bims-mecami 2024-08-25 papers

bims-mecami

Biomed News

on Metabolic interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment

Issue of 2024–08–25
seven papers selected by
Oltea Sampetrean, Keio University

Malic enzyme 2 maintains metabolic state and anti-tumor immunity of CD8+ T cells.
Excessive lipid production shapes glioma tumor microenvironment.
Lipid metabolism associated crosstalk: the bidirectional interaction between cancer cells and immune/stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment for prognostic insight.
PPARβ/δ-orchestrated metabolic reprogramming supports the formation and maintenance of memory CD8+ T cells.
Cancer tissue of origin constrains the growth and metabolism of metastases.
Aerobic glycolysis but not GLS1-dependent glutamine metabolism is critical for anti-tumor immunity and response to checkpoint inhibition.
Targeting ROS-sensing Nrf2 potentiates anti-tumor immunity of intratumoral CD8+ T and CAR-T cells.

Mol Cell. 2024 Aug 06. pii: S1097-2765(24)00619-1. [Epub ahead of print]

Malic enzyme 2 maintains metabolic state and anti-tumor immunity of CD8+ T cells.

Zhenxi Zhang, Yanting Yang, Yang Chen, Jingyu Su, Wenjing Du.

  The functional integrity of CD8+ T cells is closely linked to metabolic reprogramming; therefore, understanding the metabolic basis of CD8+ T cell activation and antitumor immunity could provide insights into tumor immunotherapy. Here, we report that ME2 is critical for mouse CD8+ T cell activation and immune response against malignancy. ME2 deficiency suppresses CD8+ T cell activation and anti-tumor immune response in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, ME2 depletion blocks the TCA cycle flux, leading to the accumulation of fumarate. Fumarate directly binds to DAPK1 and inhibits its activity by competing with ATP for binding. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of DAPK1 abolishes the anti-tumor function conferred by ME2 to CD8+ T cells. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a role for ME2 in the regulation of CD8+ T cell metabolism and effector functions as well as an unexpected function for fumarate as a metabolic signal in the inhibition of DAPK1.

Keywords:  CD8(+) T cell; DAPK1; antitumor immunity; fumarate; malic enzyme 2; metabolite sensing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2024.07.021
Ultrastruct Pathol. 2024 Aug 19. 1-11

Excessive lipid production shapes glioma tumor microenvironment.

Haitham H Maraqah, John Paul Aboubechara, Mones S Abu-Asab, Han Sung Lee, Orwa Aboud.

  Disrupted lipid metabolism is a characteristic of gliomas. This study utilizes an ultrastructural approach to characterize the prevalence and distribution of lipids within gliomas. This study made use of tissue from IDH1 wild type (IDH1-wt) glioblastoma (n = 18) and IDH1 mutant (IDH1-mt) astrocytoma (n = 12) tumors. We uncover a prevalent and intriguing surplus of lipids. The bulk of the lipids manifested as sizable cytoplasmic inclusions and extracellular deposits in the tumor microenvironment (TME); in some tumors the lipids were stored in the classical membraneless spheroidal lipid droplets (LDs). Frequently, lipids accumulated inside mitochondria, suggesting possible dysfunction of the beta-oxidation pathway. Additionally, the tumor vasculature have lipid deposits in their lumen and vessel walls; this lipid could have shifted in from the tumor microenvironment or have been produced by the vessel-invading tumor cells. Lipid excess in gliomas stems from disrupted beta-oxidation and dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation pathways. The implications of this lipid-driven environment include structural support for the tumor cells and protection against immune responses, non-lipophilic drugs, and free radicals.

Keywords:  Astrocytoma; glioblastoma; glycolysis; immune evasion; lipid accumulation; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative phosphorylation; therapeutic strategies; tumor microenvironment; ultrastructural analysis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/01913123.2024.2392728
Cancer Cell Int. 2024 Aug 22. 24(1): 295

Lipid metabolism associated crosstalk: the bidirectional interaction between cancer cells and immune/stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment for prognostic insight.

