bims-camemi Biomed News
on Mitochondrial metabolism in cancer
Issue of 2022–05–08
fifty-one papers selected by
Christian Frezza, , University of Cambridge, MRC Cancer Unit
  1. Glycine decarboxylase maintains mitochondrial protein lipoylation to support tumor growth.
  2. ISL2 is a putative tumor suppressor whose epigenetic silencing reprograms the metabolism of pancreatic cancer.
  3. Combinatorial GxGxE CRISPR screen identifies SLC25A39 in mitochondrial glutathione transport linking iron homeostasis to OXPHOS.
  4. Mitochondrial calcium uptake regulates tumour progression in embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
  5. HAX1-dependent control of mitochondrial proteostasis governs neutrophil granulocyte differentiation.
  6. Targeting BCAT1 combined with α-ketoglutarate triggers metabolic synthetic lethality in glioblastoma.
  7. Hyperpolarized [5-13C,4,4-2H2,5-15N]-L-glutamine provides a means of annotating in vivo metabolic utilization of glutamine.
  8. Coping with starvation: Cysteine keeps mTORC1 suppressed to ensure survival.
  9. Optimized protocol for stable isotope tracing and steady-state metabolomics in mouse HER2+ breast cancer brain metastasis.
  10. Lineage tracing reveals the phylodynamics, plasticity, and paths of tumor evolution.
  11. Regulation of mitochondrial network homeostasis by O-GlcNAcylation.
  12. Functional deficiency of succinate dehydrogenase promotes tumorigenesis and development of clear cell renal cell carcinoma through weakening of ferroptosis.
  13. Krebs takes a turn at cell differentiation.
  14. Trans-omics analysis of insulin action reveals a cell growth subnetwork which co-regulates anabolic processes.
  15. Pantothenate kinase 2 interacts with PINK1 to regulate mitochondrial quality control via acetyl-CoA metabolism.
  16. The sex-specific role of sensory neuron LKB1 on metabolic stress-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and mitochondrial respiration.
  17. Glycolysis-derived L-serine levels versus PHGDH expression in Alzheimer's disease.
  18. Novel roles of RTN4 and CLIMP-63 in regulating mitochondrial structure, bioenergetics and apoptosis.
  19. Is thermogenesis really needed for brown adipose tissue-mediated metabolic benefit?
  20. Letting go of damaged mitochondria.
  21. A FAsT contribution: Adipocytes rewire their metabolism to acquire immune functions.
  22. A reversible mitochondrial complex I thiol switch mediates hypoxic avoidance behavior in C. elegans.
  23. Protein kinase Cλ/ι in cancer: a contextual balance of time and signals.
  24. Focus on Molecular Functions of Anti-Aging Deacetylase SIRT3.
  25. Mitochondrial genome variations, mitochondrial-nuclear compatibility, and their association with metabolic diseases.
  26. The role of mitochondrial fission in cardiovascular health and disease.
  27. CDC7-independent G1/S transition revealed by targeted protein degradation.
  28. An integrated toolbox to profile macrophage immunometabolism.
  29. PHGDH expression increases with progression of Alzheimer's disease pathology and symptoms.
  30. Transient absorption spectroscopy and imaging of redox in muscle mitochondria.
  31. The Mettl3 epitranscriptomic writer amplifies p53 stress responses.
  32. Glutaminase inhibition impairs CD8 T cell activation in STK11-/Lkb1-deficient lung cancer.
  33. Stress Responses Elicited by Misfolded Proteins Targeted to Mitochondria.
  34. Molecular Mechanisms of Iron and Heme Metabolism.
  35. Network representation and analysis of energy coupling mechanisms in cellular metabolism by a graph-theoretical approach.
  36. IFNγ Regulates NAD+ Metabolism to Promote the Respiratory Burst in Human Monocytes.
  37. Regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD)-mediated reprograming of lipid metabolism in cancer.
  38. Dynamic O-GlcNAcylation coordinates ferritinophagy and mitophagy to activate ferroptosis.
  39. SAMS-1 coordinates HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA activities through histone methylation to mediate dietary restriction-induced autophagy and longevity.
  40. Atg6 promotes organismal health by suppression of cell stress and inflammation.
  41. No Back-up Plan: Loss of Isozyme Diversity as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer.
  42. Cytochrome C interacts with the pathogenic mutational hotspot region of TRPV4 and forms complexes that differ in mutation and metal ion-sensitive manner.
  43. Regulation of Kidney Mitochondrial Function by Caloric Restriction.
  44. Mre11-Rad50 oligomerization promotes DNA double-strand break repair.
  45. Adiponectin receptors sustain haematopoietic stem cells throughout adulthood by protecting them from inflammation.
  46. STING controls energy stress-induced autophagy and energy metabolism via STX17.
  47. Cholesterol determines the cytosolic entry and seeded aggregation of tau.
  48. Evidence for reduced BRCA2 functional activity in Homo sapiens after divergence from the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor.
  49. Circadian alignment of early onset caloric restriction promotes longevity in male C57BL/6J mice.
  50. Metabolism Connects Body, Brain, and Behavior.
  51. The origins of cancer cell dormancy.
  1. Cell Metab. 2022 May 03. pii: S1550-4131(22)00133-4. [Epub ahead of print]34(5): 775-782.e9
    Glycine decarboxylase maintains mitochondrial protein lipoylation to support tumor growth.
    Dzmitry Mukha, Mariam Fokra, Alona Feldman, Boris Sarvin, Nikita Sarvin, Keren Nevo-Dinur, Elazar Besser, Elior Hallo, Elina Aizenshtein, Zachary T Schug, Tomer Shlomi.
      The folic acid cycle mediates the transfer of one-carbon (1C) units to support nucleotide biosynthesis. While the importance of serine as a mitochondrial and cytosolic donor of folate-mediated 1C units in cancer cells has been thoroughly investigated, a potential role of glycine oxidation remains unclear. We developed an approach for quantifying mitochondrial glycine cleavage system (GCS) flux by combining stable and radioactive isotope tracing with computational flux decomposition. We find high GCS flux in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), supporting nucleotide biosynthesis. Surprisingly, other than supplying 1C units, we found that GCS is important for maintaining protein lipoylation and mitochondrial activity. Genetic silencing of glycine decarboxylase inhibits the lipoylation and activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase and impairs tumor growth, suggesting a novel drug target for HCC. Considering the physiological role of liver glycine cleavage, our results support the notion that tissue of origin plays an important role in tumor-specific metabolic rewiring.
    Keywords:  GCS; GLDC; PDH; glycine cleavage system; glycine decarboxylase; hepatocellular carcinoma; one-carbon metabolism; protein P; protein lipoylation; pyruvate dehydrogenase
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.006
  2. Dev Cell. 2022 Apr 22. pii: S1534-5807(22)00254-4. [Epub ahead of print]
    ISL2 is a putative tumor suppressor whose epigenetic silencing reprograms the metabolism of pancreatic cancer.
    Harun Ozturk, Harun Cingoz, Turan Tufan, Jiekun Yang, Sara J Adair, Krishna Seshu Tummala, Cem Kuscu, Meric Kinali, Gamze Comertpay, Sarbajeet Nagdas, Bernadette J Goudreau, Husnu Umit Luleyap, Yagmur Bingul, Timothy B Ware, Wiliam L Hwang, Ku-Lung Hsu, David F Kashatus, David T Ting, Navdeep S Chandel, Nabeel Bardeesy, Todd W Bauer, Mazhar Adli.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells reprogram their transcriptional and metabolic programs to survive the nutrient-poor tumor microenvironment. Through in vivo CRISPR screening, we discovered islet-2 (ISL2) as a candidate tumor suppressor that modulates aggressive PDA growth. Notably, ISL2, a nuclear and chromatin-associated transcription factor, is epigenetically silenced in PDA tumors and high promoter DNA methylation or its reduced expression correlates with poor patient survival. The exogenous ISL2 expression or CRISPR-mediated upregulation of the endogenous loci reduces cell proliferation. Mechanistically, ISL2 regulates the expression of metabolic genes, and its depletion increases oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). As such, ISL2-depleted human PDA cells are sensitive to the inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I in vitro and in vivo. Spatial transcriptomic analysis shows heterogeneous intratumoral ISL2 expression, which correlates with the expression of critical metabolic genes. These findings nominate ISL2 as a putative tumor suppressor whose inactivation leads to increased mitochondrial metabolism that may be exploitable therapeutically.
    Keywords:  CRISPR; ISL2; pancreatic cancer; tumor suppressor
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.014
  3. Nat Commun. 2022 May 05. 13(1): 2483
    Combinatorial GxGxE CRISPR screen identifies SLC25A39 in mitochondrial glutathione transport linking iron homeostasis to OXPHOS.
    Xiaojian Shi, Bryn Reinstadler, Hardik Shah, Tsz-Leung To, Katie Byrne, Luanna Summer, Sarah E Calvo, Olga Goldberger, John G Doench, Vamsi K Mootha, Hongying Shen.
