bims-glucam Biomed News
on Glutamine cancer metabolism
Issue of 2023–10–15
fourteen papers selected by
Sreeparna Banerjee, Middle East Technical University
  1. Inhibiting Glutamine Metabolism Blocks Coronavirus Replication in Mammalian Cells.
  2. Glutamine metabolism in tumor metastasis: Genes, mechanisms and the therapeutic targets.
  3. Glutamine mimicry suppresses tumor progression through asparagine metabolism in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
  4. Targeting pancreatic cancer metabolic dependencies through glutamine antagonism.
  5. Cellular signaling in the hypoxic cancer microenvironment: Implications for drug resistance and therapeutic targeting.
  6. Cancer Metabolism as a Therapeutic Target and Review of Interventions.
  7. L-Glutamine and Survival of Patients with Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Chemoradiotherapy.
  8. An intricate rewiring of cancer metabolism via alternative splicing.
  9. The Combined Inhibition of Autophagy and Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase-Mediated Lipid Droplet Biogenesis Induces Cancer Cell Death during Acute Amino Acid Starvation.
  10. The malate shuttle detoxifies ammonia in exhausted T cells by producing 2-ketoglutarate.
  11. MYC is a regulator of androgen receptor inhibition-induced metabolic requirements in prostate cancer.
  12. Metabolomics profiling and chemoresistance mechanisms in ovarian cancer cell lines: Implications for targeting glutathione pathway.
  13. MYCN Amplifications and Metabolic Rewiring in Neuroblastoma.
  14. A fluorescent probe for bioimaging of GSH in cancer cells.
  1. bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 28. pii: 2023.09.27.559756. [Epub ahead of print]
    Inhibiting Glutamine Metabolism Blocks Coronavirus Replication in Mammalian Cells.
    Kai Su Greene, Annette Choi, Matthew Chen, Nianhui Yang, Ruizhi Li, Yijian Qiu, Michael J Lukey, Katherine S Rojas, Jonathan Shen, Kristin F Wilson, William P Katt, Gary R Whittaker, Richard A Cerione.
      Developing therapeutic strategies against COVID-19 has gained widespread interest given the likelihood that new viral variants will continue to emerge. Here we describe one potential therapeutic strategy which involves targeting members of the glutaminase family of mitochondrial metabolic enzymes (GLS and GLS2), which catalyze the first step in glutamine metabolism, the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate. We show three examples where GLS expression increases during coronavirus infection of host cells, and another in which GLS2 is upregulated. The viruses hijack the metabolic machinery responsible for glutamine metabolism to generate the building blocks for biosynthetic processes and satisfy the bioenergetic requirements demanded by the 'glutamine addiction' of virus-infected host cells. We demonstrate how genetic silencing of glutaminase enzymes reduces coronavirus infection and that newer members of two classes of small molecule allosteric inhibitors targeting these enzymes, designated as SU1, a pan-GLS/GLS2 inhibitor, and UP4, which is specific for GLS, block viral replication in mammalian epithelial cells. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of glutamine metabolism for coronavirus replication in human cells and show that glutaminase inhibitors can block coronavirus infection and thereby may represent a novel class of anti-viral drug candidates.
    Teaser: Inhibitors targeting glutaminase enzymes block coronavirus replication and may represent a new class of anti-viral drugs.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.27.559756
  2. Heliyon. 2023 Oct;9(10): e20656
    Glutamine metabolism in tumor metastasis: Genes, mechanisms and the therapeutic targets.
    Xugang Zhong, Zeju He, Li Yin, Yong Fan, Yu Tong, Yao Kang, Qing Bi.
      Cancer cells frequently change their metabolism from aerobic glycolysis to lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism to adapt to the malignant biological behaviours of infinite proliferation and distant metastasis. The significance of metabolic substances and patterns in tumour cell metastasis is becoming increasingly prominent. Tumour metastasis involves a series of significant steps such as the shedding of cancer cells from a primary tumour, resistance to apoptosis, and colonisation of metastatic sites. However, the role of glutamine in these processes remains unclear. This review summarises the key enzymes and transporters involved in glutamine metabolism that are related to the pathogenesis of malignant tumour metastasis. We also list the roles of glutamine in resisting oxidative stress and promoting immune escape. Finally, the significance of targeting glutamine metabolism in inhibiting tumour metastasis was proposed, research in this field improving our understanding of amino acid metabolism rewiring and simultaneously bringing about new and exciting therapeutic prospects.