Zhongshu Lin, Guanxiang Hua, Xiaojuan Hu.

Cancer is closely related to lipid metabolism, with the tumor microenvironment (TME) containing numerous lipid metabolic interactions. Cancer cells can bidirectionally interact with immune and stromal cells, the major components of the TME. This interaction is primarily mediated by fatty acids (FAs), cholesterol, and phospholipids. These interactions can lead to various physiological changes, including immune suppression, cancer cell proliferation, dissemination, and anti-apoptotic effects on cancer cells. The physiological modulation resulting from this lipid metabolism-associated crosstalk between cancer cells and immune/stromal cells provides valuable insights into cancer prognosis. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the function of the bidirectional lipid metabolism interactions between cancer cells and immune/stromal cells within the TME, particularly how these interactions influence cancer prognosis. A novel autophagy-extracellular vesicle (EV) pathway has been proposed as a mediator of lipid metabolism interactions between cancer cells and immune cells/stromal cells, impacting cancer prognosis. As a result, different forms of lipid metabolism interactions have been described as being linked to cancer prognosis, including those mediated by the autophagy-EV pathway. In conclusion, understanding the bidirectional lipid metabolism interactions between cancer cells and stromal/immune cells in the TME can help develop more advanced prognostic approaches for cancer patients.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-024-03481-4
Sci Immunol. 2024 Aug 23. 9(98): eadn2717

PPARβ/δ-orchestrated metabolic reprogramming supports the formation and maintenance of memory CD8+ T cells.

Alessio Bevilacqua, Fabien Franco, Ya-Ting Lu, Nabil Rahiman, Kung-Chi Kao, Yu-Ming Chuang, Yanan Zhu, Werner Held, Xin Xie, Kristin C Gunsalus, Zhengtao Xiao, Shih-Yu Chen, Ping-Chih Ho.

The formation of memory T cells is a fundamental feature of adaptative immunity, allowing the establishment of long-term protection against pathogens. Although emerging evidence suggests that metabolic reprogramming is crucial for memory T cell differentiation and survival, the underlying mechanisms that drive metabolic rewiring in memory T cells remain unclear. Here, we found that up-regulation of the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β/δ (PPARβ/δ) instructs the metabolic reprogramming that occurs during the establishment of central memory CD8+ T cells. PPARβ/δ-regulated changes included suppression of aerobic glycolysis and enhancement of oxidative metabolism and fatty acid oxidation. Mechanistically, exposure to interleukin-15 and expression of T cell factor 1 facilitated activation of the PPARβ/δ pathway, counteracting apoptosis induced by antigen clearance and metabolic stress. Together, our findings indicate that PPARβ/δ is a master metabolic regulator orchestrating a metabolic switch that may be favorable for T cell longevity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.adn2717
Nat Metab. 2024 Aug 19.

Cancer tissue of origin constrains the growth and metabolism of metastases.

Sharanya Sivanand, Yetis Gultekin, Peter S Winter, Sidney Y Vermeulen, Konstantine M Tchourine, Keene L Abbott, Laura V Danai, Florian Gourgue, Brian T Do, Kayla Crowder, Tenzin Kunchok, Allison N Lau, Alicia M Darnell, Alexandria Jefferson, Satoru Morita, Dan G Duda, Andrew J Aguirre, Brian M Wolpin, Nicole Henning, Virginia Spanoudaki, Laura Maiorino, Darrell J Irvine, Omer H Yilmaz, Caroline A Lewis, Dennis Vitkup, Alex K Shalek, Matthew G Vander Heiden.