      The SLC25 carrier family consists of 53 transporters that shuttle nutrients and co-factors across mitochondrial membranes. The family is highly redundant and their transport activities coupled to metabolic state. Here, we use a pooled, dual CRISPR screening strategy that knocks out pairs of transporters in four metabolic states - glucose, galactose, OXPHOS inhibition, and absence of pyruvate - designed to unmask the inter-dependence of these genes. In total, we screen 63 genes in four metabolic states, corresponding to 2016 single and pair-wise genetic perturbations. We recover 19 gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions and 9 gene-by-gene (GxG) interactions. One GxE interaction hit illustrates that the fitness defect in the mitochondrial folate carrier (SLC25A32) KO cells is genetically buffered in galactose due to a lack of substrate in de novo purine biosynthesis. GxG analysis highlights a buffering interaction between the iron transporter SLC25A37 (A37) and the poorly characterized SLC25A39 (A39). Mitochondrial metabolite profiling, organelle transport assays, and structure-guided mutagenesis identify A39 as critical for mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) import. Functional studies reveal that A39-mediated glutathione homeostasis and A37-mediated mitochondrial iron uptake operate jointly to support mitochondrial OXPHOS. Our work underscores the value of studying family-wide genetic interactions across different metabolic environments.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30126-9
  4. Cell Death Dis. 2022 Apr 30. 13(4): 419
    Mitochondrial calcium uptake regulates tumour progression in embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
    Hsin Yao Chiu, Amos Hong Pheng Loh, Reshma Taneja.
      Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) is characterised by a failure of cells to complete skeletal muscle differentiation. Although ERMS cells are vulnerable to oxidative stress, the relevance of mitochondrial calcium homoeostasis in oncogenesis is unclear. Here, we show that ERMS cell lines as well as primary tumours exhibit elevated expression of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). MCU knockdown resulted in impaired mitochondrial calcium uptake and a reduction in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) levels. Phenotypically, MCU knockdown cells exhibited reduced cellular proliferation and motility, with an increased propensity to differentiate in vitro and in vivo. RNA-sequencing of MCU knockdown cells revealed a significant reduction in genes involved in TGFβ signalling that play prominent roles in oncogenesis and inhibition of myogenic differentiation. Interestingly, modulation of mROS production impacted TGFβ signalling. Our study elucidates mechanisms by which mitochondrial calcium dysregulation promotes tumour progression and suggests that targeting the MCU complex to restore mitochondrial calcium homoeostasis could be a therapeutic avenue in ERMS.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-022-04835-4
  5. J Clin Invest. 2022 May 02. pii: e153153. [Epub ahead of print]132(9):
    HAX1-dependent control of mitochondrial proteostasis governs neutrophil granulocyte differentiation.
    Yanxin Fan, Marta Murgia, Monika I Linder, Yoko Mizoguchi, Cong Wang, Marcin Łyszkiewicz, Natalia Ziȩtara, Yanshan Liu, Stephanie Frenz, Gabriela Sciuccati, Armando Partida-Gaytan, Zahra Alizadeh, Nima Rezaei, Peter Rehling, Sven Dennerlein, Matthias Mann, Christoph Klein.
      The relevance of molecular mechanisms governing mitochondrial proteostasis to the differentiation and function of hematopoietic and immune cells is largely elusive. Through dissection of the network of proteins related to HCLS1-associated protein X-1, we defined a potentially novel functional CLPB/HAX1/(PRKD2)/HSP27 axis with critical importance for the differentiation of neutrophil granulocytes and, thus, elucidated molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying congenital neutropenia in patients with HAX1 deficiency as well as bi- and monoallelic mutations in CLPB. As shown by stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) proteomics, CLPB and HAX1 control the balance of mitochondrial protein synthesis and persistence crucial for proper mitochondrial function. Impaired mitochondrial protein dynamics are associated with decreased abundance of the serine-threonine kinase PRKD2 and HSP27 phosphorylated on serines 78 and 82. Cellular defects in HAX1-/- cells can be functionally reconstituted by HSP27. Thus, mitochondrial proteostasis emerges as a critical molecular and metabolic mechanism governing the differentiation and function of neutrophil granulocytes.
    Keywords:  Cell Biology; Immunology; Mitochondria; Neutrophils
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI153153
  6. Cancer Res. 2022 May 02. pii: canres.3868.2021. [Epub ahead of print]
    Targeting BCAT1 combined with α-ketoglutarate triggers metabolic synthetic lethality in glioblastoma.
    Bo Zhang, Hui Peng, Mi Zhou, Lei Bao, Chenliang Wang, Feng Cai, Hongxia Zhang, Jennifer E Wang, Yanling Niu, Yan Chen, Yijie Wang, Kimmo Hatanpaa, John A Copland, Ralph J DeBerardinis, Yingfei Wang, Weibo Luo.
      Branched-chain amino acid transaminase 1 (BCAT1) is upregulated selectively in human isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype (WT) but not mutant glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and promotes IDHWT GBM growth. Through a metabolic synthetic lethal screen, we report here that α-ketoglutarate (AKG) kills IDHWT GBM cells when BCAT1 protein is lost, which is reversed by re-expression of BCAT1 or supplementation with branched-chain α-ketoacids (BCKAs), downstream metabolic products of BCAT1. In patient-derived IDHWT GBM tumors in vitro and in vivo, co-treatment of BCAT1 inhibitor gabapentin and AKG resulted in synthetic lethality. However, AKG failed to evoke a synthetic lethal effect with loss of BCAT2, BCKDHA, or GPT2 in IDHWT GBM cells. Mechanistically, loss of BCAT1 increased the NAD+/NADH ratio but impaired oxidative phosphorylation, mTORC1 activity, and nucleotide biosynthesis. These metabolic alterations were synergistically augmented by AKG treatment, thereby causing mitochondrial dysfunction and depletion of cellular building blocks, including ATP, nucleotides, and proteins. Partial restoration of ATP, nucleotides, proteins, and mTORC1 activity by BCKA supplementation prevented IDHWT GBM cell death conferred by the combination of BCAT1 loss and AKG. These findings define a targetable metabolic vulnerability in the most common subset of GBM that is currently incurable.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-3868
  7. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 May 10. 119(19): e2120595119
    Hyperpolarized [5-13C,4,4-2H2,5-15N]-L-glutamine provides a means of annotating in vivo metabolic utilization of glutamine.
    Roozbeh Eskandari, Nathaniel Kim, Arsen Mamakhanyan, Michelle Saoi, Guannan Zhang, Marjan Berisaj, Kristin L Granlund, Alex J Poot, Justin Cross, Craig B Thompson, Kayvan R Keshari.
      SignificanceGlutamine is the most abundant amino acid in human plasma, although it is challenging to determine glutamine's metabolic fate noninvasively. In this work, we utilize established chemical methods to develop a platform for imaging glutamine metabolism using hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging. Using this strategy, we are able to spatially measure glutaminolysis in vivo as well as develop a biomarker for the inhibition of glutaminase. Combining this biomarker with isotope tracing metabolomics connects this inhibition to reduced glutamine contribution to the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This provides an approach for future imaging of glutamine metabolism in humans.
    Keywords:  cancer metabolism; magnetic resonance imaging; metabolic imaging; pancreatic cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2120595119
  8. Mol Cell. 2022 May 05. pii: S1097-2765(22)00375-6. [Epub ahead of print]82(9): 1613-1615
    Coping with starvation: Cysteine keeps mTORC1 suppressed to ensure survival.
    Dohun Kim, Gerta Hoxhaj.
      Jouandin et al. (2022) show that lysosomal-derived cysteine serves as a signal to promote the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and suppress TORC1 signaling for Drosophila to endure starvation periods.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2022.04.018
  9. STAR Protoc. 2022 Jun 17. 3(2): 101345
    Optimized protocol for stable isotope tracing and steady-state metabolomics in mouse HER2+ breast cancer brain metastasis.
    Pravat Kumar Parida, Mauricio Marquez-Palencia, Akash K Kaushik, Kangsan Kim, Vidhya Nair, Jessica Sudderth, Hieu Vu, Lauren Zacharias, Ralph DeBerardinis, Srinivas Malladi.
      Analyzing the metabolic dependencies of tumor cells is vital for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we describe a protocol for 13C-stable glucose and glutamine isotope tracing in mice HER2+ breast cancer brain metastatic lesions. We describe how to inject cancer cells intracardially to generate brain metastatic lesions in mice. We then detail how to perform 13C-stable isotope infusion in mice with established brain metastasis. Finally, we outline steps for sample collection, processing for metabolite extraction, and analyzing mass spectrometry data. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Parida et al. (2022).
    Keywords:  Cancer; Cell Biology; Cell culture; Mass Spectrometry; Metabolism; Metabolomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101345
  10. Cell. 2022 Apr 28. pii: S0092-8674(22)00462-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Lineage tracing reveals the phylodynamics, plasticity, and paths of tumor evolution.
    Dian Yang, Matthew G Jones, Santiago Naranjo, William M Rideout, Kyung Hoi Joseph Min, Raymond Ho, Wei Wu, Joseph M Replogle, Jennifer L Page, Jeffrey J Quinn, Felix Horns, Xiaojie Qiu, Michael Z Chen, William A Freed-Pastor, Christopher S McGinnis, David M Patterson, Zev J Gartner, Eric D Chow, Trever G Bivona, Michelle M Chan, Nir Yosef, Tyler Jacks, Jonathan S Weissman.
