival, the contribution of glutamine metabolism to tumor progression under physiological conditions is still under investigation, partially because the level of glutamine in the tumor environment is often found low. Since targeting glutamine acquisition and utilization has been proposed to be a new therapeutic strategy in cancer, it is central to understand how tumor cells respond and adapt to glutamine starvation for optimized therapeutic intervention. In this review, we first summarize the diverse usage of glutamine to support cancer cell growth and survival, and then focus our discussion on the influence of other nutrients on cancer cell adaptation to glutamine starvation as well as its implication in cancer therapy.

Keywords:  adaptation; amino acid starvation; arginine; asparagine; aspartate; biosynthesis; glutaminase; glutamine

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11060804
Free Radic Biol Med. 2019 Jun 13. pii: S0891-5849(19)30195-9. [Epub ahead of print]

Recent development on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of oxidized lipids.

Luxiao Li, Shanshan Zhong, Xia Shen, Qiujing Li, Wenxin Xu, Yongzhen Tao, Huiyong Yin.

  Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the cellular membrane can be oxidized by various enzymes or reactive oxygen species (ROS) to form many oxidized lipids. These metabolites are highly bioactive, participating in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Mass spectrometry (MS), coupled with Liquid Chromatography, has been increasingly recognized as an indispensable tool for the analysis of oxidized lipids due to its excellent sensitivity and selectivity. We will give an update on the understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to generation of various oxidized lipids and recent progress on the development of LC-MS in the detection of these bioactive lipids derived from fatty acids, cholesterol esters, and phospholipids. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the formation mechanisms and technological advances in LC-MS for the study of oxidized lipids in human diseases, and to shed new light on the potential of using oxidized lipids as biomarkers and mechanistic clues of pathogenesis related to lipid metabolism. The key technical problems associated with analysis of oxidized lipids and challenges in the field will also discussed.

Keywords:  LC-MS; Lipid peroxidation; Lipidomics; Lipids; Oxidative stress; Polyunsaturated fatty acids

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.06.006
Exp Mol Med. 2019 Jun 20. 51(6): 66

The cancer driver genes IDH1/2, JARID1C/ KDM5C, and UTX/ KDM6A: crosstalk between histone demethylation and hypoxic reprogramming in cancer metabolism.

Soojeong Chang, Sujin Yim, Hyunsung Park.

