bims-mibica 2022-09-18 papers

bims-mibica

Biomed News

on Mitochondrial bioenergetics in cancer

Issue of 2022‒09‒18
29 papers selected by
Kelsey Fisher-Wellman, East Carolina University

Solute exchange through gap junctions lessens the adverse effects of inactivating mutations in metabolite-handling genes.
OMA1-mediated integrated stress response protects against ferroptosis in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.
Overexpression of UCP3 decreases mitochondrial efficiency in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo.
Making the leap from structure to mechanism: are the open states of mammalian complex I identified by cryoEM resting states or catalytic intermediates?
How An Assembly Factor Enhances Covalent FAD Attachment to the Flavoprotein Subunit of Complex II.
Electric fields control water-gated proton transfer in cytochrome c oxidase.
The intestine is a major contributor to circulating succinate in mice.
Inhibition of UBA6 by inosine augments tumour immunogenicity and responses.
A universal coupling mechanism of respiratory complex I.
Sorting-free metabolic profiling uncovers the vulnerability of fatty acid β-oxidation in in vitro quiescence models.
Gankyrin and TIGAR cooperatively accelerate glucose metabolism toward PPP and TCA cycle in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Carboxylesterase 2 induces mitochondrial dysfunction via disrupting lipid homeostasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Targeting OXPHOS de novo purine synthesis as the nexus of FLT3 inhibitor-mediated synergistic antileukemic actions.
An integrative systems biology approach to overcome venetoclax resistance in acute myeloid leukemia.
Lamin A/C impairments cause mitochondrial dysfunction by attenuating PGC1α and the NAMPT-NAD+ pathway.
Targeting of MCL-1 in breast cancer-associated fibroblasts reverses their myofibroblastic phenotype and pro-invasive properties.
mTOR-regulated mitochondrial metabolism limits mycobacterium-induced cytotoxicity.
Targeting histone methylation to reprogram the transcriptional state that drives survival of drug-tolerant myeloid leukemia persisters.
Mitochondrial impairment and intracellular reactive oxygen species alter primary cilia morphology.
Ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase promotes the progression of gastric cancer through a JNK-MAPK/JUN/HK2 axis regulated glycolysis.
Mouse tissue harvest-induced hypoxia rapidly alters the in vivo metabolome, between-genotype metabolite level differences, and 13C-tracing enrichments.
Fatty acid metabolism in aggressive B-cell lymphoma is inhibited by tetraspanin CD37.
TRIM27 is an autophagy substrate facilitating mitochondria clustering and mitophagy via phosphorylated TBK1.
Metabolic targeting of NRF2 potentiates the efficacy of the TRAP1 inhibitor G-TPP through reduction of ROS detoxification in colorectal cancer.
Gain-of-function genetic screens in human cells identify SLC transporters overcoming environmental nutrient restrictions.
The emergent role of mitochondrial surveillance in cellular health.
A Novel Oxidative Phosphorylation-Associated Gene Signature for Prognosis Prediction in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Subtype and site specific-induced metabolic vulnerabilities in prostate cancer.
The effect of Nrf2 deletion on the proteomic signature in a human colorectal cancer cell line.

Elife. 2022 Sep 15. pii: e78425. [Epub ahead of print]11

Solute exchange through gap junctions lessens the adverse effects of inactivating mutations in metabolite-handling genes.

Stefania Monterisi, Johanna Michl, Alzbeta Hulikova, Jana Koth, Esther M Bridges, Amaryllis E Hill, Gulnar Abdullayeva, Walter F Bodmer, Pawel Swietach.

  Growth of cancer cells in vitro can be attenuated by genetically inactivating selected metabolic pathways. However, loss-of-function mutations in metabolic pathways are not negatively selected in human cancers, indicating that these genes are not essential in vivo. We hypothesize that spontaneous mutations in 'metabolic genes' will not necessarily produce functional defects because mutation-bearing cells may be rescued by metabolite exchange with neighboring wild-type cells via gap junctions. Using fluorescent substances to probe inter-cellular diffusion, we show that colorectal cancer (CRC) cells are coupled by gap junctions assembled from connexins, particularly Cx26. Cells with genetically inactivated components of pH regulation (SLC9A1), glycolysis (ALDOA), or mitochondrial respiration (NDUFS1) could be rescued through access to functional proteins in co-cultured wild-type cells. The effect of diffusive coupling was also observed in co-culture xenografts. Rescue was largely dependent on solute exchange via Cx26 channels, a uniformly and constitutively expressed isoform in CRCs. Due to diffusive coupling, the emergent phenotype is less heterogenous than its genotype, and thus an individual cell should not be considered as the unit under selection, at least for metabolite-handling processes. Our findings can explain why certain loss-of-function mutations in genes ascribed as 'essential' do not influence the growth of human cancers.

Keywords:  biochemistry; cancer biology; chemical biology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.78425
Cell Metab. 2022 Sep 08. pii: S1550-4131(22)00360-6. [Epub ahead of print]

OMA1-mediated integrated stress response protects against ferroptosis in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.

Sofia Ahola, Pablo Rivera Mejías, Steffen Hermans, Srikanth Chandragiri, Patrick Giavalisco, Hendrik Nolte, Thomas Langer.

  Cardiomyopathy and heart failure are common manifestations in mitochondrial disease caused by deficiencies in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system of mitochondria. Here, we demonstrate that the cardiac-specific loss of the assembly factor Cox10 of the cytochrome c oxidase causes mitochondrial cardiomyopathy in mice, which is associated with OXPHOS deficiency, lysosomal defects, and an aberrant mitochondrial morphology. Activation of the mitochondrial peptidase Oma1 in Cox10-/- mice results in mitochondrial fragmentation and induction of the integrated stress response (ISR) along the Oma1-Dele1-Atf4 signaling axis. Ablation of Oma1 or Dele1 in Cox10-/- mice aggravates cardiomyopathy. ISR inhibition impairs the cardiac glutathione metabolism, limits the selenium-dependent accumulation of the glutathione peroxidase Gpx4, and increases lipid peroxidation in the heart, ultimately culminating in ferroptosis. Our results demonstrate a protective role of the Oma1-Dele1-mediated ISR in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy and link ferroptosis to OXPHOS deficiency and mitochondrial disease.

Keywords:  Atf4; Dele1; Gpx4; Oma1; cardiomyopathy; ferroptosis; glutathione; integrated stress response; mitochondria; selenium

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.08.017
FEBS Lett. 2022 Sep 16.

Overexpression of UCP3 decreases mitochondrial efficiency in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo.