      Tumor evolution is driven by the progressive acquisition of genetic and epigenetic alterations that enable uncontrolled growth and expansion to neighboring and distal tissues. The study of phylogenetic relationships between cancer cells provides key insights into these processes. Here, we introduced an evolving lineage-tracing system with a single-cell RNA-seq readout into a mouse model of Kras;Trp53(KP)-driven lung adenocarcinoma and tracked tumor evolution from single-transformed cells to metastatic tumors at unprecedented resolution. We found that the loss of the initial, stable alveolar-type2-like state was accompanied by a transient increase in plasticity. This was followed by the adoption of distinct transcriptional programs that enable rapid expansion and, ultimately, clonal sweep of stable subclones capable of metastasizing. Finally, tumors develop through stereotypical evolutionary trajectories, and perturbing additional tumor suppressors accelerates progression by creating novel trajectories. Our study elucidates the hierarchical nature of tumor evolution and, more broadly, enables in-depth studies of tumor progression.
    Keywords:  fitness; genetically engineered mouse model; lineage tracing; lung cancer; phylogenetics; plasticity; single cell; transcriptome heterogeneity; tumor evolution
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.015
  11. Mitochondrion. 2022 May 02. pii: S1567-7249(22)00041-1. [Epub ahead of print]
    Regulation of mitochondrial network homeostasis by O-GlcNAcylation.
    Qiu Xue, Ru Yan, Shengtao Ji, Shu Yu.
      O-GlcNAcylation, a ubiquitous post-translational modification, rapidly modulates protein activity through the reversible addition and removal of O-GlcNAc groups from serine or threonine residues in target proteins, and is involved in multiple metabolic pathways. With the discovery of enzymes and substrates for O-GlcNAc cycling in mitochondria, mitochondrial O-GlcNAc modification and its regulatory role in mitochondrial function deserve extensive attention. Adaptive regulation of the O-GlcNAc cycling in response to energy perturbations is demonstrated to be important in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. Dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation in mitochondria has been associated with various mitochondrial dysfunctions, such as abnormal mitochondrial dynamics, reduced mitochondrial biosynthesis, disruption of the electron transport chain, oxidative stress and the calcium paradox, as well as activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways. Here, we outline the current understanding of O-GlcNAc modification in mitochondria and the key discovery of O-GlcNAcylation in regulating mitochondrial network homeostasis. This review will provide insights into targeting mitochondrial O-GlcNAcylation, as well as the mechanisms linking mitochondrial dysfunction and disease.
    Keywords:  Cellular bioenergetics; Metabolism; Mitochondrial homeostasis; Nutrient sensing; O-GlcNAcylation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mito.2022.04.007
  12. Bioengineered. 2022 Apr;13(4): 11187-11207
    Functional deficiency of succinate dehydrogenase promotes tumorigenesis and development of clear cell renal cell carcinoma through weakening of ferroptosis.
    Jing Yang, Yi Zhou, Yanchun Li, Wanye Hu, Chen Yuan, Shida Chen, Gaoqi Ye, Yuzhou Chen, Yunyi Wu, Jing Liu, Ying Wang, Jing Du, Xiangmin Tong.
      Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype of renal carcinomas, with high mortality and poor prognoses worldwide. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) consists of four nuclear-encoded subunits and it is the only complex involved in both the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Previous studies have shown decreased SDH activity in ccRCC. However, the role and underlying molecular mechanisms of SDH in ccRCC initiation and development remain unclear. In the present study, pan-cancer analysis of SDH gene expression was analyzed and the relationship between SDH gene expression and clinicopathological parameters was assessed using different databases. cBioPortal, UACLAN, and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) were subsequently utilized to analyze genetic alterations, methylation, and immune cell infiltration of SDH genes in ccRCC patients. We found SDHs were significantly downregulated in ccRCC tissues and correlated with ccRCC progression. Increased methylation and high SDH promoter mutation rates may be the cause of reduced expression of SDHs in ccRCC. Moreover, the interaction network showed that SDH genes were correlated with ferroptosis-related genes. We further demonstrated that SDH inhibition dampened oxidative phosphorylation, reduced ferroptotic events, and restored ferroptotic cell death, characterized by eliminated mitochondrial ROS levels, decreased cellular ROS and diminished peroxide accumulation. Collectively, this study provides new insights into the regulatory role of SDH in the carcinogenesis and progression of ccRCC, introducing a potential target for advanced antitumor therapy through ferroptosis.
    Keywords:  Succinate dehydrogenase; ferroptosis; oxidative phosphorylation; prognosis; renal cell carcinoma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2022.2062537
  13. Cell Metab. 2022 May 03. pii: S1550-4131(22)00132-2. [Epub ahead of print]34(5): 658-660
    Krebs takes a turn at cell differentiation.
    Stanisław Deja, Peter A Crawford, Shawn C Burgess.
      In a recent issue of Nature, Arnold et al. report that the partitioning of citrate away from the oxidative steps of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and into the citrate-malate shuttle is essential for mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation. Their findings highlight a crucial role for metabolic regulation in developmental biology.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.005
  14. iScience. 2022 May 20. 25(5): 104231
    Trans-omics analysis of insulin action reveals a cell growth subnetwork which co-regulates anabolic processes.
    Akira Terakawa, Yanhui Hu, Toshiya Kokaji, Katsuyuki Yugi, Keigo Morita, Satoshi Ohno, Yifei Pan, Yunfan Bai, Andrey A Parkhitko, Xiaochun Ni, John M Asara, Martha L Bulyk, Norbert Perrimon, Shinya Kuroda.
      Insulin signaling promotes anabolic metabolism to regulate cell growth through multi-omic interactions. To obtain a comprehensive view of the cellular responses to insulin, we constructed a trans-omic network of insulin action in Drosophila cells that involves the integration of multi-omic data sets. In this network, 14 transcription factors, including Myc, coordinately upregulate the gene expression of anabolic processes such as nucleotide synthesis, transcription, and translation, consistent with decreases in metabolites such as nucleotide triphosphates and proteinogenic amino acids required for transcription and translation. Next, as cell growth is required for cell proliferation and insulin can stimulate proliferation in a context-dependent manner, we integrated the trans-omic network with results from a CRISPR functional screen for cell proliferation. This analysis validates the role of a Myc-mediated subnetwork that coordinates the activation of genes involved in anabolic processes required for cell growth.
    Keywords:  In silico biology; Omics; Systems biology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104231
  15. Nat Commun. 2022 May 03. 13(1): 2412
    Pantothenate kinase 2 interacts with PINK1 to regulate mitochondrial quality control via acetyl-CoA metabolism.
    Yunpeng Huang, Zhihui Wan, Yinglu Tang, Junxuan Xu, Bretton Laboret, Sree Nallamothu, Chenyu Yang, Boxiang Liu, Rongze Olivia Lu, Bingwei Lu, Juan Feng, Jing Cao, Susan Hayflick, Zhihao Wu, Bing Zhou.
      Human neurodegenerative disorders often exhibit similar pathologies, suggesting a shared aetiology. Key pathological features of Parkinson's disease (PD) are also observed in other neurodegenerative diseases. Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN) is caused by mutations in the human PANK2 gene, which catalyzes the initial step of de novo CoA synthesis. Here, we show that fumble (fbl), the human PANK2 homolog in Drosophila, interacts with PINK1 genetically. fbl and PINK1 mutants display similar mitochondrial abnormalities, and overexpression of mitochondrial Fbl rescues PINK1 loss-of-function (LOF) defects. Dietary vitamin B5 derivatives effectively rescue CoA/acetyl-CoA levels and mitochondrial function, reversing the PINK1 deficiency phenotype. Mechanistically, Fbl regulates Ref(2)P (p62/SQSTM1 homolog) by acetylation to promote mitophagy, whereas PINK1 regulates fbl translation by anchoring mRNA molecules to the outer mitochondrial membrane. In conclusion, Fbl (or PANK2) acts downstream of PINK1, regulating CoA/acetyl-CoA metabolism to promote mitophagy, uncovering a potential therapeutic intervention strategy in PD treatment.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30178-x
  16. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2022 May 03.
    The sex-specific role of sensory neuron LKB1 on metabolic stress-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and mitochondrial respiration.
    Katherine Marie Garner, Michael D Burton.
      Pain disorders induce metabolic stress in peripheral sensory neurons by reducing mitochondrial output, shifting cellular metabolism, and altering energy use. These processes implicate neuronal metabolism as an avenue for creating novel therapeutics. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) mediates the cellular response to metabolic stress by inducing the AMPK pathway. The LKB1-AMPK pathway increases energy producing processes, including mitochondrial output. These processes inhibit pain by directly or indirectly restoring energetic balance within a cell. Although the LKB1-AMPK pathway has been linked to pain relief, it is not yet known which cell is responsible for this property, as well any direct ties to cellular metabolism. To elucidate this, we developed a genetic mouse model where LKB1 is selectively removed from Nav1.8-pain sensory neurons and metabolically stressed them by fasting for 24 hours. We found females, but not males, had neuron-specific, LKB1-dependent restoration of metabolic stress-induced mitochondrial metabolism. This was reflected in mechanical hypersensitivity, where the absence of LKB1 led to hypersensitivity in female, but not male, animals. This discrepancy suggests a sex- and cell-specific contribution to LKB1-depdendent fasting-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. While our data represent a potential role for LKB1 in anti-pain pathways in a metabolic-specific manner, more must be done to investigate these sex differences.