Recent studies on mutations in cancer genomes have distinguished driver mutations from passenger mutations, which occur as byproducts of cancer development. The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) project identified 299 genes and 24 pathways/biological processes that drive tumor progression (Cell 173: 371-385 e318, 2018). Of the 299 driver genes, 12 genes are involved in histones, histone methylation, and demethylation (Table 1). Among these 12 genes, those encoding the histone demethylases JARID1C/KDM5C and UTX/KDM6A were identified as cancer driver genes. Furthermore, gain-of-function mutations in genes encoding metabolic enzymes, such as isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDH)1/2, drive tumor progression by producing an oncometabolite, D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG), which is a competitive inhibitor of α-ketoglutarate, O2-dependent dioxygenases such as Jumonji domain-containing histone demethylases, and DNA demethylases. Studies on oncometabolites suggest that histone demethylases mediate metabolic changes in chromatin structure. We have reviewed the most recent findings regarding cancer-specific metabolic reprogramming and the tumor-suppressive roles of JARID1C/KDM5C and UTX/KDM6A. We have also discussed mutations in other isoforms such as the JARID1A, 1B, 1D of KDM5 subfamilies and the JMJD3/KDM6B of KDM6 subfamilies, which play opposing roles in tumor progression as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on the cancer cell type. Table 1 Cancer driver genes involved in epigenetics Pathways involved in epigenetics Driver genes Tumor suppressor/oncogene prediction (by 20/20+a) Approved name Activity Cancer typeb Other driver genes in this pathways Histone modification KDM6A tsg Lysine demethylase 6A, UTX H3K27me2/3 demethylase BLCA, HNSC, KIRP, LUSC, PAAD, PANCAN, PRAD PPP6C SETD2 tsg SET domain-containing 2 H3K36 methyl transferase KIRC, KIRP, LGG, LUAD, MESO, PANCAN Chromatin histone modifiers KDM5C tsg Lysine demethylase 5C, JARID1C H3K4me2/3 demethylase KIRC, PANCAN ARID5B, CREBBP, EP300, KANSL1, MEN1, NCOR1, NSD1, SIN3A, WHSC1, ZMYM3 KMT2A tsg Lysine methyltransferase 2A H3K4 methyl transferase PANCAN KMT2B tsg Lysine methyltransferase 2B H3K4 methyl transferase PANCAN, UCEC KMT2C tsg Lysine methyltransferase 2C H3K4 methyl transferase BLCA, BRCA, CESC, PANCAN, UCEC KMT2D tsg Lysine methyltransferase 2D H3K4 methyl transferase BLCA, CESC, DLBC, ESCA, HNSC, LUSC, PANCAN, PRAD Chromatin (other) H3F3A Possible oncogene H3 histone family member 3A, H3.3A PANCAN AJUBA, ASXL1, ASXL2, ATF7IP, BCOR, CHD3, CHD4, CHD8, CTCF, NIPBL, NPM1 H3F3C - H3 histone family member 3C, H3.5 PANCAN HIST1H1E Possible oncogene HIST1H1E, H1.4 DLBC Possible tsg HIST1H1E, H1.4 LIHC Metabolism IDH1 Oncogene Isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 1 NADP-dependent IDH, Cytosolic CHOL, GBM, LAML, LGG, LIHC, PANCAN, PRAD, SKCM - IDH2 Oncogene Isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2 NADP-dependent IDH, Mitochondrial LAML, LGG, PANCAN Among the 299 driver genes mentioned by Bailey et al.47, only the epigenetics-related pathways have been sorted out a20/20+: Classifies genes as an oncogene, tumor suppressor gene, or as a nondriver gene using Random Forests, http://2020plus.readthedocs.org bBLCA (bladder urothelial carcinoma), BRCA (breast invasive carcinoma), CESC (cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma), CHOL (cholangiocarcinoma), DLBC (lymphoid neoplasm diffuse large B-cell lymphoma), ESCA (esophageal carcinoma), GBM (glioblastoma multiforme), HNSC (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma), KIRC (kidney renal clear cell carcinoma), KIRP (kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma), LAML (acute myeloid leukemia), LGG (brain lower grade glioma), LIHC (liver hepatocellular carcinoma), LUAD (lung adenocarcinoma), LUSC (lung squamous cell carcinoma), MESO (mesothelioma), PAAD (pancreatic adenocarcinoma), PANCAN (Pan-cancer), PRAD (prostate adenocarcinoma), SKCM (skin cutaneous melanoma), THCA (thyroid carcinoma), UCEC (uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-019-0230-6
Cell Chem Biol. 2019 Jun 04. pii: S2451-9456(19)30175-8. [Epub ahead of print]

6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase Links Cytosolic Carbohydrate Metabolism to Protein Secretion via Modulation of Glutathione Levels.

Haoxin Li, Maria Ericsson, Bokang Rabasha, Bogdan Budnik, Sze Ham Chan, Elizaveta Freinkman, Caroline A Lewis, John G Doench, Bridget K Wagner, Levi A Garraway, Stuart L Schreiber.

  The proteinaceous extracellular matrix (ECM) is vital for the survival, proliferation, migration, and differentiation of many types of cancer. However, little is known regarding metabolic pathways required for ECM secretion. By using an unbiased computational approach, we searched for enzymes whose suppression may lead to disruptions in protein secretion. Here, we show that 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD), a cytosolic enzyme involved in carbohydrate metabolism, is required for ER structural integrity and protein secretion. Chemical inhibition or genetic suppression of PGD activity led to cell stress accompanied by significantly expanded ER volume and was rescued by compensating endogenous glutathione supplies. Our results also suggest that this characteristic ER-dilation phenotype may be a general marker indicating increased ECM protein congestion inside cells and decreased secretion. Thus, PGD serves as a link between cytosolic carbohydrate metabolism and protein secretion.

Keywords:  6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase; ECM; ER dilation; PGD; cancer; endoplasmic reticulum; extracellular matrix; glutathione; protein misfolding; protein secretion

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.05.006
Free Radic Biol Med. 2019 Jun 15. pii: S0891-5849(19)30347-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Evaluation of air oxidized PAPC: A multi laboratory study by LC-MS/MS.

Zhixu Ni, Bebiana C Sousa, Simone Colombo, Catarina B Afonso, Tania Melo, Andrew R Pitt, Corinne M Spickett, Pedro Domingues, M Rosário Domingues, Maria Fedorova, Angela Criscuolo.

  Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) has been shown to play a crucial role in the onset and development of cardiovascular disorders. The study of oxLDL, as an initiator of inflammatory cascades, led to the discovery of a variety of oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs) responsible for pro-inflammatory actions. Oxidized 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAPC) is frequently used by the scientific community as a representative oxPL mixture to study the biological effects of oxidized lipids, due to the high abundance of PAPC in human tissues and the biological activities of oxidized arachidonic acids derivatives. Most studies focusing on oxPAPC effects rely on in-house prepared mixtures of oxidized species obtained by exposing PAPC to air oxidation. Here, we described a multi-laboratory evaluation of the compounds in oxPAPC by LC-MS/MS, focusing on the identification and relative quantification of the lipid peroxidation products (LPPs) formed. PAPC was air-oxidized in four laboratories using the same protocol for 0, 48, and 72 h. It was possible to identify 55 different LPPs with unique elemental composition and characterize different structural isomeric species within these. The study showed good intra-sample reproducibility and similar qualitative patterns of oxidation, as the most abundant LPPs were essentially the same between the four laboratories. However, there were substantial differences in the extent of oxidation, i.e. the amount of LPPs relative to unmodified PAPC, at specific time points. This shows the importance of characterizing air-oxidized PAPC preparations before using them for testing biological effects of oxidized lipids, and may explain some variability of effects reported in the literature.

Keywords:  Multi-laboratory study; Oxidized phospholipids; PAPC; Reverse phase chromatography; Tandem mass spectrometry

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.06.013
Cell Rep. 2019 Jun 18. pii: S2211-1247(19)30695-3. [Epub ahead of print]27(12): 3587-3601.e4

Inhibition of ERRα Prevents Mitochondrial Pyruvate Uptake Exposing NADPH-Generating Pathways as Targetable Vulnerabilities in Breast Cancer.

Sunghee Park, Rachid Safi, Xiaojing Liu, Robert Baldi, Wen Liu, Juan Liu, Jason W Locasale, Ching-Yi Chang, Donald P McDonnell.

  Most cancer cells exhibit metabolic flexibility, enabling them to withstand fluctuations in intratumoral concentrations of glucose (and other nutrients) and changes in oxygen availability. While these adaptive responses make it difficult to achieve clinically useful anti-tumor responses when targeting a single metabolic pathway, they can also serve as targetable metabolic vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. Previously, we demonstrated that inhibition of estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα) significantly disrupts mitochondrial metabolism and that this results in substantial antitumor activity in animal models of breast cancer. Here we show that ERRα inhibition interferes with pyruvate entry into mitochondria by inhibiting the expression of mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 (MPC1). This results in a dramatic increase in the reliance of cells on glutamine oxidation and the pentose phosphate pathway to maintain nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) homeostasis. In this manner, ERRα inhibition increases the efficacy of glutaminase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase inhibitors, a finding that has clinical significance.

Keywords:  ERR⍺; MPC1; NADPH; breast cancer; glutaminase; mitochondrial metabolism; nuclear receptor; oxidative stress; pentose phosphate pathway; pyruvate carrier

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.066
Metabolites. 2019 Jun 20. pii: E118. [Epub ahead of print]9(6):

A Quantitative HILIC-MS/MS Assay of the Metabolic Response of Huh-7 Cells Exposed to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin.

Qing Liu, Jingwei Cai, Robert G Nichols, Yuan Tian, Jintao Zhang, Philip B Smith, Yan Wang, Chao Yan, Andrew D Patterson.

  A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was developed and applied to profile metabolite changes in human Huh-7 cells exposed to the potent aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Comparisons of sensitivity (limit of detection as low as 0.01 µM) and reproducibility (84% of compounds had an interday relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 10.0%; 83% of compounds had an intraday RSD less than 15.0%) were assessed for all the metabolites. The exposure of Huh-7 cells to the hepatotoxic carcinogen TCDD at low doses (1 nM and 10 nM for 4 h and 24 h, respectively) was reflected by the disturbance of amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism (glycolysis, TCA cycle), and nucleic acid metabolism. TCDD caused a significant decrease in amino acids such as serine, alanine, and proline while promoting an increase in arginine levels with 24 h treatment. Energy metabolism intermediates such as phosphoenolpyruvate and acetyl-CoA and nucleosides such as UMP, XMP, and CMP were also markedly decreased. These results support the application of HILIC-UHPLC-MS/MS for robust and reliable analysis of the cellular response to environmentally relevant toxicants at lower doses.

Keywords:  HILIC–UHPLC–MS/MS; TCDD; polar metabolites; targeted metabolomics

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo9060118
Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 17. 9(1): 8655

Oxylipins in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins of dyslipidemic subjects promote endothelial inflammation following a high fat meal.