Roberto Codella, Tiago C Alves, Douglas E Befroy, Cheol Soo Choi, Livio Luzi, Douglas L Rothman, Richard G Kibbey, Gerald I Shulman.

  Uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial transmembrane protein highly expressed in muscle that has been implicated in regulating the efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Increasing UCP3 expression in skeletal muscle enhances proton leak across the inner mitochondrial membrane and increases oxygen consumption in isolated mitochondria, but its precise function in vivo has yet to be fully elucidated. To examine whether muscle-specific overexpression of UCP3 modulates muscle mitochondrial oxidation in vivo, rates of ATP synthesis were assessed by 31 P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and rates of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism were measured by assessing the rate of [2-13 C]acetate incorporation into muscle [4-13 C]- , [3-13 C]-glutamate and [4-13 C]-glutamine by high resolution 13 C/1 H MRS. Using this approach we found that overexpression of UCP3 in skeletal muscle was accompanied by increased muscle mitochondrial inefficiency in vivo as reflected by a 42% reduction in the ratio of ATP synthesis to mitochondrial oxidation.

Keywords:  magnetic resonance spectroscopy; mitochondrial efficiency; mitochondrial uncoupling; muscle energy metabolism

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14494
Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2022 Sep 07. pii: S0959-440X(22)00126-9. [Epub ahead of print]77 102447

Making the leap from structure to mechanism: are the open states of mammalian complex I identified by cryoEM resting states or catalytic intermediates?

Injae Chung, Daniel N Grba, John J Wright, Judy Hirst.

Respiratory complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) is a multi-subunit, energy-transducing mitochondrial enzyme that is essential for oxidative phosphorylation and regulating NAD+/NADH pools. Despite recent advances in structural knowledge and a long history of biochemical analyses, the mechanism of redox-coupled proton translocation by complex I remains unknown. Due to its ability to separate molecules in a mixed population into distinct classes, single-particle electron cryomicroscopy has enabled identification and characterisation of different complex I conformations. However, deciding on their catalytic and/or regulatory properties to underpin mechanistic hypotheses, especially without detailed biochemical characterisation of the structural samples, has proven challenging. In this review we explore different mechanistic interpretations of the closed and open states identified in cryoEM analyses of mammalian complex I.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102447
J Biol Chem. 2022 Sep 08. pii: S0021-9258(22)00915-2. [Epub ahead of print] 102472

How An Assembly Factor Enhances Covalent FAD Attachment to the Flavoprotein Subunit of Complex II.

Elena Maklashina, T M Iverson, Gary Cecchini.

  The membrane-bound complex II family of proteins is composed of enzymes that catalyze succinate and fumarate interconversion coupled with reduction or oxidation of quinones within the membrane domain. The majority of complex II enzymes are protein heterotetramers with the different subunits harboring a variety of redox centers. These redox centers are used to transfer electrons between the site of succinate-fumarate oxidation/reduction and the membrane domain harboring the quinone. A covalently bound FAD cofactor is present in the flavoprotein subunit, and the covalent flavin linkage is absolutely required to enable the enzyme to oxidize succinate. Assembly of the covalent flavin linkage in eukaryotic cells and many bacteria requires additional protein assembly factors. Here, we provide mechanistic details for how the assembly factors work to enhance covalent flavinylation. Both prokaryotic SdhE and mammalian SDHAF2 enhance FAD binding to their respective apo-protein of complex II. These assembly factors also increase the affinity for dicarboxylates to the apo-protein-non-covalent FAD complex and stabilize the pre-assembly complex. These findings are corroborated by previous investigations of the roles of SdhE in enhancing covalent flavinylation in both bacterial succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase flavoprotein subunits and of SDHAF2 in performing the same function for the human mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase flavoprotein. In conclusion, we provide further insight into assembly factor involvement in building the complex II flavoprotein subunit active site required for succinate oxidation.

Keywords:  Succinate dehydrogenase; complex II; covalent flavins; fumarate reductase; mitochondrial assembly factors

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102472
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Sep 20. 119(38): e2207761119

Electric fields control water-gated proton transfer in cytochrome c oxidase.

Patricia Saura, Daniel Riepl, Daniel M Frey, Mårten Wikström, Ville R I Kaila.

  Aerobic life is powered by membrane-bound enzymes that catalyze the transfer of electrons to oxygen and protons across a biological membrane. Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) functions as a terminal electron acceptor in mitochondrial and bacterial respiratory chains, driving cellular respiration and transducing the free energy from O2 reduction into proton pumping. Here we show that CcO creates orientated electric fields around a nonpolar cavity next to the active site, establishing a molecular switch that directs the protons along distinct pathways. By combining large-scale quantum chemical density functional theory (DFT) calculations with hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) explorations, we find that reduction of the electron donor, heme a, leads to dissociation of an arginine (Arg438)-heme a3 D-propionate ion-pair. This ion-pair dissociation creates a strong electric field of up to 1 V Å-1 along a water-mediated proton array leading to a transient proton loading site (PLS) near the active site. Protonation of the PLS triggers the reduction of the active site, which in turn aligns the electric field vectors along a second, "chemical," proton pathway. We find a linear energy relationship of the proton transfer barrier with the electric field strength that explains the effectivity of the gating process. Our mechanism shows distinct similarities to principles also found in other energy-converting enzymes, suggesting that orientated electric fields generally control enzyme catalysis.

Keywords:  PCET; QM/MM; bioenergetics; heme-copper oxidases; molecular simulations

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2207761119
FASEB J. 2022 10;36(10): e22546

The intestine is a major contributor to circulating succinate in mice.

Wenxin Tong, Sarah A Hannou, You Wang, Inna Astapova, Ashot Sargsyan, Ruby Monn, Venkataramana Thiriveedi, Diana Li, Jessica R McCann, John F Rawls, Jatin Roper, Guo-Fang Zhang, Mark A Herman.

  The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is the epicenter of cellular aerobic metabolism. TCA cycle intermediates facilitate energy production and provide anabolic precursors, but also function as intra- and extracellular metabolic signals regulating pleiotropic biological processes. Despite the importance of circulating TCA cycle metabolites as signaling molecules, the source of circulating TCA cycle intermediates remains uncertain. We observe that in mice, the concentration of TCA cycle intermediates in the portal blood exceeds that in tail blood indicating that the gut is a major contributor to circulating TCA cycle metabolites. With a focus on succinate as a representative of a TCA cycle intermediate with signaling activities and using a combination of gut microbiota depletion mouse models and isotopomer tracing, we demonstrate that intestinal microbiota is not a major contributor to circulating succinate. Moreover, we demonstrate that endogenous succinate production is markedly higher than intestinal succinate absorption in normal physiological conditions. Altogether, these results indicate that endogenous succinate production within the intestinal tissue is a major physiological source of circulating succinate. These results provide a foundation for an investigation into the role of the intestine in regulating circulating TCA cycle metabolites and their potential signaling effects on health and disease.