    Keywords:  LKB1; cell metabolism; fasting; mechanical hypersensitivity; sensory neuron
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00279.2021
  17. Cell Metab. 2022 May 03. pii: S1550-4131(22)00129-2. [Epub ahead of print]34(5): 654-655
    Glycolysis-derived L-serine levels versus PHGDH expression in Alzheimer's disease.
    Gilles Bonvento, Stéphane H R Oliet, Aude Panatier.
      Recent work from Bonvento and colleagues indicated that synaptic and memory deficits in early Alzheimer's disease (AD) are related to a shortage in L-serine production in astrocytes. Here, the authors, responding to correspondence from Chen and colleagues, discuss how this deficiency does not necessarily require a decrease in PHGDH expression and conclude that the primary event leading to lower serine production is more likely related to altered glycolytic flux in early AD than to PHGDH expression.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.002
  18. Cell Death Dis. 2022 May 04. 13(5): 436
    Novel roles of RTN4 and CLIMP-63 in regulating mitochondrial structure, bioenergetics and apoptosis.
    Rachel J Carter, Mateus Milani, Alison J Beckett, Shiyu Liu, Ian A Prior, Gerald M Cohen, Shankar Varadarajan.
      The recruitment of DRP1 to mitochondrial membranes prior to fission is facilitated by the wrapping of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes around the mitochondria. To investigate the complex interplay between the ER membranes and DRP1 in the context of mitochondrial structure and function, we downregulate two key ER shaping proteins, RTN4 and CLIMP-63, and demonstrate pronounced mitochondrial hyperfusion and reduced ER-mitochondria contacts, despite their differential regulation of ER architecture. Although mitochondrial recruitment of DRP1 is unaltered in cells lacking RTN4 or CLIMP-63, several aspects of mitochondrial function, such as mtDNA-encoded translation, respiratory capacity and apoptosis are significantly hampered. Further mechanistic studies reveal that CLIMP-63 is required for cristae remodeling (OPA1 proteolysis) and DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission, whereas both RTN4 and CLIMP-63 regulate the recruitment of BAX to ER and mitochondrial membranes to enable cytochrome c release and apoptosis, thereby performing novel and distinct roles in the regulation of mitochondrial structure and function.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-022-04869-8
  19. J Clin Invest. 2022 May 02. pii: e159296. [Epub ahead of print]132(9):
    Is thermogenesis really needed for brown adipose tissue-mediated metabolic benefit?
    Jin-Seon Yook, Shingo Kajimura.
      Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy in the form of heat and functions as a metabolic sink for lipids, glucose, and branched-chain amino acids. Enhanced BAT thermogenesis is thought to tightly couple with beneficial energy metabolism. However, in this issue of the JCI, Huang et al. report a mouse model in which BAT thermogenesis was impaired, yet systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis were improved, on a high-fat diet compared with what occurred in control mice. The authors showed that BAT-specific deletion of mitochondrial thioredoxin-2 (TRX2) impaired adaptive thermogenesis through elevated mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cytosolic efflux of mitochondrial DNA. On the other hand, TRX2 loss enhanced lipid uptake in the BAT and protected mice from obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance. This study provides a unique model in which BAT does not require thermogenesis per se to function as a lipid sink that leads to metabolic benefits in vivo.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI159296
  20. Sci Signal. 2022 May 03. 15(732): eabq7456
    Letting go of damaged mitochondria.
    Wei Wong.
      Thermogenesis requires that macrophages digest damaged mitochondria released by brown adipocytes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.abq7456
  21. Cell Metab. 2022 May 03. pii: S1550-4131(22)00134-6. [Epub ahead of print]34(5): 656-657
    A FAsT contribution: Adipocytes rewire their metabolism to acquire immune functions.
    Takumi Kobayashi, Dirk Brenner.
      Adipose tissue has been linked to inflammation and various physiological processes. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Caputa et al. describe that perinodal adipocytes adapt their metabolism to actively participate in an immune response against intracellular Listeria monocytogenes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.007
  22. Nat Commun. 2022 May 03. 13(1): 2403
    A reversible mitochondrial complex I thiol switch mediates hypoxic avoidance behavior in C. elegans.
    John O Onukwufor, M Arsalan Farooqi, Anežka Vodičková, Shon A Koren, Aksana Baldzizhar, Brandon J Berry, Gisela Beutner, George A Porter, Vsevolod Belousov, Alan Grossfield, Andrew P Wojtovich.
      C. elegans react to metabolic distress caused by mismatches in oxygen and energy status via distinct behavioral responses. At the molecular level, these responses are coordinated by under-characterized, redox-sensitive processes, thought to initiate in mitochondria. Complex I of the electron transport chain is a major site of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and is canonically associated with oxidative damage following hypoxic exposure. Here, we use a combination of optogenetics and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to exert spatiotemporal control over ROS production. We demonstrate a photo-locomotory remodeling of avoidance behavior by local ROS production due to the reversible oxidation of a single thiol on the complex I subunit NDUF-2.1. Reversible thiol oxidation at this site is necessary and sufficient for the behavioral response to hypoxia, does not respond to ROS produced at more distal sites, and protects against lethal hypoxic exposure. Molecular modeling suggests that oxidation at this thiol residue alters the ability for NDUF-2.1 to coordinate electron transfer to coenzyme Q by destabilizing the Q-binding pocket, causing decreased complex I activity. Overall, site-specific ROS production regulates behavioral responses and these findings provide a mechanistic target to suppress the detrimental effects of hypoxia.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30169-y
  23. Trends Cell Biol. 2022 Apr 29. pii: S0962-8924(22)00090-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    Protein kinase Cλ/ι in cancer: a contextual balance of time and signals.
    Jorge Moscat, Juan F Linares, Angeles Duran, Maria T Diaz-Meco.
      Nononcogenic cancer drivers often impinge on complex signals that create new addictions and vulnerabilities. Protein kinase Cλ/ι (PKCλ/ι) suppresses tumorigenesis by blocking metabolic pathways that regulate fuel oxidation and create building blocks for the epigenetic control of cell differentiation. Reduced levels of PKCλ/ι unleash these pathways to promote tumorigenesis, but the simultaneous activation of the STING-driven interferon cascade prevents tumor initiation by triggering immunosurveillance mechanisms. However, depending on the context of other signaling pathways, such as WNT/β-catenin or PKCζ, and timing, PKCλ/ι deletion can promote or inhibit tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss in detail the molecular and cellular underpinnings of PKCλ/ι functions in cancer with the perspective of the crosstalk between metabolism and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment.
    Keywords:  autophagy; cancer; interferon; metabolism; protein kinase C; tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2022.04.002
  24. Biochemistry (Mosc). 2022 Jan;87(1): 21-34
    Focus on Molecular Functions of Anti-Aging Deacetylase SIRT3.
    Jarmila Nahálková.
      SIRT3 is a protein lysine deacetylase with a prominent role in the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity, which is a vulnerable target in many diseases. Intriguingly, cellular aging is reversible just by SIRT3 overexpression, which raises many questions about the role of SIRT3 in the molecular anti-aging mechanisms. Therefore, functions of SIRT3 were analyzed through the interaction network of 407 substrates collected by data mining. Results of the pathway enrichment and gene function prediction confirmed functions in the primary metabolism and mitochondrial ATP production. However, it also suggested involvement in thermogenesis, brain-related neurodegenerative diseases Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's, Huntington's disease (HD), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The protein node prioritization analysis identified subunits of the complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) as the nodes with the main regulatory effect within the entire interaction network. Additional high-ranked nodes were succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB), complex II, and ATP5F1, complex V of MRC. The analysis supports existence of the NADH/NAD+ driven regulatory feedback loop between SIRT3, complex I (MRC), and acetyl-CoA synthetases, and existence of the nuclear substrates of SIRT3. Unexplored functions of SIRT3 substrates such as LMNA and LMNB; HIF-1a, p53, DNA-PK, and PARK7 are highlighted for further scientific advances. SIRT3 acts as a repressor of BACE1 through the SIRT3-LKB1-AMPK-CREB-PGC1A-PPARG-BACE1 (SIRT3-BACE1), which functions are fitted the best by the Circadian Clock pathway. It forms a new working hypothesis as the therapeutical target for AD treatment. Other important pathways linked to SIRT3 activity are highlighted for therapeutical interventions.
    Keywords:  NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase; SIRT3; age-related disease; aging; mitochondria; pathway enrichment analysis; protein interaction network; respiratory electron transport chain
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297922010035
  25. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2022 May 02.
    Mitochondrial genome variations, mitochondrial-nuclear compatibility, and their association with metabolic diseases.
    Agnieszka H Ludwig-Słomczyńska, Markus Rehm.