Anita Rajamani, Kamil Borkowski, Samir Akre, Andrea Fernandez, John W Newman, Scott I Simon, Anthony G Passerini.

Elevated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRL) in circulation is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. TGRL from subjects consuming a high saturated fat test meal elicited a variable inflammatory response in TNFα-stimulated endothelial cells (EC) that correlated strongly with the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content. This study investigates how the relative abundance of oxygenated metabolites of PUFA, oxylipins, is altered in TGRL postprandially, and how these changes promote endothelial inflammation. Human aortic EC were stimulated with TNFα and treated with TGRL, isolated from subjects' plasma at fasting and 3.5 hrs postprandial to a test meal high in saturated fat. Endothelial VCAM-1 surface expression stimulated by TNFα provided a readout for atherogenic inflammation. Concentrations of esterified and non-esterified fatty acids and oxylipins in TGRL were quantified by mass spectrometry. Dyslipidemic subjects produced TGRL that increased endothelial VCAM-1 expression by ≥35%, and exhibited impaired fasting lipogenesis activity and a shift in soluble epoxide hydrolase and lipoxygenase activity. Pro-atherogenic TGRL were enriched in eicosapentaenoic acid metabolites and depleted in esterified C18-PUFA-derived diols. Abundance of these metabolites was strongly predictive of VCAM-1 expression. We conclude the altered metabolism in dyslipidemic subjects produces TGRL with a unique oxylipin signature that promotes a pro-atherogenic endothelial phenotype.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45005-5
Mol Cell Proteomics. 2019 Jun 20. pii: mcp.RA119.001446. [Epub ahead of print]

Systems-level analysis reveals multiple modulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and identifies DNAJB4 and CD81 as novel metastasis inducers in breast cancer.

Zeynep Cansu Uretmen Kagiali, Erdem Sanal, Özge Karayel, Ayse Nur Polat, Özge Saatci, Pelin Gülizar Ersan, Kathrin Trappe, Bernhard Y Renard, Tamer T Önder, Nurcan Tuncbag, Özgür Şahin, Nurhan Ozlu.

  Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is driven by complex signaling events that induce dramatic biochemical and morphological changes whereby epithelial cells are converted into cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we used mass spectrometry based quantitative proteomics approach to systematically analyze the post-translational biochemical changes that drive differentiation of human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cells into mesenchymal. We identified 314 proteins out of more than 6,000 unique proteins and 871 phosphopeptides out of more than 7,000 unique phosphopeptides as differentially regulated. We found that phosphoproteome is more unstable and prone to changes during EMT compared to the proteome and multiple alterations at proteome level are not thoroughly represented by transcriptional data highlighting the necessity of proteome level analysis. We discovered cell state specific signaling pathways, such as Hippo, sphingolipid signaling, and unfolded protein response (UPR) by modeling the networks of regulated proteins and potential kinase-substrate groups. We identified two novel factors for EMT whose expression increased upon EMT induction: DnaJ heat shock protein family (Hsp40) member B4 (DNAJB4) and cluster of differentiation 81 (CD81). Suppression of DNAJB4 or CD81 in mesenchymal breast cancer cells resulted in decreased cell migration in vitro and led to reduced primary tumor growth, extravasation, and lung metastasis in vivo. Overall, we performed the global proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of EMT, identified and validated new mRNA and/or protein level modulators of EMT. This work also provides a unique platform and resource for future studies focusing on metastasis and drug resistance.

Keywords:  Breast cancer; CD81; Cancer biomarker(s); DNAJB4; EMT; Kinases*; Metastasis; Mouse models; Networks*; Phosphoproteome; Quantification; Twist; ‘omic’ data integration

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1074/mcp.RA119.001446
Curr Dev Nutr. 2019 Jun;pii: nzz037.P15-024-19. [Epub ahead of print]3(Suppl 1):

The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Brain Lipidome After Chemotherapy (P15-024-19).

Melissa Solano, Djawed Bennouna, Tonya Orchard, A Courtney DeVries, Rachel Kopec.