Keywords:  TCA cycle intermediates; circulating biomarkers; intestine; succinate

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202200135RR
Nat Commun. 2022 Sep 15. 13(1): 5413

Inhibition of UBA6 by inosine augments tumour immunogenicity and responses.

Lei Zhang, Li Jiang, Liang Yu, Qin Li, Xiangjun Tian, Jingquan He, Ling Zeng, Yuqin Yang, Chaoran Wang, Yuhan Wei, Xiaoyue Jiang, Jing Li, Xiaolu Ge, Qisheng Gu, Jikun Li, Di Wu, Anthony J Sadler, Di Yu, Dakang Xu, Yue Gao, Xiangliang Yuan, Baokun He.

Anti-cancer immunity and response to immune therapy is influenced by the metabolic states of the tumours. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy (ICB) is known to involve metabolic adaptation, however, the mechanism is not fully known. Here we show, by metabolic profiling of plasma samples from melanoma-bearing mice undergoing anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 combination therapy, that higher levels of purine metabolites, including inosine, mark ICB sensitivity. Metabolic profiles of ICB-treated human cancers confirm the association between inosine levels and ICB sensitivity. In mouse models, inosine supplementation sensitizes tumours to ICB, even if they are intrinsically ICB resistant, by enhancing T cell-mediated cytotoxicity and hence generating an immunologically hotter microenvironment. We find that inosine directly inhibits UBA6 in tumour cells, and lower level of UBA6 makes the tumour more immunogenic and this is reflected in favourable outcome following ICB therapy in human melanomas. Transplanted mouse melanoma and breast cancer cells with genetic ablation of Uba6 show higher sensitivity to ICB than wild type tumours. Thus, we provide evidence of an inosine-regulated UBA6-dependent pathway governing tumour-intrinsic immunogenicity and hence sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibition, which might provide targets to overcome ICB resistance.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33116-z
Nature. 2022 Sep 14.

A universal coupling mechanism of respiratory complex I.

Vladyslav Kravchuk, Olga Petrova, Domen Kampjut, Anna Wojciechowska-Bason, Zara Breese, Leonid Sazanov.

Complex I is the first enzyme in the respiratory chain, which is responsible for energy production in mitochondria and bacteria1. Complex I couples the transfer of two electrons from NADH to quinone and the translocation of four protons across the membrane2, but the coupling mechanism remains contentious. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of Escherichia coli complex I (EcCI) in different redox states, including catalytic turnover. EcCI exists mostly in the open state, in which the quinone cavity is exposed to the cytosol, allowing access for water molecules, which enable quinone movements. Unlike the mammalian paralogues3, EcCI can convert to the closed state only during turnover, showing that closed and open states are genuine turnover intermediates. The open-to-closed transition results in the tightly engulfed quinone cavity being connected to the central axis of the membrane arm, a source of substrate protons. Consistently, the proportion of the closed state increases with increasing pH. We propose a detailed but straightforward and robust mechanism comprising a 'domino effect' series of proton transfers and electrostatic interactions: the forward wave ('dominoes stacking') primes the pump, and the reverse wave ('dominoes falling') results in the ejection of all pumped protons from the distal subunit NuoL. This mechanism explains why protons exit exclusively from the NuoL subunit and is supported by our mutagenesis data. We contend that this is a universal coupling mechanism of complex I and related enzymes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05199-7
Mol Syst Biol. 2022 Sep;18(9): e10716

Sorting-free metabolic profiling uncovers the vulnerability of fatty acid β-oxidation in in vitro quiescence models.

Karin Ortmayr, Mattia Zampieri.

  Quiescent cancer cells are rare nondiving cells with the unique ability to evade chemotherapies and resume cell division after treatment. Despite the associated risk of cancer recurrence, how cells can reversibly switch between rapid proliferation and quiescence remains a long-standing open question. By developing a unique methodology for the cell sorting-free separation of metabolic profiles in cell subpopulations in vitro, we unraveled metabolic characteristics of quiescent cells that are largely invariant to basal differences in cell types and quiescence-inducing stimuli. Consistent with our metabolome-based analysis, we show that impairing mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) can induce apoptosis in quiescence-induced cells and hamper their return to proliferation. Our findings suggest that in addition to mediating energy and redox balance, FAO can play a role in preventing the buildup of toxic intermediates during transitioning to quiescence. Uncovering metabolic strategies to enter, maintain, and exit quiescence can reveal fundamental principles in cell plasticity and new potential therapeutic targets beyond cancer.

Keywords:  cellular quiescence; fatty acid oxidation; metabolic adaptation; quiescence-proliferation transition; trimetazidine

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/msb.202110716
Cancer Sci. 2022 Sep 17.

Gankyrin and TIGAR cooperatively accelerate glucose metabolism toward PPP and TCA cycle in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chun Yang, Xiao-Wen Cui, Zhi-Wen Ding, Tian-Yi Jiang, Xiao-Fan Feng, Yu-Fei Pan, Yun-Kai Lin, Tai-Yu Shang, Qing Wang, Jian Pan, Jian Wang, Hong-Yang Wang, Li-Wei Dong.

  Oncogene-derived metabolic reprogramming is important for anabolic growth of cancer cells, which is now considered not to be simply rely on glycolysis and passively caused by mitochondrial damage. The present work focused on gankyrin, a relatively specific oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its impact on glycolysis and mitochondrial homeostasis. Metabolomics, RNA-seq analysis and subsequent conjoint analysis illustrated that gankyrin regulated pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and mitochondrial function and homeostasis, which process pivotal roles in tumor development. Mechanistically, gankyrin was found to modulate HCC metabolic reprogramming via TIGAR. Gankyrin positively regulated the transcription of TIGAR through Nrf2, which bound to the antioxidant response elements (AREs) in the promoter of TIGAR. Interestingly, TIGAR feedback regulated the transcription of Nrf2 and subsequently gankyrin by promoting nuclear importation of PGC1α. The loop between gankyrin, Nrf2 and TIGAR accelerated glucose metabolism toward PPP and TCA cycle, which provided vital building blocks, such as NADPH, ATP and ribose of tumor and further facilitated progression of HCC.

