bims-camemi Biomed News
on Mitochondrial metabolism in cancer
Issue of 2022–07–17
fifty-one papers selected by
Christian Frezza, Universität zu Köln
  1. Tumor cells dictate anti-tumor immune responses by altering pyruvate utilization and succinate signaling in CD8+ T cells.
  2. Metabolic requirement for GOT2 in pancreatic cancer depends on environmental context.
  3. Mitochondrial heterogeneity and homeostasis through the lens of a neuron.
  4. Physical Exercise and Tumor Energy Metabolism.
  5. Oxidized DNA fragments exit mitochondria via mPTP- and VDAC-dependent channels to activate NLRP3 inflammasome and interferon signaling.
  6. Tamoxifen modulates mitochondrial dynamics through AMPK and MAPK during nutrition deprivation.
  7. Decreasing pdzd8-mediated mito-ER contacts improves organismal fitness and mitigates Aβ42 toxicity.
  8. Altered Nutrient Uptake Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Senescent CD8+ EMRA T Cells During Type 2 Diabetes.
  9. Predicting cancer evolution for patient benefit: Renal cell carcinoma paradigm.
  10. Structure of the nutrient-sensing hub GATOR2.
  11. Differential Effects of 2-Deoxyglucose and Glucose Deprivation on 4-Hydroxynonenal Dependent Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Primary Neurons.
  12. Accelerated lysine metabolism conveys kidney protection in salt-sensitive hypertension.
  13. The Multifaceted Role of Nutrient Sensing and mTORC1 Signaling in Physiology and Aging.
  14. Calcium sparks enhance the tissue fluidity within epithelial layers and promote apical extrusion of transformed cells.
  15. Metastatic Metabolic Plasticity Is Shaped by RNA Methylation Modifications.
  16. 'Warburg effect' controls tumor growth, bacterial, viral infections and immunity - Genetic deconstruction and therapeutic perspectives.
  17. Metabolic analysis as a driver for discovery, diagnosis, and therapy.
  18. Targeting mitochondrial metabolism for precision medicine in cancer.
  19. Creatine riboside is a cancer cell-derived metabolite associated with arginine auxotrophy.
  20. How do thin people stay that way? More activity is not always the answer.
  21. Metabolic Messengers: endocannabinoids.
  22. Acetyl-CoA-Carboxylase 1-mediated de novo fatty acid synthesis sustains Lgr5+ intestinal stem cell function.
  23. NAD+ salvage governs mitochondrial metabolism invigorating NK cell anti-tumor immunity.
  24. Snail acetylation by autophagy-derived acetyl-coenzyme A promotes invasion and metastasis of KRAS-LKB1 co-mutated lung cancer cells.
  25. FoxA1 and FoxA2 control growth and cellular identity in NKX2-1-positive lung adenocarcinoma.
  26. Oncogenic BRAF induces whole-genome doubling through suppression of cytokinesis.
  27. GCN2 inhibition sensitizes arginine-deprived hepatocellular carcinoma cells to senolytic treatment.
  28. HRS phosphorylation drives immunosuppressive exosome secretion and restricts CD8+ T-cell infiltration into tumors.
  29. YAP induces an oncogenic transcriptional program through TET1-mediated epigenetic remodeling in liver growth and tumorigenesis.
  30. Targeting Tumour-Associated Fibroblasts in Cancers.
  31. Small RNAs derived from tRNA fragmentation regulate the functional maturation of neonatal β cells.
  32. Antagonistic effects of mitochondrial matrix and intermembrane space proteases on yeast aging.
  33. mTORC1 Crosstalk With Stress Granules in Aging and Age-Related Diseases.
  34. Systems modelling predicts chronic inflammation and genomic instability prevent effective mitochondrial regulation during biological ageing.
  35. Context-dependent regulation of ferroptosis sensitivity.
  36. Regulation of Heme Synthesis by Mitochondrial Homeostasis Proteins.
  37. Cell-autonomous Hedgehog signaling controls Th17 polarization and pathogenicity.
  38. A ROS-dependent mechanism promotes CDK2 phosphorylation to drive progression through S phase.
  39. Genetic variation associated with condensate dysregulation in disease.
  40. The HHIP-AS1 lncRNA promotes tumorigenicity through stabilization of dynein complex 1 in human SHH-driven tumors.
  41. Shackled ribosomes unleashed.
  42. Tools for mammalian glycoscience research.
  43. Cancer vaccines: Building a bridge over troubled waters.
  44. Proton export upregulates aerobic glycolysis.
  45. Persister cells that survive chemotherapy are pinpointed.
  46. Acetate and hypertonic stress stimulate vacuole membrane fission using distinct mechanisms.
  47. Historical perspective of tumor glycolysis: A century with Otto Warburg.
  48. Research Progress on the Mechanism of Itaconate Regulating Macrophage Immunometabolism.
  49. The landscape of metabolic brain alterations in Alzheimer's disease.
  50. Age-associated differences in the cancer molecular landscape.
  51. Retrograde movements determine effective stem cell numbers in the intestine.
  1. Cell Metab. 2022 Jul 07. pii: S1550-4131(22)00228-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Tumor cells dictate anti-tumor immune responses by altering pyruvate utilization and succinate signaling in CD8+ T cells.
    Ilaria Elia, Jared H Rowe, Sheila Johnson, Shakchhi Joshi, Giulia Notarangelo, Kiran Kurmi, Sarah Weiss, Gordon J Freeman, Arlene H Sharpe, Marcia C Haigis.
      The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a unique metabolic niche that can inhibit T cell metabolism and cytotoxicity. To dissect the metabolic interplay between tumors and T cells, we establish an in vitro system that recapitulates the metabolic niche of the TME and allows us to define cell-specific metabolism. We identify tumor-derived lactate as an inhibitor of CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity, revealing an unexpected metabolic shunt in the TCA cycle. Metabolically fit cytotoxic T cells shunt succinate out of the TCA cycle to promote autocrine signaling via the succinate receptor (SUCNR1). Cytotoxic T cells are reliant on pyruvate carboxylase (PC) to replenish TCA cycle intermediates. By contrast, lactate reduces PC-mediated anaplerosis. The inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) is sufficient to restore PC activity, succinate secretion, and the activation of SUCNR1. These studies identify PDH as a potential drug target to allow CD8+ T cells to retain cytotoxicity and overcome a lactate-enriched TME.
    Keywords:  T cells; cancer metabolism; lactate; pyruvate; succinate; tumor immunity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.06.008
  2. Elife. 2022 Jul 11. pii: e73245. [Epub ahead of print]11
    Metabolic requirement for GOT2 in pancreatic cancer depends on environmental context.
    Samuel Kerk, Lin Lin, Amy L Myers, Damien J Sutton, Anthony Andren, Peter Sajjakulnukit, Li Zhang, Yaqing Zhang, Jennifer A Jiménez, Barbara S Nelson, Brandon Chen, Anthony Robinson, Galloway Thurston, Samantha B Kemp, Nina G Steele, Megan T Hoffman, Hui-Ju Wen, Daniel Long, Sarah E Ackenhusen, Johanna Ramos, Xiaohua Gao, Zeribe C Nwosu, Stefanie Galban, Christopher J Halbrook, David B Lombard, David R Piwnica-Worms, Haoqiang Ying, Marina Pasca di Magliano, Howard C Crawford, Yatrik M Shah, Costas A Lyssiotis.
      Mitochondrial glutamate-oxaloacetate (GOT2) is part of the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS), a mechanism by which cells transfer reducing equivalents from the cytosol to the mitochondria. GOT2 is a key component of mutant KRAS (KRAS*)-mediated rewiring of glutamine metabolism in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Here, we demonstrate that the loss of GOT2 disturbs redox homeostasis and halts proliferation of PDA cells in vitro. GOT2 knockdown (KD) in PDA cell lines in vitro induced NADH accumulation, decreased Asp and α-ketoglutarate (αKG) production, stalled glycolysis, disrupted the TCA cycle, and impaired proliferation. Oxidizing NADH through chemical or genetic means resolved the redox imbalance induced by GOT2 KD, permitting sustained proliferation. Despite a strong in vitro inhibitory phenotype, loss of GOT2 had no effect on tumor growth in xenograft PDA or autochthonous mouse models. We show that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment (TME), release the redox active metabolite pyruvate, and culturing GOT2 KD cells in CAF conditioned media (CM) rescued proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, blocking pyruvate import or pyruvate-to-lactate reduction prevented rescue of GOT2 KD in vitro by exogenous pyruvate or CAF CM. However, these interventions failed to sensitize xenografts to GOT2 KD in vivo, demonstrating the remarkable plasticity and differential metabolism deployed by PDA cells in vitro and in vivo. This emphasizes how the environmental context of distinct pre-clinical models impacts both cell-intrinsic metabolic rewiring and metabolic crosstalk with the tumor microenvironment (TME).
    Keywords:  biochemistry; cancer biology; chemical biology; human; mouse
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.73245
  3. Nat Metab. 2022 Jul 11.
    Mitochondrial heterogeneity and homeostasis through the lens of a neuron.
    Gulcin Pekkurnaz, Xinnan Wang.