Objectives: Solid tumor chemotherapy produces long-term cognitive side effects well beyond treatment, but the structural changes on brain chemistry are unknown. A diet supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids (EPA + DHA) before and during chemotherapy partially protects the cerebral tissue against some of the chemo-induced modifications. We hypothesize that EPA + DHA supplementation results in a greater neuroinflammation-resolving response mediated by specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs i.e., omega-3 derived metabolites which attenuate inflammation), and reduces oxidation of structural brain lipids.Methods: For four weeks, ovariectomized mice were fed a 2% kcal EPA + DHA supplemented (n = 60) or control diet (n = 60), followed by two treatments with vehicle (n = 30 per dietary group) or doxorubicin (n = 30 per dietary group). Animals were sacrificed at 4, 7, and 14 days post-treatment, and samples extracted and purified with SPE. Targeted analyses (LC-MS/MS) were performed on extracts, using stable isotope internal standards for SPM quantitation (i.e., resolvin E1, D1, D2, D3, D5, maresin 1, protectin D1). Untargeted LC-HRMS metabolomics analyses were performed on the hippocampal extracts of follow-up set of animals, to determine changes in the brain lipidome.
Results: Resolvin D1 was quantifiable in all samples regardless of dietary or treatment group, and correlations were observed with orthogonal measures of inflammation in chemo-treated animals. Resolvin D3, maresin 1, and protectin D1 were detected in a subset of animals. A cluster of lipid-based metabolites differentiated animals receiving chemotherapy with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation from those not receiving the supplementation.
Conclusions: The protective effects of EPA + DHA supplementation on chemo-induced cerebral damage appear to be only partially correlated with SPM synthesis over the time course observed.
Funding Sources: This research was supported by an OSU Foods for Health Discovery Themes Initiative SEEDS grant. The mouse samples were collected under NIH R01CA189947. The sample analyses were partially supported by NIH Award Number Grant P30 CA016058, OSU, and OSUCCC.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz037.P15-024-19
Trends Cancer. 2019 Jun;pii: S2405-8033(19)30080-9. [Epub ahead of print]5(6): 329-332

Cell Culture Medium Formulation and Its Implications in Cancer Metabolism.

Tobias Ackermann, Saverio Tardito.

  Historic cell culture media were designed to ensure continuous cancer cell proliferation in vitro. However, their composition does not recapitulate the nutritional environment of the tumor. Recent studies show that novel media formulations alleviate the nonphysiological constraints imposed by historic media, and lead to cell culture results that are more relevant to tumor metabolism.

Keywords:  cancer metabolism; cancer models; physiological medium

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2019.05.004
J Biol Chem. 2019 Jun 18. pii: jbc.RA119.009442. [Epub ahead of print]

Hydrogen sulfide perturbs mitochondrial bioenergetics and triggers metabolic reprogramming in colon cells.

Marouane Libiad, Victor Vitvitsky, Trever Bostelaar, Daniel W Bak, Ho-Joon Lee, Naoya Sakamoto, Eric R Fearon, Costas A Lyssiotis, Eranthie Weerapana, Ruma Banerjee.

  Unlike most other tissues, the colon epithelium is exposed to high levels of H2S derived from gut microbial metabolism. H2S is a signaling molecule that modulates various physiological effects. It is also a respiratory toxin that inhibits complex IV in the electron transfer chain (ETC). Colon epithelial cells are adapted to high environmental H2S exposure as they harbor an efficient mitochondrial H2S oxidation pathway, which is dedicated to its disposal. Herein, we report that the sulfide oxidation pathway enzymes are apically localized in human colonic crypts at the host-microbiome interface, but that the normal apical-to-crypt gradient is lost in colorectal cancer epithelium. We found that sulfide quinone oxidoreductase (SQR), which catalyzes the committing step in the mitochondrial sulfide oxidation pathway and couples to complex III, is a critical respiratory shield against H2S poisoning. H2S at concentrations ≤20 µM stimulated the oxygen consumption rate in colon epithelial cells but, when SQR expression was ablated, H2S concentrations as low as 5 µM, poisoned cells. Mitochondrial H2S oxidation altered cellular bioenergetics, inducing a reductive shift in the NAD+/NADH redox couple. The consequent electron acceptor insufficiency caused uridine and aspartate deficiency and enhanced glutamine-dependent reductive carboxylation. The metabolomic signature of this H2S-induced stress response mapped in part, to redox-sensitive nodes in central carbon metabolism. Colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines appeared to counter the growth restricting effects of H2S by overexpressing sulfide oxidation pathway enzymes. Our findings reveal an alternative mechanism for H2S signaling, arising from alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics that drives metabolic reprogramming.

Keywords:  bioenergetics; cell metabolism; cell signaling; colonocytes; colorectal cancer; gut epithelium; hydrogen sulfide; metabolic reprogramming; microbiome; redox signaling

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA119.009442