Metastases arise from subsets of cancer cells that disseminate from the primary tumour1,2. The ability of cancer cells to thrive in a new tissue site is influenced by genetic and epigenetic changes that are important for disease initiation and progression, but these factors alone do not predict if and where cancers metastasize3,4. Specific cancer types metastasize to consistent subsets of tissues, suggesting that primary tumour-associated factors influence where cancers can grow. We find primary and metastatic pancreatic tumours have metabolic similarities and that the tumour-initiating capacity and proliferation of both primary-derived and metastasis-derived cells is favoured in the primary site relative to the metastatic site. Moreover, propagating cells as tumours in the lung or the liver does not enhance their relative ability to form large tumours in those sites, change their preference to grow in the primary site, nor stably alter aspects of their metabolism relative to primary tumours. Primary liver and lung cancer cells also exhibit a preference to grow in their primary site relative to metastatic sites. These data suggest cancer tissue of origin influences both primary and metastatic tumour metabolism and may impact where cancer cells can metastasize.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-024-01105-9
Cell Rep. 2024 Aug 18. pii: S2211-1247(24)00982-3. [Epub ahead of print]43(8): 114632

Aerobic glycolysis but not GLS1-dependent glutamine metabolism is critical for anti-tumor immunity and response to checkpoint inhibition.

Patrick M Gubser, Sharanya Wijesinghe, Leonie Heyden, Sarah S Gabriel, David P de Souza, Christoph Hess, Malcolm M McConville, Daniel T Utzschneider, Axel Kallies.

  Tumor cells undergo uncontrolled proliferation driven by enhanced anabolic metabolism including glycolysis and glutaminolysis. Targeting these pathways to inhibit cancer growth is a strategy for cancer treatment. Critically, however, tumor-responsive T cells share metabolic features with cancer cells, making them susceptible to these treatments as well. Here, we assess the impact on anti-tumor T cell immunity and T cell exhaustion by genetic ablation of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and glutaminase1 (GLS1), key enzymes in aerobic glycolysis and glutaminolysis. Loss of LDHA severely impairs expansion of T cells in response to tumors and chronic infection. In contrast, T cells lacking GLS1 can compensate for impaired glutaminolysis by engaging alternative pathways, including upregulation of asparagine synthetase, and thus efficiently respond to tumor challenge and chronic infection as well as immune checkpoint blockade. Targeting GLS1-dependent glutaminolysis, but not aerobic glycolysis, may therefore be a successful strategy in cancer treatment, particularly in combination with immunotherapy.

Keywords:  CP: Cancer; CP: Metabolism; GLS1; LDHA; Tpex

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114632
Mol Ther. 2024 Aug 20. pii: S1525-0016(24)00541-0. [Epub ahead of print]

Targeting ROS-sensing Nrf2 potentiates anti-tumor immunity of intratumoral CD8+ T and CAR-T cells.

Yuna Jo, Ju A Shim, Jin Woo Jeong, Hyori Kim, So Min Lee, Juhee Jeong, Segi Kim, Sun-Kyoung Im, Donghoon Choi, Byung Ha Lee, Yun Hak Kim, Chi Dae Kim, Chan Hyuk Kim, Changwan Hong.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a crucial role in cancer rejection. However, CTLs encounter dysfunction and exhaustion in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Although the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich TME attenuates the CTL function, the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. The nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related-2 (Nrf2) is ROS-responsible factor implicated in increasing susceptibility to cancer progression. Therefore, we examined how Nrf2 is involved in anti-tumor responses of CD8+ T and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells under ROS-rich TME. Here, we demonstrated that tumor growth in Nrf2-/- mice was significantly controlled and was reversed by T cell depletion and further confirmed that Nrf2 deficiency in T cells promotes anti-tumor responses using adoptive transfer model of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Nrf2-deficient CTLs are resistant to ROS, and their effector functions are sustained in TME. Furthermore, Nrf2 knockdown in human CAR-T cells enhanced the survival and function of intratumoral CAR-T cells in solid tumor xenograft model and effectively controlled tumor growth. ROS-sensing Nrf2 inhibits the anti-tumor T cell responses, indicating that Nrf2 may be a potential target for T cell immunotherapy strategies against solid tumors.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.08.019