      Mitochondria are vital organelles with distinct morphological features and functional properties. The dynamic network of mitochondria undergoes structural and functional adaptations in response to cell-type-specific metabolic demands. Even within the same cell, mitochondria can display wide diversity and separate into functionally distinct subpopulations. Mitochondrial heterogeneity supports unique subcellular functions and is crucial to polarized cells, such as neurons. The spatiotemporal metabolic burden within the complex shape of a neuron requires precisely localized mitochondria. By travelling great lengths throughout neurons and experiencing bouts of immobility, mitochondria meet distant local fuel demands. Understanding mitochondrial heterogeneity and homeostasis mechanisms in neurons provides a framework to probe their significance to many other cell types. Here, we put forth an outline of the multifaceted role of mitochondria in regulating neuronal physiology and cellular functions more broadly.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00594-w
  4. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2022 Jun 30. pii: S2468-2942(22)00090-9. [Epub ahead of print] 100600
    Physical Exercise and Tumor Energy Metabolism.
    Anderson Vulczak, Luciane Carla Alberici.
      Evidence supports the antitumoral effects of physical activity, either in experimental animal models or humans. However, the biological mechanisms by which physical exercise modulates tumoral development are still unclear. An important feature of the tumor cells is the altered energy metabolism, often associated with definitions of tumor aggressiveness. Nevertheless, exercise can cause global metabolic changes in the body, as well as modulate tumor metabolism. Here we specifically discuss the metabolic changes found in tumors and how exercise can contribute to anti-tumoral effects by modulating the mitochondrial function, and tricarboxylic acid cycle-related metabolites of cancer cells. The effect of physical exercise on tumor metabolism is a new possibility for comprehension of cancer biology and developing therapies focused on tumor energy metabolism.
    Keywords:  Anti-tumoral; Cancer; Mitochondria; OXPHOS; TCA cycle
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctarc.2022.100600
  5. Immunity. 2022 Jul 07. pii: S1074-7613(22)00280-1. [Epub ahead of print]
    Oxidized DNA fragments exit mitochondria via mPTP- and VDAC-dependent channels to activate NLRP3 inflammasome and interferon signaling.
    Hongxu Xian, Kosuke Watari, Elsa Sanchez-Lopez, Joseph Offenberger, Janset Onyuru, Harini Sampath, Wei Ying, Hal M Hoffman, Gerald S Shadel, Michael Karin.
      Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) escaping stressed mitochondria provokes inflammation via cGAS-STING pathway activation and, when oxidized (Ox-mtDNA), it binds cytosolic NLRP3, thereby triggering inflammasome activation. However, it is unknown how and in which form Ox-mtDNA exits stressed mitochondria in non-apoptotic macrophages. We found that diverse NLRP3 inflammasome activators rapidly stimulated uniporter-mediated calcium uptake to open mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTP) and trigger VDAC oligomerization. This occurred independently of mtDNA or reactive oxygen species, which induce Ox-mtDNA generation. Within mitochondria, Ox-mtDNA was either repaired by DNA glycosylase OGG1 or cleaved by the endonuclease FEN1 to 500-650 bp fragments that exited mitochondria via mPTP- and VDAC-dependent channels to initiate cytosolic NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Ox-mtDNA fragments also activated cGAS-STING signaling and gave rise to pro-inflammatory extracellular DNA. Understanding this process will advance the development of potential treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases, exemplified by FEN1 inhibitors that suppressed interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production and mtDNA release in mice.
    Keywords:  FEN1; NLRP3 inflammasome; OGG1; Ox-mtDNA; VDAC; cGAS-STING; mPTP; mitochondria; mtDNA
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2022.06.007
  6. Cell Biol Int. 2022 Jul 12.
    Tamoxifen modulates mitochondrial dynamics through AMPK and MAPK during nutrition deprivation.
    Gangipangi Vijayakumar, Uppalapati S Swetha, Selvaraju Sudhagar.
      The interaction of cancer cells with their tumor microenvironment determines key events in the progression of the disease, therapeutic efficacy, and the development of drug resistance. Here, we presented evidence that tamoxifen support breast cancer growth during nutrition deprivation by modulating mitochondrial dynamics through AMPK and MAPK signaling. Tamoxifen enhances mitochondrial fusion under nutrition-deprived conditions by suppressing Drp1 ser616 phosphorylation and upregulating Mfn1 levels. Tamoxifen-induced mitochondrial fusion is mediated by the activation of AMPK as evident by the pharmacological inhibition of AMPK reverse mitochondrial fusion. Interestingly, JNK activation by tamoxifen controls the mitochondrial fusion morphology by downregulating Mfn2. Collectively, tamoxifen support cell growth by enhancing mitochondrial fusion by regulating stress kinase signaling under nutrition deprivation condition.
    Keywords:  AMPK; MAPK; Tamoxifen; mitochondrial dynamics; nutrition deprivation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/cbin.11853
  7. Life Sci Alliance. 2022 Nov;pii: e202201531. [Epub ahead of print]5(11):
    Decreasing pdzd8-mediated mito-ER contacts improves organismal fitness and mitigates Aβ42 toxicity.
    Victoria L Hewitt, Leonor Miller-Fleming, Madeleine J Twyning, Simonetta Andreazza, Francesca Mattedi, Julien Prudent, Franck Polleux, Alessio Vagnoni, Alexander J Whitworth.
      Mitochondria-ER contact sites (MERCs) orchestrate many important cellular functions including regulating mitochondrial quality control through mitophagy and mediating mitochondrial calcium uptake. Here, we identify and functionally characterize the Drosophila ortholog of the recently identified mammalian MERC protein, Pdzd8. We find that reducing pdzd8-mediated MERCs in neurons slows age-associated decline in locomotor activity and increases lifespan in Drosophila. The protective effects of pdzd8 knockdown in neurons correlate with an increase in mitophagy, suggesting that increased mitochondrial turnover may support healthy aging of neurons. In contrast, increasing MERCs by expressing a constitutive, synthetic ER-mitochondria tether disrupts mitochondrial transport and synapse formation, accelerates age-related decline in locomotion, and reduces lifespan. Although depletion of pdzd8 prolongs the survival of flies fed with mitochondrial toxins, it is also sufficient to rescue locomotor defects of a fly model of Alzheimer's disease expressing Amyloid β42 (Aβ42). Together, our results provide the first in vivo evidence that MERCs mediated by the tethering protein pdzd8 play a critical role in the regulation of mitochondrial quality control and neuronal homeostasis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202201531
  8. Front Aging. 2021 ;2 681428
    Altered Nutrient Uptake Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Senescent CD8+ EMRA T Cells During Type 2 Diabetes.
    Lauren A Callender, Elizabeth C Carroll, Conor Garrod-Ketchley, Johannes Schroth, Jonas Bystrom, Victoria Berryman, Melanie Pattrick, Desiree Campbell-Richards, Gillian A Hood, Graham A Hitman, Sarah Finer, Sian M Henson.
      Mitochondrial health and cellular metabolism can heavily influence the onset of senescence in T cells. CD8+ EMRA T cells exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction and alterations to oxidative phosphorylation, however, the metabolic properties of senescent CD8+ T cells from people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are not known. We show here that mitochondria from T2D CD8+ T cells had a higher oxidative capacity together with increased levels of mitochondrial reactive oxgen species (mtROS), compared to age-matched control cells. While fatty acid uptake was increased, fatty acid oxidation was impaired in T2D CD8+ EMRA T cells, which also showed an accumulation of lipid droplets and decreased AMPK activity. Increasing glucose and fatty acids in healthy CD8+ T cells resulted in increased p-p53 expression and a fragmented mitochondrial morphology, similar to that observed in T2D CD8+ EMRA T cells. The resulting mitochondrial changes are likely to have a profound effect on T cell function. Consequently, a better understanding of these metabolic abnormalities is crucial as metabolic manipulation of these cells may restore correct T cell function and help reduce the impact of T cell dysfunction in T2D.
    Keywords:  T cell; ageing; inflammation; metabolism; mitochondria; senescence; type 2 diabetes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2021.681428
  9. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2022 Jul 11. pii: S0304-419X(22)00084-1. [Epub ahead of print] 188759
    Predicting cancer evolution for patient benefit: Renal cell carcinoma paradigm.
    Husayn Ahmed Pallikonda, Samra Turajlic.
      Evolutionary features of cancer have important clinical implications, but their evaluation in the clinic is currently limited. Here, we review current approaches to reconstruct tumour subclonal structure setting and discuss tumour sampling method and experimental design influence. We describe clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) as an exemplar for understanding and predicting cancer evolutionary dynamics. Finally, we discuss how understanding cancer evolution can benefit patients.
    Keywords:  Cancer dynamics; Cancer evolution; Clear cell renal cell carcinoma; Patient benefit; Patient management; Representative sequencing; Subclonal reconstruction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188759
  10. Nature. 2022 Jul 13.
    Structure of the nutrient-sensing hub GATOR2.
    Max L Valenstein, Kacper B Rogala, Pranav V Lalgudi, Edward J Brignole, Xin Gu, Robert A Saxton, Lynne Chantranupong, Jonas Kolibius, Jan-Philipp Quast, David M Sabatini.
      Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) controls growth by regulating anabolic and catabolic processes in response to environmental cues, including nutrients1,2. Amino acids signal to mTORC1 through the Rag GTPases, which are regulated by several protein complexes, including GATOR1 and GATOR2. GATOR2, which has five components (WDR24, MIOS, WDR59, SEH1L and SEC13), is required for amino acids to activate mTORC1 and interacts with the leucine and arginine sensors SESN2 and CASTOR1, respectively3-5. Despite this central role in nutrient sensing, GATOR2 remains mysterious as its subunit stoichiometry, biochemical function and structure are unknown. Here we used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the three-dimensional structure of the human GATOR2 complex. We found that GATOR2 adopts a large (1.1 MDa), two-fold symmetric, cage-like architecture, supported by an octagonal scaffold and decorated with eight pairs of WD40 β-propellers. The scaffold contains two WDR24, four MIOS and two WDR59 subunits circularized via two distinct types of junction involving non-catalytic RING domains and α-solenoids. Integration of SEH1L and SEC13 into the scaffold through β-propeller blade donation stabilizes the GATOR2 complex and reveals an evolutionary relationship to the nuclear pore and membrane-coating complexes6. The scaffold orients the WD40 β-propeller dimers, which mediate interactions with SESN2, CASTOR1 and GATOR1. Our work reveals the structure of an essential component of the nutrient-sensing machinery and provides a foundation for understanding the function of GATOR2 within the mTORC1 pathway.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04939-z
  11. Front Aging. 2022 ;3 812810
    Differential Effects of 2-Deoxyglucose and Glucose Deprivation on 4-Hydroxynonenal Dependent Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Primary Neurons.