Keywords:  Gankyrin; TIGAR; metabolism reprogram; mitochondrial function; pentose phosphate pathway

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/cas.15593
Mol Metab. 2022 Sep 13. pii: S2212-8778(22)00169-7. [Epub ahead of print] 101600

Carboxylesterase 2 induces mitochondrial dysfunction via disrupting lipid homeostasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Xijuan Chen, Qin Liu, Yingyao Chen, Lixuan Wang, Rongchun Yang, Weilin Zhang, Xue Pan, Siyuan Zhang, Chuwen Chen, Tong Wu, Juan Xia, Bin Cheng, Xiaobing Chen, Xianyue Ren.

  INTRODUCTION: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by high recurrence and metastasis and places a heavy burden on societies worldwide. Cancer cells thrive in a changing microenvironment by reprogramming lipidomic metabolic processes to provide nutrients and energy, activate oncogenic signaling pathways, and manage redox homeostasis to avoid lipotoxicity. The mechanism by which OSCC cells maintain lipid homeostasis during malignant progression is unclear.METHODS: The altered expression of fatty acid (FA) metabolism genes in OSCC, compared with that in normal tissues, and in OSCC patients with or without recurrence or metastasis were determined using public data from the TCGA and GEO databases. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the carboxylesterase 2 (CES2) protein level in our own cohort. CCK-8 and Transwell assays and an in vivo xenograft model were used to evaluate the biological functions of CES2. Mass spectrometry and RNA sequencing were performed to determine the lipidome and transcriptome alterations induced by CES2. Mitochondrial mass, mtDNA content, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS levels, and oxygen consumption and apoptosis rates were evaluated to determine the effects of CES2 on mitochondrial function in OSCC.
RESULTS: CES2 was downregulated in OSCC patients, especially those with recurrence or metastasis. CES2high OSCC patients showed better overall survival than CES2low OSCC patients. Restoring CES2 expression reduced OSCC cell viability and suppressed their migration and invasion in vitro, and it inhibited OSCC tumor growth in vivo. CES2 reprogrammed lipid metabolism in OSCC cells by hydrolyzing neutral lipid diacylglycerols (DGs) to release free fatty acids and reduce the membrane structure lipid phospholipids (PLs) synthesis. Free FAs were converted to acyl-carnitines (CARs) and transferred to mitochondria for oxidation, which induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis activation. Furthermore, the reduction in signaling lipids, e.g., DGs, PLs and substrates, suppressed PI3K/AKT/MYC signaling pathways. Restoring MYC rescued the diminished cell viability, suppressed migratory and invasive abilities, damaged mitochondria and reduced apoptosis rate induced by CES2.
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that CES2 downregulation plays an important role in OSCC by maintaining lipid homeostasis and reducing lipotoxicity during tumor progression and may provide a potential therapeutic target for OSCC.

Keywords:  CES2; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; diacylglycerols; lipotoxicity; mitochondrial damage

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101600
Sci Adv. 2022 Sep 16. 8(37): eabp9005

Targeting OXPHOS de novo purine synthesis as the nexus of FLT3 inhibitor-mediated synergistic antileukemic actions.

Pu Zhang, Lindsey T Brinton, Mehdi Gharghabi, Steven Sher, Katie Williams, Matthew Cannon, Janek S Walker, Daniel Canfield, Larry Beaver, Casey B Cempre, Hannah Phillips, Xuyong Chen, Pearlly Yan, Amy Lehman, Peggy Scherle, Min Wang, Kris Vaddi, Robert Baiocchi, Ruoning Wang, Deepa Sampath, Lapo Alinari, James S Blachly, Rosa Lapalombella.

Using a genome-wide CRISPR screen, we identified CDK9, DHODH, and PRMT5 as synthetic lethal partners with gilteritinib treatment in fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3)-internal tandem duplication (ITD) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and genetically and pharmacologically validated their roles in gilteritinib sensitivity. The presence of FLT3-ITD is associated with an increase in anaerobic glycolysis, rendering leukemia cells highly sensitive to inhibition of glycolysis. Supportive of this, our data show the enrichment of single guide RNAs targeting 28 glycolysis-related genes upon gilteritinib treatment, suggesting that switching from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) may represent a metabolic adaption of AML in gilteritinib resistance. CDK9i/FLT3i, DHODHi/FLT3i, and PRMT5i/FLT3i pairs mechanistically converge on OXPHOS and purine biosynthesis blockade, implying that targeting the metabolic functions of these three genes and/or proteins may represent attractive strategies to sensitize AML to gilteritinib treatment. Our findings provide the basis for maximizing therapeutic impact of FLT3-ITD inhibitors and a rationale for a clinical trial of these novel combinations.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abp9005
PLoS Comput Biol. 2022 Sep;18(9): e1010439

An integrative systems biology approach to overcome venetoclax resistance in acute myeloid leukemia.

Michelle Przedborski, David Sharon, Severine Cathelin, Steven Chan, Mohammad Kohandel.

The over-expression of the Bcl-2 protein is a common feature of many solid cancers and hematological malignancies, and it is typically associated with poor prognosis and resistance to chemotherapy. Bcl-2-specific inhibitors, such as venetoclax, have recently been approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma, and they are showing promise in clinical trials as a targeted therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, successful treatment of AML with Bcl-2-specific inhibitors is often followed by the rapid development of drug resistance. An emerging paradigm for overcoming drug resistance in cancer treatment is through the targeting of mitochondrial energetics and metabolism. In AML in particular, it was recently observed that inhibition of mitochondrial translation via administration of the antibiotic tedizolid significantly affects mitochondrial bioenergetics, activating the integrated stress response (ISR) and subsequently sensitizing drug-resistant AML cells to venetoclax. Here we develop an integrative systems biology approach to acquire a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind this process, and in particular, of the specific role of the ISR in the commitment of cells to apoptosis. Our multi-scale mathematical model couples the ISR to the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in venetoclax-resistant AML cells, includes the metabolic effects of treatment, and integrates RNA, protein level, and cellular viability data. Using the mathematical model, we identify the dominant mechanisms by which ISR activation helps to overcome venetoclax resistance, and we study the temporal sequencing of combination treatment to determine the most efficient and robust combination treatment protocol.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010439
Nucleic Acids Res. 2022 Sep 13. pii: gkac741. [Epub ahead of print]

Lamin A/C impairments cause mitochondrial dysfunction by attenuating PGC1α and the NAMPT-NAD+ pathway.