      Two genomes regulate the energy metabolism of eukaryotic cells: the nuclear genome, which codes for most cellular proteins, and the mitochondrial genome, which, together with the nuclear genome, coregulates cellular bioenergetics. Therefore, mitochondrial genome variations can affect, directly or indirectly, all energy-dependent cellular processes and shape the metabolic state of the organism. This review provides a current and up-to-date overview on how codependent these two genomes are, how they appear to have coevolved, and how variations within the mitochondrial genome might be associated with the manifestation of metabolic diseases. This review summarizes and structures results obtained from epidemiological studies that identified links between mitochondrial haplogroups and individual risks for developing obesity and diabetes. This is complemented by findings on the compatibility of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes and cellular bioenergetic fitness, which have been acquired from well-controlled studies in conplastic animal models. These elucidate, more mechanistically, how single-nucleotide variants can influence cellular metabolism and physiology. Overall, it seems that certain mitochondrial genome variations negatively affect mitochondrial-nuclear compatibility and are statistically linked with the onset of metabolic diseases, whereas, for others, greater uncertainty exists, and additional research into this exciting field is required.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23424
  26. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2022 May 06.
    The role of mitochondrial fission in cardiovascular health and disease.
    Justin M Quiles, Åsa B Gustafsson.
      Mitochondria are organelles involved in the regulation of various important cellular processes, ranging from ATP generation to immune activation. A healthy mitochondrial network is essential for cardiovascular function and adaptation to pathological stressors. Mitochondria undergo fission or fusion in response to various environmental cues, and these dynamic changes are vital for mitochondrial function and health. In particular, mitochondrial fission is closely coordinated with the cell cycle and is linked to changes in mitochondrial respiration and membrane permeability. Another key function of fission is the segregation of damaged mitochondrial components for degradation by mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). Mitochondrial fission is induced by the large GTPase dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) and is subject to sophisticated regulation. Activation requires various post-translational modifications of DRP1, actin polymerization and the involvement of other organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. A decrease in mitochondrial fusion can also shift the balance towards mitochondrial fission. Although mitochondrial fission is necessary for cellular homeostasis, this process is often aberrantly activated in cardiovascular disease. Indeed, strong evidence exists that abnormal mitochondrial fission directly contributes to disease development. In this Review, we compare the physiological and pathophysiological roles of mitochondrial fission and discuss the therapeutic potential of preventing excessive mitochondrial fission in the heart and vasculature.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-022-00703-y
  27. Nature. 2022 May 04.
    CDC7-independent G1/S transition revealed by targeted protein degradation.
    Jan M Suski, Nalin Ratnayeke, Marcin Braun, Tian Zhang, Vladislav Strmiska, Wojciech Michowski, Geylani Can, Antoine Simoneau, Konrad Snioch, Mikolaj Cup, Caitlin M Sullivan, Xiaoji Wu, Joanna Nowacka, Timothy B Branigan, Lindsey R Pack, James A DeCaprio, Yan Geng, Lee Zou, Steven P Gygi, Johannes C Walter, Tobias Meyer, Piotr Sicinski.
      The entry of mammalian cells into the DNA synthesis phase (S phase) represents a key event in cell division1. According to current models of the cell cycle, the kinase CDC7 constitutes an essential and rate-limiting trigger of DNA replication, acting together with the cyclin-dependent kinase CDK2. Here we show that CDC7 is dispensable for cell division of many different cell types, as determined using chemical genetic systems that enable acute shutdown of CDC7 in cultured cells and in live mice. We demonstrate that another cell cycle kinase, CDK1, is also active during G1/S transition both in cycling cells and in cells exiting quiescence. We show that CDC7 and CDK1 perform functionally redundant roles during G1/S transition, and at least one of these kinases must be present to allow S-phase entry. These observations revise our understanding of cell cycle progression by demonstrating that CDK1 physiologically regulates two distinct transitions during cell division cycle, whereas CDC7 has a redundant function in DNA replication.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04698-x
  28. Cell Rep Methods. 2022 Apr 25. 2(4): 100192
    An integrated toolbox to profile macrophage immunometabolism.
    Sanne G S Verberk, Kyra E de Goede, Friederike S Gorki, Xanthe A M H van Dierendonck, Rafael J Argüello, Jan Van den Bossche.
      Macrophages are dynamic immune cells that can adopt several activation states. Fundamental to these functional activation states is the regulation of cellular metabolic processes. Especially in mice, metabolic alterations underlying pro-inflammatory or homeostatic phenotypes have been assessed using various techniques. However, researchers new to the field may encounter ambiguity in choosing which combination of techniques is best suited to profile immunometabolism. To address this need, we have developed a toolbox to assess cellular metabolism in a semi-high-throughput 96-well-plate-based format. Application of the toolbox to activated mouse and human macrophages enables fast metabolic pre-screening and robust measurement of extracellular fluxes, mitochondrial mass and membrane potential, and glucose and lipid uptake. Moreover, we propose an application of SCENITH technology for ex vivo metabolic profiling. We validate established activation-induced metabolic rewiring in mouse macrophages and report new insights into human macrophage metabolism. By thoroughly discussing each technique, we hope to guide readers with practical workflows for investigating immunometabolism.
    Keywords:  immunometabolism; macrophages; metabolism; semi-high throughput screening; toolbox
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100192
  29. Cell Metab. 2022 May 03. pii: S1550-4131(22)00052-3. [Epub ahead of print]34(5): 651-653
    PHGDH expression increases with progression of Alzheimer's disease pathology and symptoms.
    Xu Chen, Riccardo Calandrelli, John Girardini, Zhangming Yan, Zhiqun Tan, Xiangmin Xu, Annie Hiniker, Sheng Zhong.
      Chen et al. reveal an increase of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) mRNA and protein levels in two mouse models and four human cohorts in Alzheimer's disease brains compared to age- and sex-matched control brains. The increase of PHGDH expression in human brain correlates with symptomatic development and disease pathology.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.02.008
  30. Biomed Opt Express. 2022 Apr 01. 13(4): 2103-2116
    Transient absorption spectroscopy and imaging of redox in muscle mitochondria.
    Erkang Wang, Luke A Whitcomb, Adam J Chicco, Jesse W Wilson.
      Mitochondrial redox is an important indicator of cell metabolism and health, with implications in cancer, diabetes, aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and mitochondrial disease. The most common method to observe redox of individual cells and mitochondria is through fluorescence of NADH and FAD+, endogenous cofactors serve as electron transport inputs to the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Yet this leaves out redox within the respiratory chain itself. To a degree, the missing information can be filled in by exogenous fluorophores, but at the risk of disturbed mitochondrial permeability and respiration. Here we show that variations in respiratory chain redox can be detected up by visible-wavelength transient absorption microscopy (TAM). In TAM, the selection of pump and probe wavelengths can provide multiphoton imaging contrast between non-fluorescent molecules. Here, we applied TAM with a pump at 520nm and probe at 450nm, 490nm, and 620nm to elicit redox contrast from mitochondrial respiratory chain hemeproteins. Experiments were performed with reduced and oxidized preparations of isolated mitochondria and whole muscle fibers, using mitochondrial fuels (malate, pyruvate, and succinate) to set up physiologically relevant oxidation levels. TAM images of muscle fibers were analyzed with multivariate curve resolution (MCR), revealing that the response at 620nm probe provides the best redox contrast and the most consistent response between whole cells and isolated mitochondria.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.452559
  31. Mol Cell. 2022 Apr 27. pii: S1097-2765(22)00321-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    The Mettl3 epitranscriptomic writer amplifies p53 stress responses.
    Nitin Raj, Mengxiong Wang, Jose A Seoane, Richard L Zhao, Alyssa M Kaiser, Nancie A Moonie, Janos Demeter, Anthony M Boutelle, Craig H Kerr, Abigail S Mulligan, Clare Moffatt, Shelya X Zeng, Hua Lu, Maria Barna, Christina Curtis, Howard Y Chang, Peter K Jackson, Laura D Attardi.
      The p53 transcription factor drives anti-proliferative gene expression programs in response to diverse stressors, including DNA damage and oncogenic signaling. Here, we seek to uncover new mechanisms through which p53 regulates gene expression using tandem affinity purification/mass spectrometry to identify p53-interacting proteins. This approach identified METTL3, an m6A RNA-methyltransferase complex (MTC) constituent, as a p53 interactor. We find that METTL3 promotes p53 protein stabilization and target gene expression in response to DNA damage and oncogenic signals, by both catalytic activity-dependent and independent mechanisms. METTL3 also enhances p53 tumor suppressor activity in in vivo mouse cancer models and human cancer cells. Notably, METTL3 only promotes tumor suppression in the context of intact p53. Analysis of human cancer genome data further supports the notion that the MTC reinforces p53 function in human cancer. Together, these studies reveal a fundamental role for METTL3 in amplifying p53 signaling in response to cellular stress.
    Keywords:  DNA damage; METTL14; METTL3; N(6)-methyladenosine (m6A) modification; epitranscriptomics; lung cancer; mass spectrometry; methyltransferase complex; p53; tumor suppressor
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2022.04.010
  32. Cell Metab. 2022 Apr 23. pii: S1550-4131(22)00130-9. [Epub ahead of print]
    Glutaminase inhibition impairs CD8 T cell activation in STK11-/Lkb1-deficient lung cancer.
    Sarah A Best, Patrick M Gubser, Shalini Sethumadhavan, Ariena Kersbergen, Yashira L Negrón Abril, Joshua Goldford, Katherine Sellers, Waruni Abeysekera, Alexandra L Garnham, Jackson A McDonald, Clare E Weeden, Dovile Anderson, David Pirman, Thomas P Roddy, Darren J Creek, Axel Kallies, Gillian Kingsbury, Kate D Sutherland.