    Matthew Dodson, Gloria A Benavides, Victor Darley-Usmar, Jianhua Zhang.
      Mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic decline are prevalent features of aging and age-related disorders, including neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with a progressive loss of metabolic homeostasis. This pathogenic decline in metabolism is the result of several factors, including decreased mitochondrial function, increased oxidative stress, inhibited autophagic flux, and altered metabolic substrate availability. One critical metabolite for maintaining neuronal function is glucose, which is utilized by the brain more than any other organ to meet its substantial metabolic demand. Enzymatic conversion of glucose into its downstream metabolites is critical for maintaining neuronal cell growth and overall metabolic homeostasis. Perturbation of glycolysis could significantly hinder neuronal metabolism by affecting key metabolic pathways. Here, we demonstrate that the glucose analogue 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) decreases cell viability, as well as both basal and maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption in response to the neurotoxic lipid 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), whereas glucose deprivation has a minimal effect. Furthermore, using a cell permeabilization assay we found that 2DG has a more pronounced effect on HNE-dependent inhibition of mitochondrial complex I and II than glucose deprivation. Importantly, these findings indicate that altered glucose utilization plays a critical role in dictating neuronal survival by regulating the mitochondrial response to electrophilic stress.
    Keywords:  2DG; FCCP; HNE; bioenergetics; electron transport chain; glucose; mitochondria; primary neurons
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2022.812810
  12. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 14. 13(1): 4099
    Accelerated lysine metabolism conveys kidney protection in salt-sensitive hypertension.
    Markus M Rinschen, Oleg Palygin, Ashraf El-Meanawy, Xavier Domingo-Almenara, Amelia Palermo, Lashodya V Dissanayake, Daria Golosova, Michael A Schafroth, Carlos Guijas, Fatih Demir, Johannes Jaegers, Megan L Gliozzi, Jingchuan Xue, Martin Hoehne, Thomas Benzing, Bernard P Kok, Enrique Saez, Markus Bleich, Nina Himmerkus, Ora A Weisz, Benjamin F Cravatt, Marcus Krüger, H Paul Benton, Gary Siuzdak, Alexander Staruschenko.
      Hypertension and kidney disease have been repeatedly associated with genomic variants and alterations of lysine metabolism. Here, we combined stable isotope labeling with untargeted metabolomics to investigate lysine's metabolic fate in vivo. Dietary 13C6 labeled lysine was tracked to lysine metabolites across various organs. Globally, lysine reacts rapidly with molecules of the central carbon metabolism, but incorporates slowly into proteins and acylcarnitines. Lysine metabolism is accelerated in a rat model of hypertension and kidney damage, chiefly through N-alpha-mediated degradation. Lysine administration diminished development of hypertension and kidney injury. Protective mechanisms include diuresis, further acceleration of lysine conjugate formation, and inhibition of tubular albumin uptake. Lysine also conjugates with malonyl-CoA to form a novel metabolite Nε-malonyl-lysine to deplete malonyl-CoA from fatty acid synthesis. Through conjugate formation and excretion as fructoselysine, saccharopine, and Nε-acetyllysine, lysine lead to depletion of central carbon metabolites from the organism and kidney. Consistently, lysine administration to patients at risk for hypertension and kidney disease inhibited tubular albumin uptake, increased lysine conjugate formation, and reduced tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites, compared to kidney-healthy volunteers. In conclusion, lysine isotope tracing mapped an accelerated metabolism in hypertension, and lysine administration could protect kidneys in hypertensive kidney disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31670-0
  13. Front Aging. 2021 ;2 707372
    The Multifaceted Role of Nutrient Sensing and mTORC1 Signaling in Physiology and Aging.
    Stephanie A Fernandes, Constantinos Demetriades.
      The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is a growth-related kinase that, in the context of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), touches upon most fundamental cellular processes. Consequently, its activity is a critical determinant for cellular and organismal physiology, while its dysregulation is commonly linked to human aging and age-related disease. Presumably the most important stimulus that regulates mTORC1 activity is nutrient sufficiency, whereby amino acids play a predominant role. In fact, mTORC1 functions as a molecular sensor for amino acids, linking the cellular demand to the nutritional supply. Notably, dietary restriction (DR), a nutritional regimen that has been shown to extend lifespan and improve healthspan in a broad spectrum of organisms, works via limiting nutrient uptake and changes in mTORC1 activity. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1, using rapamycin or its analogs (rapalogs), can mimic the pro-longevity effects of DR. Conversely, nutritional amino acid overload has been tightly linked to aging and diseases, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Similar effects can also be recapitulated by mutations in upstream mTORC1 regulators, thus establishing a tight connection between mTORC1 signaling and aging. Although the role of growth factor signaling upstream of mTORC1 in aging has been investigated extensively, the involvement of signaling components participating in the nutrient sensing branch is less well understood. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that signal nutrient availability to mTORC1, and summarize the role that nutrients, nutrient sensors, and other components of the nutrient sensing machinery play in cellular and organismal aging.
    Keywords:  aging; amino acids; dietary restriction; mTORC1; nutrient sensing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2021.707372
  14. Cell Rep. 2022 Jul 12. pii: S2211-1247(22)00876-2. [Epub ahead of print]40(2): 111078
    Calcium sparks enhance the tissue fluidity within epithelial layers and promote apical extrusion of transformed cells.
    Keisuke Kuromiya, Kana Aoki, Kojiro Ishibashi, Moe Yotabun, Miho Sekai, Nobuyuki Tanimura, Sayuri Iijima, Susumu Ishikawa, Tomoko Kamasaki, Yuki Akieda, Tohru Ishitani, Takashi Hayashi, Satoshi Toda, Koji Yokoyama, Chol Gyu Lee, Ippei Usami, Haruki Inoue, Ichigaku Takigawa, Estelle Gauquelin, Kaoru Sugimura, Naoya Hino, Yasuyuki Fujita.
      In vertebrates, newly emerging transformed cells are often apically extruded from epithelial layers through cell competition with surrounding normal epithelial cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, using phospho-SILAC screening, we show that phosphorylation of AHNAK2 is elevated in normal cells neighboring RasV12 cells soon after the induction of RasV12 expression, which is mediated by calcium-dependent protein kinase C. In addition, transient upsurges of intracellular calcium, which we call calcium sparks, frequently occur in normal cells neighboring RasV12 cells, which are mediated by mechanosensitive calcium channel TRPC1 upon membrane stretching. Calcium sparks then enhance cell movements of both normal and RasV12 cells through phosphorylation of AHNAK2 and promote apical extrusion. Moreover, comparable calcium sparks positively regulate apical extrusion of RasV12-transformed cells in zebrafish larvae as well. Hence, calcium sparks play a crucial role in the elimination of transformed cells at the early phase of cell competition.
    Keywords:  AHNAK2; CP: Cell biology; CP: Developmental biology; Cdc42; RasV12; TRPC1; apical extrusion; calcium sparks; cell competition; epithelia; phospho-SILAC screening; zebrafish larvae
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111078
  15. Cancer Discov. 2022 Jul 15. OF1
    Metastatic Metabolic Plasticity Is Shaped by RNA Methylation Modifications.
      The m5c and f5c RNA modifications support mitochondrial mRNA translation promoting metastasis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-RW2022-126
  16. Semin Cancer Biol. 2022 Jul 09. pii: S1044-579X(22)00175-4. [Epub ahead of print]
    'Warburg effect' controls tumor growth, bacterial, viral infections and immunity - Genetic deconstruction and therapeutic perspectives.
    J Pouysségur, Marchiq, S K Parks, J Durivault, M Ždralević, M Vucetic.
      The evolutionary pressure for life transitioning from extended periods of hypoxia to an increasingly oxygenated atmosphere initiated drastic selections for a variety of biochemical pathways supporting the robust life currently present on the planet. First, we discuss how fermentative glycolysis, a primitive metabolic pathway present at the emergence of life, is instrumental for the rapid growth of cancer, regenerating tissues, immune cells but also bacteria and viruses during infections. The 'Warburg effect', activated via Myc and HIF-1 in response to growth factors and hypoxia, is an essential metabolic and energetic pathway which satisfies nutritional and energetic demands required for rapid genome replication. Second, we present the key role of lactic acid, the end-product of fermentative glycolysis able to move across cell membranes in both directions via monocarboxylate transporting proteins (i.e. MCT1/4) contributing to cell-pH homeostasis but also to the complex immune response via acidosis of the tumour microenvironment. Importantly lactate is recycled in multiple organs as a major metabolic precursor of gluconeogenesis and energy source protecting cells and animals from harsh nutritional or oxygen restrictions. Third, we revisit the Warburg effect via CRISPR-Cas9 disruption of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI-KO) or lactate dehydrogenases (LDHA/B-DKO) in two aggressive tumours (melanoma B16-F10, human adenocarcinoma LS174T). Full suppression of lactic acid production reduces but does not suppress tumour growth due to reactivation of OXPHOS. In contrast, disruption of the lactic acid transporters MCT1/4 suppressed glycolysis, mTORC1, and tumour growth as a result of intracellular acidosis. Finally, we briefly discuss the current clinical developments of an MCT1 specific drug AZ3965, and the recent progress for a specific in vivo MCT4 inhibitor, two drugs of very high potential for future cancer clinical applications.