Scott Maynard, Arnaldur Hall, Panagiotis Galanos, Salvatore Rizza, Tatsuro Yamamoto, Helena Hagner Gram, Sebastian H N Munk, Muhammad Shoaib, Claus Storgaard Sørensen, Vilhelm A Bohr, Mads Lerdrup, Apolinar Maya-Mendoza, Jiri Bartek.

Mutations in the lamin A/C gene (LMNA) cause laminopathies such as the premature aging Hutchinson Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) and altered lamin A/C levels are found in diverse malignancies. The underlying lamin-associated mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we report that lamin A/C-null mouse embryo fibroblasts (Lmna-/- MEFs) and human progerin-expressing HGPS fibroblasts both display reduced NAD+ levels, unstable mitochondrial DNA and attenuated bioenergetics. This mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with reduced chromatin recruitment (Lmna-/- MEFs) or low levels (HGPS) of PGC1α, the key transcription factor for mitochondrial homeostasis. Lmna-/- MEFs showed reduced expression of the NAD+-biosynthesis enzyme NAMPT and attenuated activity of the NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1. We find high PARylation in lamin A/C-aberrant cells, further decreasing the NAD+ pool and consistent with impaired DNA base excision repair in both cell models, a condition that fuels DNA damage-induced PARylation under oxidative stress. Further, ATAC-sequencing revealed a substantially altered chromatin landscape in Lmna-/- MEFs, including aberrantly reduced accessibility at the Nampt gene promoter. Thus, we identified a new role of lamin A/C as a key modulator of mitochondrial function through impairments of PGC1α and the NAMPT-NAD+ pathway, with broader implications for the aging process.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkac741
Cell Death Dis. 2022 Sep 14. 13(9): 787

Targeting of MCL-1 in breast cancer-associated fibroblasts reverses their myofibroblastic phenotype and pro-invasive properties.

Thomas L Bonneaud, Chloé C Lefebvre, Lisa Nocquet, Agnes Basseville, Julie Roul, Hugo Weber, Mario Campone, Philippe P Juin, Frédérique Souazé.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a major cellular component of epithelial tumors. In breast cancers in particular these stromal cells have numerous tumorigenic effects in part due to their acquisition of a myofibroblastic phenotype. Breast CAFs (bCAFs) typically express MCL-1. We show here that pharmacological inhibition or knock down of this regulator of mitochondrial integrity in primary bCAFs directly derived from human samples mitigates myofibroblastic features. This decreases expression of genes involved in actomyosin organization and contractility (associated with a cytoplasmic retention of the transcriptional regulator, yes-associated protein-YAP) and decreases bCAFs ability to promote cancer cells invasion in 3D coculture assays. Our findings underscore the usefulness of targeting MCL-1 in breast cancer ecosystems, not only to favor death of cancer cells but also to counteract the tumorigenic activation of fibroblasts with which they co-evolve. Mechanistically, pharmacological inhibition of MCL-1 with a specific BH3 mimetic promotes mitochondrial fragmentation in bCAFs. Inhibition of the mitochondrial fission activity of DRP-1, which interacts with MCL-1 upon BH3 mimetic treatment, allows the maintenance of the myofibroblastic phenotype of bCAFs.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-022-05214-9
Cell. 2022 Sep 08. pii: S0092-8674(22)01112-6. [Epub ahead of print]

mTOR-regulated mitochondrial metabolism limits mycobacterium-induced cytotoxicity.

Antonio J Pagán, Lauren J Lee, Joy Edwards-Hicks, Cecilia B Moens, David M Tobin, Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich, Erika L Pearce, Lalita Ramakrishnan.

  Necrosis of macrophages in the granuloma, the hallmark immunological structure of tuberculosis, is a major pathogenic event that increases host susceptibility. Through a zebrafish forward genetic screen, we identified the mTOR kinase, a master regulator of metabolism, as an early host resistance factor in tuberculosis. We found that mTOR complex 1 protects macrophages from mycobacterium-induced death by enabling infection-induced increases in mitochondrial energy metabolism fueled by glycolysis. These metabolic adaptations are required to prevent mitochondrial damage and death caused by the secreted mycobacterial virulence determinant ESAT-6. Thus, the host can effectively counter this early critical mycobacterial virulence mechanism simply by regulating energy metabolism, thereby allowing pathogen-specific immune mechanisms time to develop. Our findings may explain why Mycobacterium tuberculosis, albeit humanity's most lethal pathogen, is successful in only a minority of infected individuals.

Keywords:  ESAT-6 mitotoxicity; Mycobacterium marinum; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; granuloma necrosis; mTOR; macrophage death; mitochondrial metabolism; oxidative phosphorylation; tuberculosis; zebrafish TB model

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.018
iScience. 2022 Sep 16. 25(9): 105013

Targeting histone methylation to reprogram the transcriptional state that drives survival of drug-tolerant myeloid leukemia persisters.

Noortje van Gils, Han J M P Verhagen, Michaël Broux, Tania Martiáñez, Fedor Denkers, Eline Vermue, Arjo Rutten, Tamás Csikós, Sofie Demeyer, Meryem Çil, Marjon Al, Jan Cools, Jeroen J W M Janssen, Gert J Ossenkoppele, Renee X Menezes, Linda Smit.

  Although chemotherapy induces complete remission in the majority of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, many face a relapse. This relapse is caused by survival of chemotherapy-resistant leukemia (stem) cells (measurable residual disease; MRD). Here, we demonstrate that the anthracycline doxorubicin epigenetically reprograms leukemia cells by inducing histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) and H3K4 tri-methylation. Within a doxorubicin-sensitive leukemia cell population, we identified a subpopulation of reversible anthracycline-tolerant cells (ATCs) with leukemic stem cell (LSC) features lacking doxorubicin-induced H3K27me3 or H3K4me3 upregulation. These ATCs have a distinct transcriptional landscape than the leukemia bulk and could be eradicated by KDM6 inhibition. In primary AML, reprogramming the transcriptional state by targeting KDM6 reduced MRD load and survival of LSCs residing within MRD, and enhanced chemotherapy response in vivo. Our results reveal plasticity of anthracycline resistance in AML cells and highlight the potential of transcriptional reprogramming by epigenetic-based therapeutics to target chemotherapy-resistant AML cells.

Keywords:  Cancer; Molecular biology; Therapy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105013
Life Sci Alliance. 2022 Dec;pii: e202201505. [Epub ahead of print]5(12):

Mitochondrial impairment and intracellular reactive oxygen species alter primary cilia morphology.

Noah Moruzzi, Ismael Valladolid-Acebes, Sukanya A Kannabiran, Sara Bulgaro, Ingo Burtscher, Barbara Leibiger, Ingo B Leibiger, Per-Olof Berggren, Kerstin Brismar.