      The tumor microenvironment (TME) contains a rich source of nutrients that sustains cell growth and facilitate tumor development. Glucose and glutamine in the TME are essential for the development and activation of effector T cells that exert antitumor function. Immunotherapy unleashes T cell antitumor function, and although many solid tumors respond well, a significant proportion of patients do not benefit. In patients with KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma, KEAP1 and STK11/Lkb1 co-mutations are associated with impaired response to immunotherapy. To investigate the metabolic and immune microenvironment of KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma, we generated murine models that reflect the KEAP1 and STK11/Lkb1 mutational landscape in these patients. Here, we show increased glutamate abundance in the Lkb1-deficient TME associated with CD8 T cell activation in response to anti-PD1. Combination treatment with the glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 inhibited clonal expansion and activation of CD8 T cells. Thus, glutaminase inhibition negatively impacts CD8 T cells activated by anti-PD1 immunotherapy.
    Keywords:  KEAP1; KRAS; STK11/Lkb1; glutaminase; glutamine; immune microenvironment; immunotherapy; lung adenocarcinoma; metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.003
  33. J Mol Biol. 2022 Apr 29. pii: S0022-2836(22)00198-X. [Epub ahead of print] 167618
    Stress Responses Elicited by Misfolded Proteins Targeted to Mitochondria.
    Kannan Boosi Narayana Rao, Pratima Pandey, Rajasri Sarkar, Asmita Ghosh, Shemin Mansuri, Mudassar Ali, Priyanka Majumder, K Ranjith Kumar, Arjun Ray, Swasti Raychaudhuri, Koyeli Mapa.
      The double-membrane-bound architecture of mitochondria, essential for ATP production, sub-divides the organelle into inter-membrane space (IMS) and matrix. IMS and matrix possess contrasting oxido-reductive environments and discrete protein quality control (PQC) machineries resulting inherent differences in their protein folding environments. To understand the nature of stress response elicited by equivalent proteotoxic stress to these sub-mitochondrial compartments, we took misfolding and aggregation-prone stressor proteins and fused it to well described signal sequences to specifically target and impart stress to yeast mitochondrial IMS or matrix. We show, mitochondrial proteotoxicity leads to growth arrest of yeast cells of varying degrees depending on nature of stressor proteins and the intra-mitochondrial location of stress. Next, by employing transcriptomics and proteomics, we report a comprehensive stress response elicited by stressor proteins specifically targeted to mitochondrial matrix or IMS. A general response to proteotoxic stress by mitochondria-targeted misfolded proteins is mitochondrial fragmentation, and an adaptive abrogation of mitochondrial respiration with concomitant upregulation of glycolysis. Beyond shared stress responses, specific signatures due to stress within mitochondrial sub-compartments are also revealed. We report that stress-imparted by bipartite signal sequence-fused stressor proteins to IMS, leads to specific upregulation of IMS-chaperones and TOM complex components. In contrast, matrix-targeted stressors lead to specific upregulation of matrix-chaperones and cytosolic PQC components. Finally, by systematic genetic interaction using deletion strains of differentially upregulated genes, we found prominent modulatory role of TOM complex components during IMS-stress response. In contrast, VMS1 markedly modulates the stress response originated from matrix.
    Keywords:  Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response; Molecular Chaperone; Protein misfolding; Proteostasis; Proteotoxic stress; Ribosome Quality Control; Stress Response; TOM complex; Vms1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167618
  34. Annu Rev Nutr. 2022 May 04.
    Molecular Mechanisms of Iron and Heme Metabolism.
    Sohini Dutt, Iqbal Hamza, Thomas Benedict Bartnikas.
      An abundant metal in the human body, iron is essential for key biological pathways including oxygen transport, DNA metabolism, and mitochondrial function. Most iron is bound to heme but it can also be incorporated into iron-sulfur clusters or bind directly to proteins. Iron's capacity to cycle between Fe2+ and Fe3+ contributes to its biological utility but also renders it toxic in excess. Heme is an iron-containing tetrapyrrole essential for diverse biological functions including gas transport and sensing, oxidative metabolism, and xenobiotic detoxification. Like iron, heme is essential yet toxic in excess. As such, both iron and heme homeostasis are tightly regulated. Here we discuss molecular and physiologic aspects of iron and heme metabolism. We focus on dietary absorption; cellular import; utilization; and export, recycling, and elimination, emphasizing studies published in recent years. We end with a discussion on current challenges and needs in the field of iron and heme biology. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Nutrition, Volume 42 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-062320-112625
  35. Theory Biosci. 2022 May 02.
    Network representation and analysis of energy coupling mechanisms in cellular metabolism by a graph-theoretical approach.
    Sunil Nath.
      Mechanisms coupling the chemical reactions of oxidation and ATP synthesis in cellular metabolism by the fundamental biological process of oxidative phosphorylation (OX PHOS) in mitochondria provide > 90% of the energy requirements in living organisms. Mathematical graph theory methods have been extensively used to characterize various metabolic, regulatory, and disease networks in biology. However, networks of energy coupling mechanisms in OX PHOS have not been represented and analyzed previously by these approaches. Here, the problem of biological energy coupling is translated into a graph-theoretical framework, and all possible coupling schemes between oxidation and ATP synthesis are represented as graphs connecting these processes by various intermediates or states. The problem is shown to be transformed into the hard problem of finding a Hamiltonian tour in the networks of possible constituent mechanisms, given the constraints of a cyclical nature of operation of enzymes and biological molecular machines. Accessible mathematical proofs of three theorems that guarantee sufficient conditions for the existence of a Hamiltonian cycle in simple graphs are provided. The results of the general theorems are applied to the set of possible coupling mechanisms in OX PHOS and shown to (1) unequivocally differentiate between the major theories and mechanisms of energy coupling, (2) greatly reduce the possibilities for detailed consideration, and (3) deduce the biologically selected mechanism using additional constraints from the cumulative experimental record. Finally, an algorithm is constructed to implement the graph-theoretical procedure. In summary, the enormous power and generality of mathematical theorems and approaches in graph theory are shown to help solve a fundamental problem in biology.
    Keywords:  ATP synthesis; Algorithms; Bioenergetics; Bondy–Chvátal theorem; Cell metabolism; Closure; Coupling mechanisms; Dirac’s theorem; Energy coupling; F O F 1-ATP synthase; Graph theory; Graphs; Hamiltonian cycles; Mathematical biology; Metabolic regulation and control; Mitchell’s chemiosmotic theory; Molecular motors; Nath’s torsional mechanism of energy transduction and ATP synthesis; Nath’s two-ion theory of energy coupling and ATP synthesis; Networks; Ore’s theorem; Oxidative phosphorylation (OX PHOS); Sufficient conditions for Hamiltonian circuits; Traveling Salesman Problem
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12064-022-00370-0
  36. Blood Adv. 2022 May 02. pii: bloodadvances.2021005776. [Epub ahead of print]
    IFNγ Regulates NAD+ Metabolism to Promote the Respiratory Burst in Human Monocytes.
    Katelyn J McCann, Stephen M Christensen, Devon H Colby, Peter J McGuire, Ian A Myles, Christa S Zerbe, Clifton L Dalgard, Gauthaman Sukumar, Warren J Leonard, Beth A McCormick, Steven M Holland.
      IFNγ is an essential and pleiotropic activator of human monocytes, but little is known about the changes in cellular metabolism required for IFNγ-induced activation. We sought to elucidate the mechanisms by which IFNγ reprograms monocyte metabolism to support its immunologic activities. We found that IFNγ increased oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in monocytes, indicative of reactive oxygen species generation by both mitochondria and NADPH oxidase. Transcriptional profiling revealed that this oxidative phenotype was driven by IFNγ-induced reprogramming of NAD+ metabolism, which is dependent on nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)-mediated NAD+ salvage to generate NADH and NADPH for oxidation by mitochondrial complex I and NADPH oxidase, respectively. Consistent with this pathway, monocytes from patients with gain-of-function mutations in STAT1 demonstrated higher than normal OCR. Whereas chemical or genetic disruption of mitochondrial complex I (rotenone treatment or Leigh Syndrome patient monocytes) or NADPH oxidase (DPI treatment or chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) patient monocytes) reduced OCR. Interestingly, inhibition of NAMPT in healthy monocytes completely abrogated the IFNγ-induced oxygen consumption, comparable to levels observed in CGD monocytes. These data identify an IFNγ-induced, NAMPT-dependent, NAD+ salvage pathway that is critical for IFNγ activation of human monocytes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2021005776
  37. Nat Commun. 2022 May 06. 13(1): 2493
    Regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD)-mediated reprograming of lipid metabolism in cancer.
    Aitor Almanza, Katarzyna Mnich, Arnaud Blomme, Claire M Robinson, Giovanny Rodriguez-Blanco, Sylwia Kierszniowska, Eoghan P McGrath, Matthieu Le Gallo, Eleftherios Pilalis, Johannes V Swinnen, Aristotelis Chatziioannou, Eric Chevet, Adrienne M Gorman, Afshin Samali.