    Keywords:  BASIGIN; CRISPR-cas9; GPI; LDHA; LDHB; MCT1; MCT4; OXPHOS; Warburg effect; acidosis; bacteria; cancer; fermentative glycolysis; glycogen; immune evasion; immunity; lactate; pathogens; viruses
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.004
  17. Cell. 2022 Jul 11. pii: S0092-8674(22)00781-4. [Epub ahead of print]
    Metabolic analysis as a driver for discovery, diagnosis, and therapy.
    Ralph J DeBerardinis, Kayvan R Keshari.
      Metabolic anomalies contribute to tissue dysfunction. Current metabolism research spans from organelles to populations, and new technologies can accommodate investigation across these scales. Here, we review recent advancements in metabolic analysis, including small-scale metabolomics techniques amenable to organelles and rare cell types, functional screening to explore how cells respond to metabolic stress, and imaging approaches to non-invasively assess metabolic perturbations in diseases. We discuss how metabolomics provides an informative phenotypic dimension that complements genomic analysis in Mendelian and non-Mendelian disorders. We also outline pressing challenges and how addressing them may further clarify the biochemical basis of human disease.
    Keywords:  genomics; magnetic resonance; metabolism; metabolomics; molecular imaging; positron emission tomography; stable isotopes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.029
  18. Cell Death Differ. 2022 Jul;29(7): 1304-1317
    Targeting mitochondrial metabolism for precision medicine in cancer.
    Lourdes Sainero-Alcolado, Judit Liaño-Pons, María Victoria Ruiz-Pérez, Marie Arsenian-Henriksson.
      During decades, the research field of cancer metabolism was based on the Warburg effect, described almost one century ago. Lately, the key role of mitochondria in cancer development has been demonstrated. Many mitochondrial pathways including oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid, glutamine, and one carbon metabolism are altered in tumors, due to mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as in metabolic enzymes. This results in metabolic reprogramming that sustains rapid cell proliferation and can lead to an increase in reactive oxygen species used by cancer cells to maintain pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways while avoiding cellular death. The knowledge acquired on the importance of mitochondrial cancer metabolism is now being translated into clinical practice. Detailed genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analysis of tumors are necessary to develop more precise treatments. The successful use of drugs targeting metabolic mitochondrial enzymes has highlighted the potential for their use in precision medicine and many therapeutic candidates are in clinical trials. However, development of efficient personalized drugs has proved challenging and the combination with other strategies such as chemocytotoxic drugs, immunotherapy, and ketogenic or calorie restriction diets is likely necessary to boost their potential. In this review, we summarize the main mitochondrial features, metabolic pathways, and their alterations in different cancer types. We also present an overview of current inhibitors, highlight enzymes that are attractive targets, and discuss challenges with translation of these approaches into clinical practice. The role of mitochondria in cancer is indisputable and presents several attractive targets for both tailored and personalized cancer therapy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41418-022-01022-y
  19. J Clin Invest. 2022 Jul 15. pii: e157410. [Epub ahead of print]132(14):
    Creatine riboside is a cancer cell-derived metabolite associated with arginine auxotrophy.
    Amelia L Parker, Leila Toulabi, Takahiro Oike, Yasuyuki Kanke, Daxeshkumar Patel, Takeshi Tada, Sheryse Taylor, Jessica A Beck, Elise Bowman, Michelle L Reyzer, Donna Butcher, Skyler Kuhn, Gary T Pauly, Kristopher W Krausz, Frank J Gonzalez, S Perwez Hussain, Stefan Ambs, Bríd M Ryan, Xin Wei Wang, Curtis C Harris.
      The metabolic dependencies of cancer cells have substantial potential to be exploited to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Creatine riboside (CR) is identified as a urinary metabolite associated with risk and prognosis in lung and liver cancer. However, the source of high CR levels in patients with cancer as well as their implications for the treatment of these aggressive cancers remain unclear. By integrating multiomics data on lung and liver cancer, we have shown that CR is a cancer cell-derived metabolite. Global metabolomics and gene expression analysis of human tumors and matched liquid biopsies, together with functional studies, revealed that dysregulation of the mitochondrial urea cycle and a nucleotide imbalance were associated with high CR levels and indicators of a poor prognosis. This metabolic phenotype was associated with reduced immune infiltration and supported rapid cancer cell proliferation that drove aggressive tumor growth. CRhi cancer cells were auxotrophic for arginine, revealing a metabolic vulnerability that may be exploited therapeutically. This highlights the potential of CR not only as a poor-prognosis biomarker but also as a companion biomarker to inform the administration of arginine-targeted therapies in precision medicine strategies to improve survival for patients with cancer.
    Keywords:  Cancer; Lung cancer; Oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI157410
  20. Nature. 2022 Jul 14.
    How do thin people stay that way? More activity is not always the answer.
      
    Keywords:  Metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-01909-3
  21. Nat Metab. 2022 Jul 11.
    Metabolic Messengers: endocannabinoids.
    Arnau Busquets-García, Juan P Bolaños, Giovanni Marsicano.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00600-1
  22. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 09. 13(1): 3998
    Acetyl-CoA-Carboxylase 1-mediated de novo fatty acid synthesis sustains Lgr5+ intestinal stem cell function.
    Shuting Li, Chia-Wen Lu, Elia C Diem, Wang Li, Melanie Guderian, Marc Lindenberg, Friederike Kruse, Manuela Buettner, Stefan Floess, Markus R Winny, Robert Geffers, Hans-Hermann Richnow, Wolf-Rainer Abraham, Guntram A Grassl, Matthias Lochner.
      Basic processes of the fatty acid metabolism have an important impact on the function of intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). However, while the role of cellular fatty acid oxidation is well appreciated, it is not clear how de novo fatty acid synthesis (FAS) influences the biology of IECs. We report here that interfering with de novo FAS by deletion of the enzyme Acetyl-CoA-Carboxylase (ACC)1 in IECs results in the loss of epithelial crypt structures and a specific decline in Lgr5+ intestinal epithelial stem cells (ISC). Mechanistically, ACC1-mediated de novo FAS supports the formation of intestinal organoids and the differentiation of complex crypt structures by sustaining the nuclear accumulation of PPARδ/β-catenin in ISCs. The dependency of ISCs on cellular de novo FAS is tuned by the availability of environmental lipids, as an excess delivery of external fatty acids is sufficient to rescue the defect in crypt formation. Finally, inhibition of ACC1 reduces the formation of tumors in colitis-associated colon cancer, together highlighting the importance of cellular lipogenesis for sustaining ISC function and providing a potential perspective to colon cancer therapy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31725-2
  23. Hepatology. 2022 Jul 11.
    NAD+ salvage governs mitochondrial metabolism invigorating NK cell anti-tumor immunity.
    Xiaowei Guo, Siyu Tan, Tixiao Wang, Renhui Sun, Shuangjie Li, Panpan Tian, Mengzhen Li, Yuzhen Wang, Yankun Zhang, Yuchuan Yan, Zhaoru Dong, Lunjie Yan, Xuetian Yue, Zhuanchang Wu, Chunyang Li, Kazuya Yamagata, Lifen Gao, Chunhong Ma, Tao Li, Xiaohong Liang.
       BACKGROUND & AIMS: Natural killer (NK) cells are key players in tumor immunosurveillance and metabolic adaption manipulates their fate and functional state. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ ) has emerged as a vital factor to link cellular metabolism and signaling transduction. Here, we identified NAD+ metabolism as a central hub to determine the homeostasis and function of NK cells.
    APPROACH & RESULTS: NAD+ level was elevated in activated NK cells. NAD+ supplementation not only enhanced cytokine production and cytotoxicity, but also improved the proliferation and viability of NK cells. Intriguingly, the salvage pathway was involved in maintaining NAD+ homeostasis in activated NK cells. Genetic ablation or pharmacological blockade of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD+ salvage pathway, markedly destroyed the viability and function of NK cells. Mechanistically, NAD+ salvage dictated the mitochondrial homeostasis and oxidative phosphorylation activity to support the optimal function of NK cells. However, in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, NAMPT expression and NAD+ level were significantly downregulated in tumor-infiltrating NK cells (TINKs), which negatively correlated with patient survival. And, lactate accumulation in tumor microenvironment was at least partially responsible for the transcriptional repression of NAMPT in NK cells. Further, deficiency of Nampt in NK cells accelerated the growth of HCC and melanoma. Supplementation of NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), significantly improved NK anti-tumor response in both mouse and human cell-derived xenograft.
    CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal NAD+ salvage as an essential factor for NK cell homeostasis and function, suggesting a potential strategy for invigorating NK cell-based immunotherapy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.32658
  24. Cancer Commun (Lond). 2022 Jul 15.
    Snail acetylation by autophagy-derived acetyl-coenzyme A promotes invasion and metastasis of KRAS-LKB1 co-mutated lung cancer cells.
    Jang Hee Han, Yong Keon Kim, Hakhyun Kim, Jooyoung Lee, Myung Joon Oh, Sang Bum Kim, Minjee Kim, Kook Hwan Kim, Hyun Ju Yoon, Myung-Shik Lee, John D Minna, Michael A White, Hyun Seok Kim.