Primary cilia have recently emerged as cellular signaling organelles. Their homeostasis and function require a high amount of energy. However, how energy depletion and mitochondria impairment affect cilia have barely been addressed. We first studied the spatial relationship between a mitochondria subset in proximity to the cilium in vitro, finding similar mitochondrial activity measured as mitochondrial membrane potential compared with the cellular network. Next, using common primary cilia cell models and inhibitors of mitochondrial energy production, we found alterations in cilia number and/or length due to energy depletion and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction. Finally, by using a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, we provided in vivo evidence that cilia morphology is impaired in diabetic nephropathy, which is characterized by ROS overproduction and impaired mitochondrial metabolism. In conclusion, we showed that energy imbalance and mitochondrial ROS affect cilia morphology and number, indicating that conditions characterized by mitochondria and radicals imbalances might lead to ciliary impairment.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202201505
Gastric Cancer. 2022 Sep 16.

Ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase promotes the progression of gastric cancer through a JNK-MAPK/JUN/HK2 axis regulated glycolysis.

Yushuai Mi, Quanhui Li, Bingtian Liu, Dehai Wang, Ziping Liu, Tianshi Wang, Yuan Wang, Yifeng Zang, Yan Zhou, Yugang Wen, Yinlu Ding.

  BACKGROUND: Ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK) transfers high-energy phosphates from mitochondrially generated ATP to creatine to generate phosphocreatine. uMtCK overexpression has been reported in several malignant tumors, however, the clinical significance and impact of uMtCK in gastric cancer (GC) has not been comprehensively studied.METHODS: We first examined uMtCK expression in GC by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot assays. Then the clinicopathological significance of aberrant uMtCK expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining in a GC tissue microarray. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for survival analysis. The biological functions of uMtCK in GC cells were explored by wound-healing, transwell assays and glucose metabolism assays in vitro as well as a liver metastasis model by spleen injection in nude mice in vivo.
RESULTS: We verified that the expression of uMtCK was substantially elevated in GC tissues, significantly associating with a poorer prognosis in GC patients, especially for those with advanced stage. In univariate and multivariate analyses, uMtCK expression emerged as an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free survival and overall survival. Functionally, we demonstrated that uMtCK promoted glycolysis in GC cells and facilitated their migration, invasion and liver metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, uMtCK enhanced GC progression in a HK2-dependent glycolysis via acting the JNK-MAPK/JUN signaling pathway.
CONCLUSIONS: uMtCK could serve as a novel independent prognostic biomarker as well as potential therapeutic target for GC patients, particularly for GC patients with an advanced UICC stage and tumor recurrence.

Keywords:  Gastric cancer; Glycolysis; Prognosis; uMtCK

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10120-022-01340-7
Mol Metab. 2022 Sep 10. pii: S2212-8778(22)00165-X. [Epub ahead of print] 101596

Mouse tissue harvest-induced hypoxia rapidly alters the in vivo metabolome, between-genotype metabolite level differences, and 13C-tracing enrichments.

Adam J Rauckhorst, Nicholas Borcherding, Daniel J Pape, Alora S Kraus, Diego A Scerbo, Eric B Taylor.

  OBJECTIVE: Metabolomics as an approach to solve biological problems is exponentially increasing in use. Thus, this a pivotal time for the field-wide adoption of best practices. It is well known that disrupted tissue oxygen supply rapidly alters cellular energy charge. However, the speed and extent to which delayed mouse tissue freezing after dissection alters the broad metabolome is not well described. Furthermore, how such metabolomic drift may be affected by genotype is unclear, and the degree to which traced 13C-isotopologue distributions shift with delayed tissue freezing is unknown.METHODS: By combined liquid chromatography (LC)- and gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS), we measured how levels of 255 mouse liver metabolites changed following 30-second, 1-minute, 3-minute, and 10-minute freezing delays. We then performed test-of-concept delay-to-freeze experiments evaluating broad metabolomic drift in mouse heart and skeletal muscle, differential metabolomic change between wildtype (WT) and mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) knockout mouse livers, and 13C-isotopologue abundances and enrichments traced from 13C-labled glucose into mouse liver.
RESULTS: Our data demonstrate that delayed mouse tissue freezing after dissection leads to rapid hypoxia-driven remodeling of the broad metabolome, induction of both false-negative and false-positive between-genotype differences, and restructuring of 13C-isotopologue distributions. Notably, we show that increased purine nucleotide degradation products are an especially high dynamic range marker of delayed liver and heart freezing and that TCA cycle intermediate metabolite 13C enrichments are not acutely stable.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide a previously absent, systematic illustration of the extensive, multi-domain metabolomic changes occurring within the early minutes of delayed tissue freezing. They also provide a novel, detailed resource of mouse liver ex vivo, hypoxic metabolomic remodeling.

Keywords:  Hypoxia; Metabolomics; Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier; Purine Degradation; Quality Control; Stable Isotope Tracing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101596
Nat Commun. 2022 Sep 13. 13(1): 5371

Fatty acid metabolism in aggressive B-cell lymphoma is inhibited by tetraspanin CD37.

Rens Peeters, Jorge Cuenca-Escalona, Esther A Zaal, Anna T Hoekstra, Anouk C G Balvert, Marcos Vidal-Manrique, Niek Blomberg, Sjoerd J van Deventer, Rinke Stienstra, Julia Jellusova, Martin Giera, Luciana Hannibal, Ute Spiekerkoetter, Martin Ter Beest, Celia R Berkers, Annemiek B van Spriel.

The importance of fatty acid (FA) metabolism in cancer is well-established, yet the mechanisms underlying metabolic reprogramming remain elusive. Here, we identify tetraspanin CD37, a prognostic marker for aggressive B-cell lymphoma, as essential membrane-localized inhibitor of FA metabolism. Deletion of CD37 on lymphoma cells results in increased FA oxidation shown by functional assays and metabolomics. Furthermore, CD37-negative lymphomas selectively deplete palmitate from serum in mouse studies. Mechanistically, CD37 inhibits the FA transporter FATP1 through molecular interaction. Consequently, deletion of CD37 induces uptake and processing of exogenous palmitate into energy and essential building blocks for proliferation, and inhibition of FATP1 reverses this phenotype. Large lipid deposits and intracellular lipid droplets are observed in CD37-negative lymphoma tissues of patients. Moreover, inhibition of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 A significantly compromises viability and proliferation of CD37-deficient lymphomas. Collectively, our results identify CD37 as a direct gatekeeper of the FA metabolic switch in aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33138-7
FEBS J. 2022 Sep 16.