      IRE1α is constitutively active in several cancers and can contribute to cancer progression. Activated IRE1α cleaves XBP1 mRNA, a key step in production of the transcription factor XBP1s. In addition, IRE1α cleaves select mRNAs through regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD). Accumulating evidence implicates IRE1α in the regulation of lipid metabolism. However, the roles of XBP1s and RIDD in this process remain ill-defined. In this study, transcriptome and lipidome profiling of triple negative breast cancer cells subjected to pharmacological inhibition of IRE1α reveals changes in lipid metabolism genes associated with accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs). We identify DGAT2 mRNA, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in TAG biosynthesis, as a RIDD target. Inhibition of IRE1α, leads to DGAT2-dependent accumulation of TAGs in lipid droplets and sensitizes cells to nutritional stress, which is rescued by treatment with the DGAT2 inhibitor PF-06424439. Our results highlight the importance of IRE1α RIDD activity in reprograming cellular lipid metabolism.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30159-0
  38. Cell Discov. 2022 May 03. 8(1): 40
    Dynamic O-GlcNAcylation coordinates ferritinophagy and mitophagy to activate ferroptosis.
    Fan Yu, Qianping Zhang, Hanyu Liu, Jinming Liu, Song Yang, Xiaofan Luo, Wei Liu, Hao Zheng, Qiqi Liu, Yunxi Cui, Guo Chen, Yanjun Li, Xinglu Huang, Xiyun Yan, Jun Zhou, Quan Chen.
      Ferroptosis is a regulated iron-dependent cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxidation. A myriad of facets linking amino acid, lipid, redox, and iron metabolisms were found to drive or to suppress the execution of ferroptosis. However, how the cells decipher the diverse pro-ferroptotic stress to activate ferroptosis remains elusive. Here, we report that protein O-GlcNAcylation, the primary nutrient sensor of glucose flux, orchestrates both ferritinophagy and mitophagy for ferroptosis. Following the treatment of ferroptosis stimuli such as RSL3, a commonly used ferroptosis inducer, there exists a biphasic change of protein O-GlcNAcylation to modulate ferroptosis. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation promoted ferritinophagy, resulting in the accumulation of labile iron towards mitochondria. Inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation resulted in mitochondria fragmentation and enhanced mitophagy, providing an additional source of labile iron and rendering the cell more sensitive to ferroptosis. Mechanistically, we found that de-O-GlcNAcylation of the ferritin heavy chain at S179 promoted its interaction with NCOA4, the ferritinophagy receptor, thereby accumulating labile iron for ferroptosis. Our findings reveal a previously uncharacterized link of dynamic O-GlcNAcylation with iron metabolism and decision-making for ferroptosis, thus offering potential therapeutic intervention for fighting disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-022-00390-6
  39. Autophagy. 2022 May 03. 1-17
    SAMS-1 coordinates HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA activities through histone methylation to mediate dietary restriction-induced autophagy and longevity.
    Chiao-Yin Lim, Huan-Ting Lin, Caroline Kumsta, Tzu-Chiao Lu, Feng-Yung Wang, Yun-Hsuan Kang, Malene Hansen, Tsui-Ting Ching, Ao-Lin Hsu.
      Dietary restriction (DR) is known to promote autophagy to exert its longevity effect. While SAMS-1 (S-adenosyl methionine synthetase-1) has been shown to be a key mediator of the DR response, little is known about the roles of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) and SAM-dependent methyltransferase in autophagy and DR-induced longevity. In this study, we show that DR and SAMS-1 repress the activity of SET-2, a histone H3K4 methyltransferase, by limiting the availability of SAM. Consequently, the reduced H3K4me3 levels promote the expression and activity of two transcription factors, HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA, which both regulate the transcription of autophagy-related genes. We then find that HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA act collaboratively on their common target genes to mediate the transcriptional response of autophagy-related genes and consequently the lifespan of the animals. Our study thus shows that the SAMS-1-SET-2 axis serves as a nutrient-sensing module to epigenetically coordinate the activation of HLH-30/TFEB and PHA-4/FOXA transcription factors to control macroautophagy/autophagy and longevity in response to DR.
    Keywords:  Aging; Caenorhabditis. elegans; HLH-30/TFEB; PHA-4/FOXA; S-adenosyl methionine; SET-2 histone methyltransferase; dietary restriction; histone methylation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2022.2068267
  40. Cell Death Differ. 2022 May 06.
    Atg6 promotes organismal health by suppression of cell stress and inflammation.
    James L Shen, Johnna Doherty, Elizabeth Allen, Tina M Fortier, Eric H Baehrecke.
      Autophagy targets cytoplasmic materials for degradation, and influences cell health. Alterations in Atg6/Beclin-1, a key regulator of autophagy, are associated with multiple diseases. While the role of Atg6 in autophagy regulation is heavily studied, the role of Atg6 in organism health and disease progression remains poorly understood. Here, we discover that loss of Atg6 in Drosophila results in various alterations to stress, metabolic and immune signaling pathways. We find that the increased levels of circulating blood cells and tumor-like masses in atg6 mutants vary depending on tissue-specific function of Atg6, with contributions from intestine and hematopoietic cells. These phenotypes are suppressed by decreased function of macrophage and inflammatory response receptors crq and drpr. Thus, these findings provide a basis for understanding how Atg6 systemically regulates cell health within multiple organs, and highlight the importance of Atg6 in inflammation to organismal health.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41418-022-01014-y
  41. Cancer Res. 2022 May 03. 82(9): 1695-1697
    No Back-up Plan: Loss of Isozyme Diversity as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer.
    Abisola Z Kehinde, Seth J Parker.
      Metabolic rewiring in cancer cells supports many aspects of tumor growth. Understanding the mechanisms that result in metabolic rewiring, such as altered enzyme expression, is key to identifying therapeutic vulnerabilities that selectively target cancer cells. In this issue of Cancer Research, Marczyk and colleagues analyze matched tumor-normal enzyme expression across 14 different cancer types and report that cancer cells exhibit a general loss of isozyme diversity (LID) relative to corresponding normal tissue. The authors hypothesized that the presence of a cancer dominant isozyme may reduce metabolic plasticity and uniquely sensitize cancer cells to isozyme-specific inhibitors. Several LID targets were identified, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), which the authors validated using a clinically available inhibitor of ACC1/2. This study is the first to systematically evaluate isozymes affected by LID, which represents a promising strategy to target the unique metabolic demands of cancer. See related article by Marczyk et al., p. 1698.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-0855
  42. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2022 Apr 17. pii: S0006-291X(22)00595-2. [Epub ahead of print]611 172-178
    Cytochrome C interacts with the pathogenic mutational hotspot region of TRPV4 and forms complexes that differ in mutation and metal ion-sensitive manner.
    Rashmita Das, Ashutosh Kumar, Ritesh Dalai, Chandan Goswami.
      The importance of TRPV4 in physiology and disease has been reported by several groups. Recently we have reported that TRPV4 localizes in the mitochondria in different cellular systems, regulates mitochondrial metabolism and electron transport chain functions. Here, we show that TRPV4 colocalizes with Cytochrome C (Cyt C), both in resting as well as in activated conditions. Amino acid region 592-630 of TRPV4 (termed as Fr592-630) that also covers TM4-Loop-TM5 region (which is also a hotspot of several pathogenic mutations) interacts with Cyt C, in a Ca2+-sensitive manner. This interaction is also variable and sensitive to other divalent and trivalent cations (i.e., Cu2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Fe3+). Key residues of TRPV4 involved in these interactions remain conserved throughout the vertebrate evolution. Accordingly, this interaction is variable in the case of different pathogenic mutations (R616Q, F617L, L618P, V620I). Our data suggest that the TRPV4-Cyt C complex differs due to different mutations and is sensitive to the presence of different metal ions. We propose that TRPV4-Cyt C complex formation is important for physiological functions and relevant for TRPV4-induced channelopathies.
    Keywords:  Ca(2+); Channelopathy; Cytochrome C; Metabolism; Mitochondria
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.04.066
  43. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2022 May 02.
    Regulation of Kidney Mitochondrial Function by Caloric Restriction.
    Julian D C Serna, Andressa G Amaral, Camille C Caldeira da Silva, Ana Cláudia Munhoz, Eloisa Aparecida Vilas-Boas, Sergio L Menezes-Filho, Alicia J Kowaltowski.
      Caloric restriction (CR) prevents obesity and increases resilience against pathological stimuli in laboratory rodents. At the mitochondrial level, protection promoted by CR in the brain and liver is related to higher calcium uptake rates and capacities, avoiding Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition. Dietary restriction has also been shown to increase kidney resistance against damaging stimuli, but if these effects are related to similar mitochondrial adaptations has not been uncovered. Here, we characterized changes in mitochondrial function in response to six months CR in rats, measuring bioenergetic parameters, redox balance and calcium homeostasis. CR promoted an increase in succinate-supported mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates. While CR prevents mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production in many tissues, in kidney we found that mitochondrial H2O2 release was enhanced in a succinate-dependent manner. Surprisingly, and opposite to the effects observed in brain and liver, mitochondria from CR animals are more prone to Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition, in a manner reversed by antioxidant dithiothreitol. CR mitochondria also displayed higher calcium uptake rates, which were not accompanied by changes in calcium efflux rates, nor related to altered inner mitochondrial membrane potentials or amounts of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). Instead, increased mitochondrial calcium uptake rates in CR kidneys correlate with a loss of MICU2, an MCU modulator. Interestingly, MICU2 is also modulated by CR in liver, suggesting it has a broader diet-sensitive regulatory role controlling mitochondrial calcium homeostasis. Together, our results highlight the organ-specific bioenergetic, redox, and ionic transport effects of CR, with some unexpected deleterious effects in kidney.