       BACKGROUND: Autophagy is elevated in metastatic tumors and is often associated with active epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the extent to which EMT is dependent on autophagy is largely unknown. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms by which autophagy facilitates EMT.
    METHODS: We employed a liquid chromatography-based metabolomic approach with kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) and liver kinase B1 (LKB1) gene co-mutated (KL) cells that represent an autophagy/EMT-coactivated invasive lung cancer subtype for the identification of metabolites linked to autophagy-driven EMT activation. Molecular mechanisms of autophagy-driven EMT activation were further investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting analysis, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence staining, and metabolite assays. The effects of chemical and genetic perturbations on autophagic flux were assessed by two orthogonal approaches: microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) turnover analysis by Western blotting and monomeric red fluorescent protein-green fluorescent protein (mRFP-GFP)-LC3 tandem fluorescent protein quenching assay. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) activity was measured by coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation (CLEAR) motif-driven luciferase reporter assay. Experimental metastasis (tail vein injection) mouse models were used to evaluate the impact of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors on lung metastasis using IVIS luciferase imaging system.
    RESULTS: We found that autophagy in KL cancer cells increased acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), which facilitated the acetylation and stabilization of the EMT-inducing transcription factor Snail. The autophagy/acetyl-CoA/acetyl-Snail axis was further validated in tumor tissues and in autophagy-activated pancreatic cancer cells. TFEB acetylation in KL cancer cells sustained pro-metastatic autophagy in a mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-independent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of this axis via CAMKK2 inhibitors or ACLY inhibitors consistently reduced the metastatic capacity of KL cancer cells in vivo.
    CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that autophagy-derived acetyl-CoA promotes Snail acetylation and thereby facilitates invasion and metastasis of KRAS-LKB1 co-mutated lung cancer cells and that inhibition of the autophagy/acetyl-CoA/acetyl-Snail axis using CAMKK2 or ACLY inhibitors could be a potential therapeutic strategy to suppress metastasis of KL lung cancer.
    Keywords:  ACLY; CAMKK2; KRAS inhibitor; acetyl-coenzyme A; acetyl-snail; autophagy; epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; metastasis; non-small-cell lung cancer; pancreatic cancer; snail
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/cac2.12332
  25. Dev Cell. 2022 Jul 05. pii: S1534-5807(22)00458-0. [Epub ahead of print]
    FoxA1 and FoxA2 control growth and cellular identity in NKX2-1-positive lung adenocarcinoma.
    Grace Orstad, Gabriela Fort, Timothy J Parnell, Alex Jones, Chris Stubben, Brian Lohman, Katherine L Gillis, Walter Orellana, Rushmeen Tariq, Olaf Klingbeil, Klaus Kaestner, Christopher R Vakoc, Benjamin T Spike, Eric L Snyder.
      Changes in cellular identity (also known as histologic transformation or lineage plasticity) can drive malignant progression and resistance to therapy in many cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The lineage-specifying transcription factors FoxA1 and FoxA2 (FoxA1/2) control identity in NKX2-1/TTF1-negative LUAD. However, their role in NKX2-1-positive LUAD has not been systematically investigated. We find that Foxa1/2 knockout severely impairs tumorigenesis in KRAS-driven genetically engineered mouse models and human cell lines. Loss of FoxA1/2 leads to the collapse of a dual-identity state, marked by co-expression of pulmonary and gastrointestinal transcriptional programs, which has been implicated in LUAD progression. Mechanistically, FoxA1/2 loss leads to aberrant NKX2-1 activity and genomic localization, which in turn actively inhibits tumorigenesis and drives alternative cellular identity programs that are associated with non-proliferative states. This work demonstrates that FoxA1/2 expression is a lineage-specific vulnerability in NKX2-1-positive LUAD and identifies mechanisms of response and resistance to targeting FoxA1/2 in this disease.
    Keywords:  FoxA1; FoxA2; NKX2-1; cellular identity; lineage switching; lung adenocarcinoma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2022.06.017
  26. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 15. 13(1): 4109
    Oncogenic BRAF induces whole-genome doubling through suppression of cytokinesis.
    Revati Darp, Marc A Vittoria, Neil J Ganem, Craig J Ceol.
      Melanomas and other solid tumors commonly have increased ploidy, with near-tetraploid karyotypes being most frequently observed. Such karyotypes have been shown to arise through whole-genome doubling events that occur during early stages of tumor progression. The generation of tetraploid cells via whole-genome doubling is proposed to allow nascent tumor cells the ability to sample various pro-tumorigenic genomic configurations while avoiding the negative consequences that chromosomal gains or losses have in diploid cells. Whereas a high prevalence of whole-genome doubling events has been established, the means by which whole-genome doubling arises is unclear. Here, we find that BRAFV600E, the most common mutation in melanomas, can induce whole-genome doubling via cytokinesis failure in vitro and in a zebrafish melanoma model. Mechanistically, BRAFV600E causes decreased activation and localization of RhoA, a critical cytokinesis regulator. BRAFV600E activity during G1/S phases of the cell cycle is required to suppress cytokinesis. During G1/S, BRAFV600E activity causes inappropriate centriole amplification, which is linked in part to inhibition of RhoA and suppression of cytokinesis. Together these data suggest that common abnormalities of melanomas linked to tumorigenesis - amplified centrosomes and whole-genome doubling events - can be induced by oncogenic BRAF and other mutations that increase RAS/MAPK pathway activity.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31899-9
  27. Cell Metab. 2022 Jul 08. pii: S1550-4131(22)00230-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    GCN2 inhibition sensitizes arginine-deprived hepatocellular carcinoma cells to senolytic treatment.
    Rindert Missiaen, Nicole M Anderson, Laura C Kim, Bailey Nance, Michelle Burrows, Nicolas Skuli, Madeleine Carens, Romain Riscal, An Steensels, Fuming Li, M Celeste Simon.
      Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typically fatal malignancy exhibiting genetic heterogeneity and limited therapy responses. We demonstrate here that HCCs consistently repress urea cycle gene expression and thereby become auxotrophic for exogenous arginine. Surprisingly, arginine import is uniquely dependent on the cationic amino acid transporter SLC7A1, whose inhibition slows HCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, arginine deprivation engages an integrated stress response that promotes HCC cell-cycle arrest and quiescence, dependent on the general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) kinase. Inhibiting GCN2 in arginine-deprived HCC cells promotes a senescent phenotype instead, rendering these cells vulnerable to senolytic compounds. Preclinical models confirm that combined dietary arginine deprivation, GCN2 inhibition, and senotherapy promote HCC cell apoptosis and tumor regression. These data suggest novel strategies to treat human liver cancers through targeting SLC7A1 and/or a combination of arginine restriction, inhibition of GCN2, and senolytic agents.
    Keywords:  GCN2; arginine; hepatocellular carcinoma; senescence; urea cycle
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.06.010
  28. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 14. 13(1): 4078
    HRS phosphorylation drives immunosuppressive exosome secretion and restricts CD8+ T-cell infiltration into tumors.
    Lei Guan, Bin Wu, Ting Li, Lynn A Beer, Gaurav Sharma, Mingyue Li, Chin Nien Lee, Shujing Liu, Changsong Yang, Lili Huang, Dennie T Frederick, Genevieve M Boland, Guangcan Shao, Tatyana M Svitkina, Kathy Q Cai, Fangping Chen, Meng-Qiu Dong, Gordon B Mills, Lynn M Schuchter, Giorgos C Karakousis, Tara C Mitchell, Keith T Flaherty, David W Speicher, Youhai H Chen, Meenhard Herlyn, Ravi K Amaravadi, Xiaowei Xu, Wei Guo.
      The lack of tumor infiltration by CD8+ T cells is associated with poor patient response to anti-PD-1 therapy. Understanding how tumor infiltration is regulated is key to improving treatment efficacy. Here, we report that phosphorylation of HRS, a pivotal component of the ESCRT complex involved in exosome biogenesis, restricts tumor infiltration of cytolytic CD8+ T cells. Following ERK-mediated phosphorylation, HRS interacts with and mediates the selective loading of PD-L1 to exosomes, which inhibits the migration of CD8+ T cells into tumors. In tissue samples from patients with melanoma, CD8+ T cells are excluded from the regions where tumor cells contain high levels of phosphorylated HRS. In murine tumor models, overexpression of phosphorylated HRS increases resistance to anti-PD-1 treatment, whereas inhibition of HRS phosphorylation enhances treatment efficacy. Our study reveals a mechanism by which phosphorylation of HRS in tumor cells regulates anti-tumor immunity by inducing PD-L1+ immunosuppressive exosomes, and suggests HRS phosphorylation blockade as a potential strategy to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31713-6
  29. Nat Genet. 2022 Jul 14.
    YAP induces an oncogenic transcriptional program through TET1-mediated epigenetic remodeling in liver growth and tumorigenesis.
    Bo-Kuan Wu, Szu-Chieh Mei, Elizabeth H Chen, Yonggang Zheng, Duojia Pan.