TRIM27 is an autophagy substrate facilitating mitochondria clustering and mitophagy via phosphorylated TBK1.

Juncal Garcia-Garcia, Anne Kristin McLaren Berge, Katrine Stange Overå, Kenneth Bowitz Larsen, Zambarlal Bhujabal, Andreas Brech, Yakubu Princely Abudu, Trond Lamark, Terje Johansen, Eva Sjøttem.

Tripartite motif containing protein 27 (TRIM27/also called RFP) is a multifunctional ubiquitin E3 ligase involved in numerous cellular functions, such as proliferation, apoptosis, regulation of the NF-kB pathway, endosomal recycling, and the innate immune response. TRIM27 interacts directly with TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and regulates its stability. TBK1 in complex with autophagy receptors are recruited to ubiquitin chains assembled on the mitochondrial outer membrane promoting mitophagy. Here we identify TRIM27 as an autophagy substrate, depending on ATG7, ATG9 and autophagy receptors for its lysosomal degradation. We show that TRIM27 forms ubiquitylated cytoplasmic bodies that colocalize with autophagy receptors. Surprisingly, we observed that induced expression of EGFP-TRIM27 in HEK293 FlpIn TRIM27 Knock-Out cells mediates mitochondrial clustering. TRIM27 interacts with autophagy receptor SQSTM1/p62, and the TRIM27 mediated mitochondrial clustering is facilitated by SQSTM/p62. We show that phosphorylated TBK1 is recruited to the clustered mitochondria. Moreover, induced mitophagy activity is reduced in HEK293 FlpIn TRIM27 Knock Out cells, while re-introduction of EGFP-TRIM27 completely restores the mitophagy activity. Inhibition of TBK1 reduces mitophagy in HEK293 FlpIn cells and in the reconstituted EGFP-TRIM27 expressing cells, but not in HEK293 FlpIn TRIM27 Knock Out cells. Altogether, these data reveal novel roles for TRIM27 in mitophagy, facilitating mitochondrial clustering via SQSTM1/p62 and mitophagy via stabilization of phosphorylated TBK1 on mitochondria.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.16628
Cancer Lett. 2022 Sep 13. pii: S0304-3835(22)00402-5. [Epub ahead of print] 215915

Metabolic targeting of NRF2 potentiates the efficacy of the TRAP1 inhibitor G-TPP through reduction of ROS detoxification in colorectal cancer.

Hong-Yuan Tsai, Mary P Bronner, Jordon K March, John F Valentine, Noah Freeman Shroyer, Lisa A Lai, Teresa A Brentnall, Sheng Pan, Ru Chen.

  Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) is a mitochondrial homolog of HSP90 chaperones. It plays an important role in protection against oxidative stress and apoptosis by regulating reactive oxidative species (ROS). To further elucidate the mechanistic role of TRAP1 in regulating tumor cell survival, we used gamitrinib-triphenylphosphonium (G-TPP) to inhibit TRAP1 signaling pathways in colon cancer. Inhibition of TRAP1 by G-TPP disrupted redox homeostasis and induced cell death. However, colon cancers show a wide range of responses to G-TPP treatment through the induction of variable ER stress responses and ROS accumulation. Interestingly, a strong inverse correlation was observed between the expression of TRAP1 and antioxidant genes in colon tumor tissues using the GSE106582 database. Using a luciferase reporter assay, we detected increased transcriptional activation of antioxidant response elements (AREs) in G-TPP-treated DLD1 and RKO cells but not in SW48 cells. We found that G-TPP induced upregulation of GRP78, CHOP and PARP cleavage in G-TPP-sensitive cells (SW48). In contrast, G-TPP treatment of G-TPP-resistant cells (DLD1 and RKO) resulted in excessive activation of the antioxidant gene NRF2, leading to ROS detoxification and improved cell survival. The NRF2 target genes HO1 and NQO1 were upregulated in G-TPP-treated DLD1 cells, making the cells more resistant to G-TPP treatment. Furthermore, treatment with both a NRF2 inhibitor and a TRAP1 inhibitor led to excessive ROS production and exacerbated G-TPP-induced cell death in G-TPP-resistant cells. Taken together, dual targeting of TRAP1 and NRF2 may potentially overcome colon cancer resistance by raising cellular ROS levels above the cytotoxic threshold.

Keywords:  CHOP; Colon cancer; NRF2; ROS; TRAP1

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215915
Life Sci Alliance. 2022 Nov;pii: e202201404. [Epub ahead of print]5(11):

Gain-of-function genetic screens in human cells identify SLC transporters overcoming environmental nutrient restrictions.

Manuele Rebsamen, Enrico Girardi, Vitaly Sedlyarov, Stefania Scorzoni, Konstantinos Papakostas, Manuela Vollert, Justyna Konecka, Bettina Guertl, Kristaps Klavins, Tabea Wiedmer, Giulio Superti-Furga.

Solute carrier (SLC) transporters control fluxes of nutrients and metabolites across membranes and thereby represent a critical interface between the microenvironment and cellular and subcellular metabolism. Because of substantial functional overlap, the interplay and relative contributions of SLCs in response to environmental stresses remain poorly elucidated. To infer functional relationships between SLCs and metabolites, we developed a strategy to identify SLCs able to sustain cell viability and proliferation under growth-limiting concentrations of essential nutrients. One-by-one depletion of 13 amino acids required for cell proliferation enabled gain-of-function genetic screens using a SLC-focused CRISPR/Cas9-based transcriptional activation approach to uncover transporters relieving cells from growth-limiting metabolic bottlenecks. Among the transporters identified, we characterized the cationic amino acid transporter SLC7A3 as a gene that, when up-regulated, overcame low availability of arginine and lysine by increasing their uptake, whereas SLC7A5 was able to sustain cellular fitness upon deprivation of several neutral amino acids. Moreover, we identified metabolic compensation mediated by the glutamate/aspartate transporters SLC1A2 and SLC1A3 under glutamine-limiting conditions. Overall, this gain-of-function approach using human cells uncovered functional transporter-nutrient relationships and revealed that transport activity up-regulation may be sufficient to overcome environmental metabolic restrictions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202201404
Aging Cell. 2022 Sep 11. e13710

The emergent role of mitochondrial surveillance in cellular health.

Elissa Tjahjono, Daniel R Kirienko, Natalia V Kirienko.

  Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the primary causatives for many pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, metabolic disorders, and aging. Decline in mitochondrial functions leads to the loss of proteostasis, accumulation of ROS, and mitochondrial DNA damage, which further exacerbates mitochondrial deterioration in a vicious cycle. Surveillance mechanisms, in which mitochondrial functions are closely monitored for any sign of perturbations, exist to anticipate possible havoc within these multifunctional organelles with primitive origin. Various indicators of unhealthy mitochondria, including halted protein import, dissipated membrane potential, and increased loads of oxidative damage, are on the top of the lists for close monitoring. Recent research also indicates a possibility of reductive stress being monitored as part of a mitochondrial surveillance program. Upon detection of mitochondrial stress, multiple mitochondrial stress-responsive pathways are activated to promote the transcription of numerous nuclear genes to ameliorate mitochondrial damage and restore compromised cellular functions. Co-expression occurs through functionalization of transcription factors, allowing their binding to promoter elements to initiate transcription of target genes. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the intricacy of mitochondrial surveillance programs and highlights their roles in our cellular life. Ultimately, a better understanding of these surveillance mechanisms is expected to improve healthspan.

Keywords:  aging; mitochondria; mitochondrial membrane transport proteins; mitophagy; physiological stress; reactive oxygen species; surveillance

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13710
Dis Markers. 2022 ;2022 3594901

A Novel Oxidative Phosphorylation-Associated Gene Signature for Prognosis Prediction in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Weigang Chen, Zelong Yang, Yong Chen.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. The oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) metabolic pathway produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by delivering electrons to transmembrane protein complexes in the mitochondria. This research was dedicated to identifying an OXPHOS-associated signature for the assessment of prognosis of HCC patients. A total of 371 HCC patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 231 HCC patients from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) with RNA expression data and clinical data were employed as construction and validation cohorts, respectively. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression was applied to establish a multigene signature in the TCGA cohort, and the ICGC cohort was used for validation. The prognostic value of the risk signature was evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier curves, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The potential enrichment of biological functions was investigated using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Meanwhile, we analyzed the correlation between the risk score and the tumor microenvironment (TME). A five-gene signature including ATP6V0B, ATP6V1C1, ATP6V1E1, TIMM9, and UQCRH was identified by LASSO Cox regression to classify patients into low- and high-risk groups. ROC curve analysis indicated that the five-gene signature is a prospective prognostic factor in HCC patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS). Functional analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the low- and high-risk groups were enriched in mitosis and the cell cycle pathway. In addition, the five-gene signature was associated with innate immune cell infiltration, immune subtypes, and tumor stemness. A novel OXPHOS-associated gene signature can be used for prognostic prediction for patients with HCC.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3594901
Mol Cancer Res. 2022 Sep 16. pii: MCR-22-0250. [Epub ahead of print]

Subtype and site specific-induced metabolic vulnerabilities in prostate cancer.

Federica Mossa, Daniele Robesti, Ramachandran Sumankalai, Eva Corey, Mark Titus, Yuqi Kang, Jianhua Zhang, Alberto Briganti, Francesco Montorsi, Christopher P Vellano, Joseph R Marszalek, Daniel E Frigo, Christopher J Logothetis, Taranjit S Gujral, Eleonora Dondossola.

Aberrant metabolic functions play a crucial role in prostate cancer progression and lethality. Currently, limited knowledge is available on subtype-specific metabolic features and their implications for treatment. We therefore investigated the metabolic determinants of the two major subtypes of castration-resistant prostate cancer (androgen receptor-expressing prostate cancer, ARPC; and aggressive-variant prostate cancer, AVPC). Transcriptomic analyses revealed enrichment of gene sets involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in ARPC tumor samples compared to AVPC. Unbiased screening of metabolic signaling pathways in PDX models by proteomic analyses further supported an enrichment of OXPHOS in ARPC compared to AVPC, and a skewing toward glycolysis by AVPC. In vitro, ARPC C4-2B cells depended on aerobic respiration, while AVPC PC3 cells relied more heavily on glycolysis, as further confirmed by pharmacological interference using IACS-10759, a clinical-grade inhibitor of OXPHOS. In vivo studies confirmed IACS-10759's inhibitory effects in subcutaneous and bone-localized C4-2B tumors, and no effect in subcutaneous PC3 tumors. Unexpectedly, IACS-10759 inhibited PC3 tumor growth in bone, indicating microenvironment-induced metabolic reprogramming. These results suggest that castration-resistant ARPC and AVPC exhibit different metabolic dependencies, which can further undergo metabolic reprogramming in bone. Implications: These vulnerabilities may be exploited with mechanistically novel treatments, such as those targeting OXPHOS alone or possibly in combination with existing therapies. In addition, our findings underscore the impact of the tumor microenvironment in reprogramming prostate cancer metabolism.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-22-0250
BMC Cancer. 2022 Sep 13. 22(1): 979

The effect of Nrf2 deletion on the proteomic signature in a human colorectal cancer cell line.

Omid Cheraghi, Bahareh Dabirmanesh, Farideh Ghazi, Massoud Amanlou, Mona Atabakhshi-Kashi, Yaghoub Fathollahi, Khosro Khajeh.

  BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancer and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is observed in many types of cancer cells. Several studies have reported that an increase in ROS production could affect the expression of proteins involved in ROS-scavenging, detoxification and drug resistance. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a known transcription factor for cellular response to oxidative stress. Several researches exhibited that Nrf2 could exert multiple functions and expected to be a promising therapeutic target in many cancers. Here, Nrf2 was knocked down in colorectal cancer cell line HT29 and changes that occurred in signaling pathways and survival mechanisms were evaluated.METHODS: The influence of chemotherapy drugs (doxorubicin and cisplatin), metastasis and cell viability were investigated. To explore the association between specific pathways and viability in HT29-Nrf2-, proteomic analysis, realtime PCR and western blotting were performed.
RESULTS: In the absence of Nrf2 (Nrf2-), ROS scavenging and detoxification potential were dramatically faded and the HT29-Nrf2- cells became more susceptible to drugs. However, a severe decrease in viability was not observed. Bioinformatic analysis of proteomic data revealed that in Nrf2- cells, proteins involved in detoxification processes, respiratory electron transport chain and mitochondrial-related compartment were down regulated. Furthermore, proteins related to MAPKs, JNK and FOXO pathways were up regulated that possibly helped to overcome the detrimental effect of excessive ROS production.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed MAPKs, JNK and FOXO pathways connections in reducing the deleterious effect of Nrf2 deficiency, which can be considered in cancer therapy.

Keywords:  MAPK pathway; Mitochondria; Nrf2; Proteomics

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10055-y