    Keywords:  Calorie restriction; Mitochondria; Reactive oxygen species; calcium; kidney
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajprenal.00461.2021
  44. Nat Commun. 2022 May 02. 13(1): 2374
    Mre11-Rad50 oligomerization promotes DNA double-strand break repair.
    Vera M Kissling, Giordano Reginato, Eliana Bianco, Kristina Kasaciunaite, Janny Tilma, Gea Cereghetti, Natalie Schindler, Sung Sik Lee, Raphaël Guérois, Brian Luke, Ralf Seidel, Petr Cejka, Matthias Peter.
      The conserved Mre11-Rad50 complex is crucial for the detection, signaling, end tethering and processing of DNA double-strand breaks. While it is known that Mre11-Rad50 foci formation at DNA lesions accompanies repair, the underlying molecular assembly mechanisms and functional implications remained unclear. Combining pathway reconstitution in electron microscopy, biochemical assays and genetic studies, we show that S. cerevisiae Mre11-Rad50 with or without Xrs2 forms higher-order assemblies in solution and on DNA. Rad50 mediates such oligomerization, and mutations in a conserved Rad50 beta-sheet enhance or disrupt oligomerization. We demonstrate that Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 oligomerization facilitates foci formation, DNA damage signaling, repair, and telomere maintenance in vivo. Mre11-Rad50 oligomerization does not affect its exonuclease activity but drives endonucleolytic cleavage at multiple sites on the 5'-DNA strand near double-strand breaks. Interestingly, mutations in the human RAD50 beta-sheet are linked to hereditary cancer predisposition and our findings might provide insights into their potential role in chemoresistance.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29841-0
  45. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 May 05.
    Adiponectin receptors sustain haematopoietic stem cells throughout adulthood by protecting them from inflammation.
    Corbin E Meacham, Elise C Jeffery, Rebecca J Burgess, Charukesi D Sivakumar, Madison A Arora, Anne Marie Stanley, Emily M Colby, Genevieve M Crane, Zhiyu Zhao, Sean J Morrison.
      How are haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) protected from inflammation, which increases with age and can deplete HSCs? Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory factor that is not required for HSC function or haematopoiesis, promotes stem/progenitor cell proliferation after bacterial infection and myeloablation. Adiponectin binds two receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, which have ceramidase activity that increases upon adiponectin binding. Here we found that adiponectin receptors are non-cell-autonomously required in haematopoietic cells to promote HSC quiescence and self-renewal. Adiponectin receptor signalling suppresses inflammatory cytokine expression by myeloid cells and T cells, including interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor. Without adiponectin receptors, the levels of these factors increase, chronically activating HSCs, reducing their self-renewal potential and depleting them during ageing. Pathogen infection accelerates this loss of HSC self-renewal potential. Blocking interferon-γ or tumour necrosis factor signalling partially rescues these effects. Adiponectin receptors are thus required in immune cells to sustain HSC quiescence and to prevent premature HSC depletion by reducing inflammation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00909-9
  46. J Cell Biol. 2022 Jul 04. pii: e202202060. [Epub ahead of print]221(7):
    STING controls energy stress-induced autophagy and energy metabolism via STX17.
    Yueguang Rong, Shen Zhang, Nilay Nandi, Zhe Wu, Linsen Li, Yang Liu, Yuehan Wei, Yuan Zhao, Weigang Yuan, Chuchu Zhou, Guanghua Xiao, Beth Levine, Nan Yan, Shan Mou, Liufu Deng, Zaiming Tang, Xiaoxia Liu, Helmut Kramer, Qing Zhong.
      The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) plays a critical role in innate immunity. Emerging evidence suggests that STING is important for DNA or cGAMP-induced non-canonical autophagy, which is independent of a large part of canonical autophagy machineries. Here, we report that, in the absence of STING, energy stress-induced autophagy is upregulated rather than downregulated. Depletion of STING in Drosophila fat cells enhances basal- and starvation-induced autophagic flux. During acute exercise, STING knockout mice show increased autophagy flux, exercise endurance, and altered glucose metabolism. Mechanistically, these observations could be explained by the STING-STX17 interaction. STING physically interacts with STX17, a SNARE that is essential for autophagosome biogenesis and autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Energy crisis and TBK1-mediated phosphorylation both disrupt the STING-STX17 interaction, allow different pools of STX17 to translocate to phagophores and mature autophagosomes, and promote autophagic flux. Taken together, we demonstrate a heretofore unexpected function of STING in energy stress-induced autophagy through spatial regulation of autophagic SNARE STX17.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202202060
  47. Cell Rep. 2022 05 03. pii: S2211-1247(22)00540-X. [Epub ahead of print]39(5): 110776
    Cholesterol determines the cytosolic entry and seeded aggregation of tau.
    Benjamin J Tuck, Lauren V C Miller, Taxiarchis Katsinelos, Annabel E Smith, Emma L Wilson, Sophie Keeling, Shi Cheng, Marina J Vaysburd, Claire Knox, Lucy Tredgett, Emmanouil Metzakopian, Leo C James, William A McEwan.
      Assemblies of tau can transit between neurons, seeding aggregation in a prion-like manner. To accomplish this, tau must cross cell-limiting membranes, a process that is poorly understood. Here, we establish assays for the study of tau entry into the cytosol as a phenomenon distinct from uptake, in real time, and at physiological concentrations. The entry pathway of tau is cell type specific and, in neurons, highly sensitive to cholesterol. Depletion of the cholesterol transporter Niemann-Pick type C1 or extraction of membrane cholesterol renders neurons highly permissive to tau entry and potentiates seeding even at low levels of exogenous tau assemblies. Conversely, cholesterol supplementation reduces entry and almost completely blocks seeded aggregation. Our findings establish entry as a rate-limiting step to seeded aggregation and demonstrate that dysregulated cholesterol, a feature of several neurodegenerative diseases, potentiates tau aggregation by promoting entry of tau assemblies into the cell interior.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer’s disease; CP: Metabolism; CP: Neuroscience; Niemann-Pick disease; cholesterol; endocytosis; neurodegeneration; seeded aggregation; tau
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110776
  48. Cell Rep. 2022 05 03. pii: S2211-1247(22)00535-6. [Epub ahead of print]39(5): 110771
    Evidence for reduced BRCA2 functional activity in Homo sapiens after divergence from the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor.
    Jinlong Huang, Yi Zhong, Alvin P Makohon-Moore, Travis White, Maria Jasin, Mark A Norell, Ward C Wheeler, Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue.
      We performed a comparative analysis of human and 12 non-human primates to identify sequence variations in known cancer genes. We identified 395 human-specific fixed non-silent substitutions that emerged during evolution of human. Using bioinformatics analyses for functional consequences, we identified a number of substitutions that are predicted to alter protein function; one of these mutations is located at the most evolutionarily conserved domain of human BRCA2.
    Keywords:  BRCA2; CHLCA; CP: Cancer; DSS1; RAD51; cancer; chimpanzee; driver gene; fertility; human evolution; primate
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110771
  49. Science. 2022 May 05. e
    Circadian alignment of early onset caloric restriction promotes longevity in male C57BL/6J mice.
    Victoria Acosta-Rodríguez, Filipa Rijo-Ferreira, Mariko Izumo, Pin Xu, Mary Wight-Carter, Carla B Green, Joseph S Takahashi.
      Caloric restriction (CR) prolongs lifespan, yet the mechanisms by which it does so remain poorly understood. Under CR, mice self-impose chronic cycles of 2-hour-feeding and 22-hour-fasting, raising the question whether calories, fasting, or time of day are causal. We show that 30%-CR is sufficient to extend lifespan 10%; however, a daily fasting interval and circadian-alignment of feeding act together to extend lifespan 35% in male C57BL/6J mice. These effects are independent of body weight. Aging induces widespread increases in gene expression associated with inflammation and decreases in expression of genes encoding components of metabolic pathways in liver from ad lib fed mice. CR at night ameliorates these aging-related changes. Thus, circadian interventions promote longevity and provide a perspective to further explore mechanisms of aging.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0297
  50. Biol Psychiatry. 2022 May 15. pii: S0006-3223(22)01134-9. [Epub ahead of print]91(10): 854-855
    Metabolism Connects Body, Brain, and Behavior.
    Tamas L Horvath.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.03.015
  51. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2022 Apr 29. pii: S0959-437X(22)00023-5. [Epub ahead of print]74 101914
    The origins of cancer cell dormancy.
    Jorge Morales-Valencia, Gregory David.
      Cancer cell dormancy has emerged as an important nongenetic driver of drug resistance. Dormant cells are characterized by a reversible cell cycle exit. They represent a reservoir for eventual cancer relapse, and upon reactivation, can fuel metastatic disease. Although dormant cells were originally believed to emerge from a drug-resistant pre-existing cancer subpopulation, this notion has been recently challenged. Here, we review recent evidence indicating that dormancy represents an adaptive strategy employed by cancer cells to avoid the cytotoxic effects of antitumor therapy. Furthermore, we outline the molecular pathways engaged by cancer cells to enter dormancy upon drug exposure, with a focus on cellular senescence as a driver of dormancy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gde.2022.101914
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