      Epigenetic remodeling is essential for oncogene-induced cellular transformation and malignancy. In contrast to histone post-translational modifications, how DNA methylation is remodeled by oncogenic signaling remains poorly understood. The oncoprotein YAP, a coactivator of the TEAD transcription factors mediating Hippo signaling, is widely activated in human cancers. Here, we identify the 5-methylcytosine dioxygenase TET1 as a direct YAP target and a master regulator that coordinates the genome-wide epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming of YAP target genes in the liver. YAP activation induces the expression of TET1, which physically interacts with TEAD to cause regional DNA demethylation, histone H3K27 acetylation and chromatin opening in YAP target genes to facilitate transcriptional activation. Loss of TET1 not only reverses YAP-induced epigenetic and transcriptional changes but also suppresses YAP-induced hepatomegaly and tumorigenesis. These findings exemplify how oncogenic signaling regulates the site specificity of DNA demethylation to promote tumorigenesis and implicate TET1 as a potential target for modulating YAP signaling in physiology and disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-022-01119-7
  30. Front Oncol. 2022 ;12 908156
    Targeting Tumour-Associated Fibroblasts in Cancers.
    Kairav Shah, Sanchari Basu Mallik, Praveer Gupta, Abishek Iyer.
      Tumours develop within complex tissue environments consisting of aberrant oncogenic cancer cells, diverse innate and adaptive immune cells, along with structural stromal cells, extracellular matrix and vascular networks, and many other cellular and non-cellular soluble constituents. Understanding the heterogeneity and the complex interplay between these cells remains a key barrier in treating tumours and cancers. The immune status of the pre-tumour and tumour milieu can dictate if the tumour microenvironment (TME) supports either a pro-malignancy or an anti-malignancy phenotype. Identification of the factors and cell types that regulate the dysfunction of the TME is crucial in order to understand and modulate the immune status of tumours. Among these cell types, tumour-associated fibroblasts are emerging as a major component of the TME that is often correlated with poor prognosis and therapy resistance, including immunotherapies. Thus, a deeper understanding of the complex roles of tumour-associated fibroblasts in regulating tumour immunity and cancer therapy could provide new insight into targeting the TME in various human cancers. In this review, we summarize recent studies investigating the role of immune and key stromal cells in regulating the immune status of the TME and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting stromal cells, especially tumour-associated fibroblasts, within the TME as an adjuvant therapy to sensitize immunosuppressive tumours and prevent cancer progression, chemo-resistance and metastasis.
    Keywords:  cancer; cancer-associated fibroblasts; immunotherapy; inflammation; tumour microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.908156
  31. Cell Rep. 2022 Jul 12. pii: S2211-1247(22)00867-1. [Epub ahead of print]40(2): 111069
    Small RNAs derived from tRNA fragmentation regulate the functional maturation of neonatal β cells.
    Mustafa Bilal Bayazit, Cécile Jacovetti, Cristina Cosentino, Jonathan Sobel, Kejing Wu, Flora Brozzi, Adriana Rodriguez-Trejo, Lisa Stoll, Claudiane Guay, Romano Regazzi.
      tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are an emerging class of small non-coding RNAs with distinct cellular functions. Here, we studied the contribution of tRFs to the regulation of postnatal β cell maturation, a critical process that may lead to diabetes susceptibility in adulthood. We identified three tRFs abundant in neonatal rat islets originating from 5' halves (tiRNA-5s) of histidine and glutamate tRNAs. Their inhibition in these islets reduced β cell proliferation and insulin secretion. Mitochondrial respiration was also perturbed, fitting with the mitochondrial enrichment of nuclear-encoded tiRNA-5HisGTG and tiRNA-5GluCTC. Notably, tiRNA-5 inhibition reduced Mpc1, a mitochondrial pyruvate carrier whose knock down largely phenocopied tiRNA-5 inhibition. tiRNA-5HisGTG interactome revealed binding to Musashi-1, which was essential for the mitochondrial enrichment of tiRNA-5HisGTG. Finally, tiRNA-5s were dysregulated in the islets of diabetic and diabetes-prone animals. Altogether, tiRNA-5s represent a class of regulators of β cell maturation, and their deregulation in neonatal islets may lead to diabetes susceptibility in adulthood.
    Keywords:  CP: Developmental biology; CP: Metabolism; diabetes; insulin; metabolism; pancreatic islet; transfer RNA
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111069
  32. BMC Biol. 2022 Jul 12. 20(1): 160
    Antagonistic effects of mitochondrial matrix and intermembrane space proteases on yeast aging.
    Montserrat Vega, David Castillo, Laura de Cubas, Yirong Wang, Ying Huang, Elena Hidalgo, Margarita Cabrera.
       BACKGROUND: In many organisms, aging is characterized by a loss of mitochondrial homeostasis. Multiple factors such as respiratory metabolism, mitochondrial fusion/fission, or mitophagy have been linked to cell longevity, but the exact impact of each one on the aging process is still unclear.
    RESULTS: Using the deletion mutant collection of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we have developed a genome-wide screening for mutants with altered chronological lifespan. We have identified four mutants associated with proteolysis at the mitochondria that exhibit opposite effects on longevity. The analysis of the respiratory activity of these mutants revealed a positive correlation between increased respiration rate and prolonged lifespan. We also found that the phenotype of the long-lived protease mutants could not be explained by impaired mitochondrial fusion/fission activities, but it was dependent on mitophagy induction. The anti-aging role of mitophagy was supported by the effect of a mutant defective in degradation of mitochondria, which shortened lifespan of the long-lived mutants.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our characterization of the mitochondrial protease mutants demonstrates that mitophagy sustains the lifespan extension of long-lived mutants displaying a higher respiration potential.
    Keywords:  Chronological aging; Mitochondrial dynamics; Mitophagy; Mitoproteases; Respiratory capacity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01352-w
  33. Front Aging. 2021 ;2 761333
    mTORC1 Crosstalk With Stress Granules in Aging and Age-Related Diseases.
    Marti Cadena Sandoval, Alexander Martin Heberle, Ulrike Rehbein, Cecilia Barile, José Miguel Ramos Pittol, Kathrin Thedieck.
      The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase is a master regulator of metabolism and aging. A complex signaling network converges on mTORC1 and integrates growth factor, nutrient and stress signals. Aging is a dynamic process characterized by declining cellular survival, renewal, and fertility. Stressors elicited by aging hallmarks such as mitochondrial malfunction, loss of proteostasis, genomic instability and telomere shortening impinge on mTORC1 thereby contributing to age-related processes. Stress granules (SGs) constitute a cytoplasmic non-membranous compartment formed by RNA-protein aggregates, which control RNA metabolism, signaling, and survival under stress. Increasing evidence reveals complex crosstalk between the mTORC1 network and SGs. In this review, we cover stressors elicited by aging hallmarks that impinge on mTORC1 and SGs. We discuss their interplay, and we highlight possible links in the context of aging and age-related diseases.
    Keywords:  MTOR; aging hallmarks; amino acids; autophagy; cellular signaling; insulin; stress; stress granules (SGs)
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2021.761333
  34. Exp Gerontol. 2022 Jul 07. pii: S0531-5565(22)00197-8. [Epub ahead of print]166 111889
    Systems modelling predicts chronic inflammation and genomic instability prevent effective mitochondrial regulation during biological ageing.
    Alvaro Martinez Guimera, Peter Clark, James Wordsworth, Sharath Anugula, Lene Juel Rasmussen, Daryl P Shanley.
      The regulation of mitochondrial turnover under conditions of stress occurs partly through the AMPK-NAD+-PGC1α-SIRT1 signalling pathway. This pathway can be affected by both genomic instability and chronic inflammation since these will result in an increased rate of NAD+ degradation through PARP1 and CD38 respectively. In this work we develop a computational model of this signalling pathway, calibrating and validating it against experimental data. The computational model is used to study mitochondrial turnover under conditions of stress and how it is affected by genomic instability, chronic inflammation and biological ageing in general. We report that the AMPK-NAD+-PGC1α-SIRT1 signalling pathway becomes less responsive with age and that this can prime for the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria.
    Keywords:  Cell Signalling; DNA damage; Mito-nuclear communication; Mitochondria; NAD; Systems modelling
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2022.111889
  35. Cell Chem Biol. 2022 Jun 29. pii: S2451-9456(22)00236-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Context-dependent regulation of ferroptosis sensitivity.
    Leslie Magtanong, Grace D Mueller, Kevin J Williams, Maximilian Billmann, Katherine Chan, David A Armenta, Jason Moffat, Charles Boone, Chad L Myers, James A Olzmann, Steven J Bensinger, Scott J Dixon.
      Ferroptosis is an important mediator of pathophysiological cell death and an emerging target for cancer therapy. Whether ferroptosis sensitivity is governed by a single regulatory mechanism is unclear. Here, based on the integration of 24 published chemical genetic screens combined with targeted follow-up experimentation, we find that the genetic regulation of ferroptosis sensitivity is highly variable and context-dependent. For example, the lipid metabolic gene acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) appears far more essential for ferroptosis triggered by direct inhibition of the lipid hydroperoxidase glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) than by cystine deprivation. Despite this, distinct pro-ferroptotic stimuli converge upon a common lethal effector mechanism: accumulation of lipid peroxides at the plasma membrane. These results indicate that distinct genetic mechanisms regulate ferroptosis sensitivity, with implications for the initiation and analysis of this process in vivo.
    Keywords:  ACSL4; PUFA; ROS; cancer; ether lipid; ferroptosis; iron
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.06.004
  36. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 ;10 895521
    Regulation of Heme Synthesis by Mitochondrial Homeostasis Proteins.
    Yvette Y Yien, Mark Perfetto.
      Heme plays a central role in diverse, life-essential processes that range from ubiquitous, housekeeping pathways such as respiration, to highly cell-specific ones such as oxygen transport by hemoglobin. The regulation of heme synthesis and its utilization is highly regulated and cell-specific. In this review, we have attempted to describe how the heme synthesis machinery is regulated by mitochondrial homeostasis as a means of coupling heme synthesis to its utilization and to the metabolic requirements of the cell. We have focused on discussing the regulation of mitochondrial heme synthesis enzymes by housekeeping proteins, transport of heme intermediates, and regulation of heme synthesis by macromolecular complex formation and mitochondrial metabolism. Recently discovered mechanisms are discussed in the context of the model organisms in which they were identified, while more established work is discussed in light of technological advancements.
    Keywords:  erythroid; heme; housekeeping protein; mice; mitochondria; model organisms; yeast; zebrafish
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.895521
  37. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 14. 13(1): 4075
    Cell-autonomous Hedgehog signaling controls Th17 polarization and pathogenicity.
    Joachim Hanna, Flavio Beke, Louise M O'Brien, Chrysa Kapeni, Hung-Chang Chen, Valentina Carbonaro, Alexander B Kim, Kamal Kishore, Timon E Adolph, Mikkel-Ole Skjoedt, Karsten Skjoedt, Marc de la Roche, Maike de la Roche.
      Th17 cells are key drivers of autoimmune disease. However, the signaling pathways regulating Th17 polarization are poorly understood. Hedgehog signaling regulates cell fate decisions during embryogenesis and adult tissue patterning. Here we find that cell-autonomous Hedgehog signaling, independent of exogenous ligands, selectively drives the polarization of Th17 cells but not other T helper cell subsets. We show that endogenous Hedgehog ligand, Ihh, signals to activate both canonical and non-canonical Hedgehog pathways through Gli3 and AMPK. We demonstrate that Hedgehog pathway inhibition with either the clinically-approved small molecule inhibitor vismodegib or genetic ablation of Ihh in CD4+ T cells greatly diminishes disease severity in two mouse models of intestinal inflammation. We confirm that Hedgehog pathway expression is upregulated in tissue from human ulcerative colitis patients and correlates with Th17 marker expression. This work implicates Hedgehog signaling in Th17 polarization and intestinal immunopathology and indicates the potential therapeutic use of Hedgehog inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31722-5
  38. Dev Cell. 2022 Jul 05. pii: S1534-5807(22)00448-8. [Epub ahead of print]
    A ROS-dependent mechanism promotes CDK2 phosphorylation to drive progression through S phase.
    Dilyana Georgieva Kirova, Kristyna Judasova, Julia Vorhauser, Thomas Zerjatke, Jacky Kieran Leung, Ingmar Glauche, Jörg Mansfeld.
      Reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the right concentration promote cell proliferation in cell culture, stem cells, and model organisms. However, the mystery of how ROS signaling is coordinated with cell cycle progression and integrated into the cell cycle control machinery on the molecular level remains unsolved. Here, we report increasing levels of mitochondrial ROS during the cell cycle in human cell lines that target cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). Chemical and metabolic interferences with ROS production decrease T-loop phosphorylation on CDK2 and so impede its full activation and thus its efficient DNA replication. ROS regulate CDK2 activity through the oxidation of a conserved cysteine residue near the T-loop, which prevents the binding of the T-loop phosphatase KAP. Together, our data reveal how mitochondrial metabolism is coupled with DNA replication and cell cycle progression via ROS, thereby demonstrating how KAP activity toward CDKs can be cell cycle regulated.
    Keywords:  CDK2; DNA replication; KAP; T-loop phosphorylation; cell cycle; cyclin-dependent kinase; metabolism; mitochondria; proliferation; reactive oxygen species
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2022.06.008
  39. Dev Cell. 2022 Jul 05. pii: S1534-5807(22)00450-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    Genetic variation associated with condensate dysregulation in disease.
    Salman F Banani, Lena K Afeyan, Susana W Hawken, Jonathan E Henninger, Alessandra Dall'Agnese, Victoria E Clark, Jesse M Platt, Ozgur Oksuz, Nancy M Hannett, Ido Sagi, Tong Ihn Lee, Richard A Young.
      A multitude of cellular processes involve biomolecular condensates, which has led to the suggestion that diverse pathogenic mutations may dysregulate condensates. Although proof-of-concept studies have identified specific mutations that cause condensate dysregulation, the full scope of the pathological genetic variation that affects condensates is not yet known. Here, we comprehensively map pathogenic mutations to condensate-promoting protein features in putative condensate-forming proteins and find over 36,000 pathogenic mutations that plausibly contribute to condensate dysregulation in over 1,200 Mendelian diseases and 550 cancers. This resource captures mutations presently known to dysregulate condensates, and experimental tests confirm that additional pathological mutations do indeed affect condensate properties in cells. These findings suggest that condensate dysregulation may be a pervasive pathogenic mechanism underlying a broad spectrum of human diseases, provide a strategy to identify proteins and mutations involved in pathologically altered condensates, and serve as a foundation for mechanistic insights into disease and therapeutic hypotheses.
    Keywords:  Mendelian disease; biomolecular condensates; cancer; clinical genetics; condensate dysregulation; human genetics; pathogenic variants
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2022.06.010
  40. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 13. 13(1): 4061
    The HHIP-AS1 lncRNA promotes tumorigenicity through stabilization of dynein complex 1 in human SHH-driven tumors.
    Jasmin Bartl, Marco Zanini, Flavia Bernardi, Antoine Forget, Lena Blümel, Julie Talbot, Daniel Picard, Nan Qin, Gabriele Cancila, Qingsong Gao, Soumav Nath, Idriss Mahoungou Koumba, Marietta Wolter, François Kuonen, Maike Langini, Thomas Beez, Christopher Munoz, David Pauck, Viktoria Marquardt, Hua Yu, Judith Souphron, Mascha Korsch, Christina Mölders, Daniel Berger, Sarah Göbbels, Frauke-Dorothee Meyer, Björn Scheffler, Barak Rotblat, Sven Diederichs, Vijay Ramaswamy, Hiromishi Suzuki, Anthony Oro, Kai Stühler, Anja Stefanski, Ute Fischer, Gabriel Leprivier, Dieter Willbold, Gerhard Steger, Alexander Buell, Marcel Kool, Peter Lichter, Stefan M Pfister, Paul A Northcott, Michael D Taylor, Arndt Borkhardt, Guido Reifenberger, Olivier Ayrault, Marc Remke.
      Most lncRNAs display species-specific expression patterns suggesting that animal models of cancer may only incompletely recapitulate the regulatory crosstalk between lncRNAs and oncogenic pathways in humans. Among these pathways, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling is aberrantly activated in several human cancer entities. We unravel that aberrant expression of the primate-specific lncRNA HedgeHog Interacting Protein-AntiSense 1 (HHIP-AS1) is a hallmark of SHH-driven tumors including medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors. HHIP-AS1 is actively transcribed from a bidirectional promoter shared with SHH regulator HHIP. Knockdown of HHIP-AS1 induces mitotic spindle deregulation impairing tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, HHIP-AS1 binds directly to the mRNA of cytoplasmic dynein 1 intermediate chain 2 (DYNC1I2) and attenuates its degradation by hsa-miR-425-5p. We uncover that neither HHIP-AS1 nor the corresponding regulatory element in DYNC1I2 are evolutionary conserved in mice. Taken together, we discover an lncRNA-mediated mechanism that enables the pro-mitotic effects of SHH pathway activation in human tumors.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31574-z
  41. Nat Chem Biol. 2022 Jul 14.
    Shackled ribosomes unleashed.
    Aleksandra Filipovska, Oliver Rackham.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-022-01020-8
  42. Cell. 2022 Jul 01. pii: S0092-8674(22)00721-8. [Epub ahead of print]
    Tools for mammalian glycoscience research.
    Matthew E Griffin, Linda C Hsieh-Wilson.
      Cellular carbohydrates or glycans are critical mediators of biological function. Their remarkably diverse structures and varied activities present exciting opportunities for understanding many areas of biology. In this primer, we discuss key methods and recent breakthrough technologies for identifying, monitoring, and manipulating glycans in mammalian systems.
    Keywords:  carbohydrates; glycans; glycobiology; mammalian biology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.016
  43. Cell. 2022 Jul 08. pii: S0092-8674(22)00787-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Cancer vaccines: Building a bridge over troubled waters.
    MacLean C Sellars, Catherine J Wu, Edward F Fritsch.
      Cancer vaccines aim to direct the immune system to eradicate cancer cells. Here we review the essential immunologic concepts underpinning natural immunity and highlight the multiple unique challenges faced by vaccines targeting cancer. Recent technological advances in mass spectrometry, neoantigen prediction, genetically and pharmacologically engineered mouse models, and single-cell omics have revealed new biology, which can help to bridge this divide. We particularly focus on translationally relevant aspects, such as antigen selection and delivery and the monitoring of human post-vaccination responses, and encourage more aggressive exploration of novel approaches.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.035
  44. BMC Biol. 2022 Jul 15. 20(1): 163
    Proton export upregulates aerobic glycolysis.
    Shonagh Russell, Liping Xu, Yoonseok Kam, Dominique Abrahams, Bryce Ordway, Alex S Lopez, Marilyn M Bui, Joseph Johnson, Tamir Epstein, Epifanio Ruiz, Mark C Lloyd, Pawel Swietach, Daniel Verduzco, Jonathan Wojtkowiak, Robert J Gillies.
       INTRODUCTION: Aggressive cancers commonly ferment glucose to lactic acid at high rates, even in the presence of oxygen. This is known as aerobic glycolysis, or the "Warburg Effect." It is widely assumed that this is a consequence of the upregulation of glycolytic enzymes. Oncogenic drivers can increase the expression of most proteins in the glycolytic pathway, including the terminal step of exporting H+ equivalents from the cytoplasm. Proton exporters maintain an alkaline cytoplasmic pH, which can enhance all glycolytic enzyme activities, even in the absence of oncogene-related expression changes. Based on this observation, we hypothesized that increased uptake and fermentative metabolism of glucose could be driven by the expulsion of H+ equivalents from the cell.
    RESULTS: To test this hypothesis, we stably transfected lowly glycolytic MCF-7, U2-OS, and glycolytic HEK293 cells to express proton-exporting systems: either PMA1 (plasma membrane ATPase 1, a yeast H+-ATPase) or CA-IX (carbonic anhydrase 9). The expression of either exporter in vitro enhanced aerobic glycolysis as measured by glucose consumption, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rate. This resulted in an increased intracellular pH, and metabolomic analyses indicated that this was associated with an increased flux of all glycolytic enzymes upstream of pyruvate kinase. These cells also demonstrated increased migratory and invasive phenotypes in vitro, and these were recapitulated in vivo by more aggressive behavior, whereby the acid-producing cells formed higher-grade tumors with higher rates of metastases. Neutralizing tumor acidity with oral buffers reduced the metastatic burden.
    CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, cancer cells which increase export of H+ equivalents subsequently increase intracellular alkalization, even without oncogenic driver mutations, and this is sufficient to alter cancer metabolism towards an upregulation of aerobic glycolysis, a Warburg phenotype. Overall, we have shown that the traditional understanding of cancer cells favoring glycolysis and the subsequent extracellular acidification is not always linear. Cells which can, independent of metabolism, acidify through proton exporter activity can sufficiently drive their metabolism towards glycolysis providing an important fitness advantage for survival.
    Keywords:  CA-IX; Cancer; Glycolysis; Metastasis; PMA1; Proton; Warburg; pH
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01340-0
  45. Nature. 2022 Jul 12.
    Persister cells that survive chemotherapy are pinpointed.
    Sumaiyah K Rehman, Catherine A O'Brien.
      
    Keywords:  Cancer; Medical research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-01866-x
  46. PLoS One. 2022 ;17(7): e0271199
    Acetate and hypertonic stress stimulate vacuole membrane fission using distinct mechanisms.
    Zeynep Derin Gokbayrak, Dipti Patel, Christopher Leonard Brett.
      Vacuoles in plants and fungi play critical roles in cell metabolism and osmoregulation. To support these functions, vacuoles change their morphology, e.g. they fragment when these organisms are challenged with draught, high salinity or metabolic stress (e.g. acetate accumulation). In turn, morphology reflects an equilibrium between membrane fusion and fission that determines size, shape and copy number. By studying Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its vacuole as models, conserved molecular mechanisms responsible for fusion have been revealed. However, a detailed understanding of vacuole fission and how these opposing processes respond to metabolism or osmoregulation remain elusive. Herein we describe a new fluorometric assay to measure yeast vacuole fission in vitro. For proof-of-concept, we use this assay to confirm that acetate, a metabolic stressor, triggers vacuole fission and show it blocks homotypic vacuole fusion in vitro. Similarly, hypertonic stress induced by sorbitol or glucose caused robust vacuole fission in vitro whilst inhibiting fusion. Using wortmannin to inhibit phosphatidylinositol (PI) -kinases or rGyp1-46 to inactivate Rab-GTPases, we show that acetate stress likely targets PI signaling, whereas osmotic stress affects Rab signaling on vacuole membranes to stimulate fission. This study sets the stage for further investigation into the mechanisms that change vacuole morphology to support cell metabolism and osmoregulation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271199
  47. Semin Cancer Biol. 2022 Jul 06. pii: S1044-579X(22)00162-6. [Epub ahead of print]
    Historical perspective of tumor glycolysis: A century with Otto Warburg.
    Giulia Bononi, Samuele Masoni, Valeria Di Bussolo, Tiziano Tuccinardi, Carlotta Granchi, Filippo Minutolo.
      Tumors have long been known to rewire their metabolism to endorse their proliferation, growth, survival, and invasiveness. One of the common characteristics of these alterations is the enhanced glucose uptake and its subsequent transformation into lactic acid by means of glycolysis, regardless the availability of oxygen or the mitochondria effectiveness. This phenomenon is called the "Warburg effect", which has turned into a century of age now, since its first disclosure by German physiologist Otto Heinrich Warburg. Since then, this peculiar metabolic switch in tumors has been addressed by extensive studies covering several areas of research. In this historical perspective, we aim at illustrating the evolution of these studies over time and their implication in various fields of science.
    Keywords:  Aerobic glycolysis; Historical perspective; Reverse Warburg effect; Tumor metabolism; Warburg effect
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.003
  48. Front Immunol. 2022 ;13 937247
    Research Progress on the Mechanism of Itaconate Regulating Macrophage Immunometabolism.
    Jia Shi, Cheng Cai.
      The field of immunology is undergoing rapid and dramatic changes. Immunometabolism, a change in metabolic pathways within immune cells, is a key determinant in the activation of immune cells, and intermediates of immunometabolic processes which can influence inflammatory gene expression and play a role in inflammation. Itaconate is one of the most representative metabolites, produced in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), which links macrophage metabolism, oxidative stress response and immune response to regulate macrophage activity, playing an important role in the function of macrophages. In this paper, we review the mechanisms of the metabolite itaconate and its derivatives in the regulation of macrophage immune metabolism, intending to gain further insight into the role and mechanisms of this metabolite in macrophages and provide new ideas for the mechanisms and treatment of clinical diseases.
    Keywords:  immunometabolism; itaconate; macrophages; research progress; tricarboxylic acid cycle
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.937247
  49. Alzheimers Dement. 2022 Jul 13.
    The landscape of metabolic brain alterations in Alzheimer's disease.
    Alzheimer's Disease Metabolomics Consortium (ADMC)
       INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is accompanied by metabolic alterations both in the periphery and the central nervous system. However, so far, a global view of AD-associated metabolic changes in the brain has been missing.
    METHODS: We metabolically profiled 500 samples from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Metabolite levels were correlated with eight clinical parameters, covering both late-life cognitive performance and AD neuropathology measures.
    RESULTS: We observed widespread metabolic dysregulation associated with AD, spanning 298 metabolites from various AD-relevant pathways. These included alterations to bioenergetics, cholesterol metabolism, neuroinflammation, and metabolic consequences of neurotransmitter ratio imbalances. Our findings further suggest impaired osmoregulation as a potential pathomechanism in AD. Finally, inspecting the interplay of proteinopathies provided evidence that metabolic associations were largely driven by tau pathology rather than amyloid beta pathology.
    DISCUSSION: This work provides a comprehensive reference map of metabolic brain changes in AD that lays the foundation for future mechanistic follow-up studies.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer's disease; bioenergetic pathways; brain; cholesterol metabolism; metabolic landscape; metabolism; multi-omic integration; neuroinflammation; neurotransmission; osmoregulation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12714
  50. Trends Cancer. 2022 Jul 07. pii: S2405-8033(22)00135-2. [Epub ahead of print]
    Age-associated differences in the cancer molecular landscape.
    Kasit Chatsirisupachai, Cyril Lagger, João Pedro de Magalhães.
      Cancer is an age-related disease, as incidence and mortality for most types of cancer increase with age. However, how molecular alterations in tumors differ among patients of different ages remains poorly understood. Recent studies have shed light on the age-associated molecular landscapes in cancer. Here, we summarize the main findings of these current studies, highlighting major differences in the genomic, transcriptomic, epigenetic, and immunological landscapes between cancer in younger and older patients. Importantly, some cancer driver genes are mutated more frequently in younger or older patients. We discuss the potential roles of aging-related processes in shaping these age-related differences in cancer. We further emphasize the remaining unsolved questions that could provide important insights that will have implications in personalized medicine.
    Keywords:  aging; cancer genomics; cancer immune landscape; carcinoma; microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2022.06.007
  51. Nature. 2022 Jul 13.
    Retrograde movements determine effective stem cell numbers in the intestine.
    Maria Azkanaz, Bernat Corominas-Murtra, Saskia I J Ellenbroek, Lotte Bruens, Anna T Webb, Dimitrios Laskaris, Koen C Oost, Simona J A Lafirenze, Karl Annusver, Hendrik A Messal, Sharif Iqbal, Dustin J Flanagan, David J Huels, Felipe Rojas-Rodríguez, Miguel Vizoso, Maria Kasper, Owen J Sansom, Hugo J Snippert, Prisca Liberali, Benjamin D Simons, Pekka Katajisto, Edouard Hannezo, Jacco van Rheenen.
      The morphology and functionality of the epithelial lining differ along the intestinal tract, but tissue renewal at all sites is driven by stem cells at the base of crypts1-3. Whether stem cell numbers and behaviour vary at different sites is unknown. Here we show using intravital microscopy that, despite similarities in the number and distribution of proliferative cells with an Lgr5 signature in mice, small intestinal crypts contain twice as many effective stem cells as large intestinal crypts. We find that, although passively displaced by a conveyor-belt-like upward movement, small intestinal cells positioned away from the crypt base can function as long-term effective stem cells owing to Wnt-dependent retrograde cellular movement. By contrast, the near absence of retrograde movement in the large intestine restricts cell repositioning, leading to a reduction in effective stem cell number. Moreover, after suppression of the retrograde movement in the small intestine, the number of effective stem cells is reduced, and the rate of monoclonal conversion of crypts is accelerated. Together, these results show that the number of effective stem cells is determined by active retrograde movement, revealing a new channel of stem cell regulation that can be experimentally and pharmacologically manipulated.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04962-0
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