    Keywords:  Amino acid metabolism; Cancer metastasis; Glutamine; Metabolic therapy; Precision medicine
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20656
  3. Nat Cancer. 2023 Oct 09.
    Glutamine mimicry suppresses tumor progression through asparagine metabolism in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
    Maria Victoria Recouvreux, Shea F Grenier, Yijuan Zhang, Edgar Esparza, Guillem Lambies, Cheska Marie Galapate, Swetha Maganti, Karen Duong-Polk, Deepika Bhullar, Razia Naeem, David A Scott, Andrew M Lowy, Hervé Tiriac, Cosimo Commisso.
      In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), glutamine is a critical nutrient that drives a wide array of metabolic and biosynthetic processes that support tumor growth. Here, we elucidate how 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON), a glutamine antagonist that broadly inhibits glutamine metabolism, blocks PDAC tumor growth and metastasis. We find that DON significantly reduces asparagine production by inhibiting asparagine synthetase (ASNS), and that the effects of DON are rescued by asparagine. As a metabolic adaptation, PDAC cells upregulate ASNS expression in response to DON, and we show that ASNS levels are inversely correlated with DON efficacy. We also show that L-asparaginase (ASNase) synergizes with DON to affect the viability of PDAC cells, and that DON and ASNase combination therapy has a significant impact on metastasis. These results shed light on the mechanisms that drive the effects of glutamine mimicry and point to the utility of cotargeting adaptive responses to control PDAC progression.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-023-00649-1
  4. Nat Cancer. 2023 Oct 09.
    Targeting pancreatic cancer metabolic dependencies through glutamine antagonism.
    Joel Encarnación-Rosado, Albert S W Sohn, Douglas E Biancur, Elaine Y Lin, Victoria Osorio-Vasquez, Tori Rodrick, Diana González-Baerga, Ende Zhao, Yumi Yokoyama, Diane M Simeone, Drew R Jones, Seth J Parker, Robert Wild, Alec C Kimmelman.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells use glutamine (Gln) to support proliferation and redox balance. Early attempts to inhibit Gln metabolism using glutaminase inhibitors resulted in rapid metabolic reprogramming and therapeutic resistance. Here, we demonstrated that treating PDAC cells with a Gln antagonist, 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON), led to a metabolic crisis in vitro. In addition, we observed a profound decrease in tumor growth in several in vivo models using sirpiglenastat (DRP-104), a pro-drug version of DON that was designed to circumvent DON-associated toxicity. We found that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling is increased as a compensatory mechanism. Combinatorial treatment with DRP-104 and trametinib led to a significant increase in survival in a syngeneic model of PDAC. These proof-of-concept studies suggested that broadly targeting Gln metabolism could provide a therapeutic avenue for PDAC. The combination with an ERK signaling pathway inhibitor could further improve the therapeutic outcome.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-023-00647-3
  5. Cell Signal. 2023 Oct 05. pii: S0898-6568(23)00326-1. [Epub ahead of print] 110911
    Cellular signaling in the hypoxic cancer microenvironment: Implications for drug resistance and therapeutic targeting.
    Hamid A Bakshi, Michella Mkhael, Hakkim L Faruck, Asad Ullah Khan, Alaa A A Aljabali, Vijay Mishra, Mohamed El-Tanani, Nitin B Charbe, Murtaza M Tambuwala.
      The rewiring of cellular metabolism is a defining characteristic of cancer, as tumor cells adapt to acquire essential nutrients from a nutrient-poor environment to sustain their viability and biomass. While hypoxia has been identified as a major factor depriving cancer cells of nutrients, recent studies have revealed that cancer cells distant from supporting blood vessels also face nutrient limitations. To overcome this challenge, hypoxic cancer cells, which heavily rely on glucose as an energy source, employ alternative pathways such as glycogen metabolism and reductive carboxylation of glutamine to meet their energy requirements for survival. Our preliminary studies, alongside others in the field, have shown that under glucose-deficient conditions, hypoxic cells can utilize mannose and maltose as alternative energy sources. This review aims to comprehensively examine the hypoxic cancer microenvironment, its association with drug resistance, and potential therapeutic strategies for targeting this unique niche. Furthermore, we will critically evaluate the current literature on hypoxic cancer microenvironments and explore state-of-the-art techniques used to analyze alternate carbohydrates, specifically mannose and maltose, in complex biological fluids. We will also propose the most effective analytical methods for quantifying mannose and maltose in such biological samples. By gaining a deeper understanding of the hypoxic cancer cell microenvironment and its role in drug resistance, novel therapeutic approaches can be developed to exploit this knowledge.
    Keywords:  Drug Resistance; Hypoxia; alternate carbohydrate; cancer metabolism; microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110911
  6. Nutrients. 2023 Oct 01. pii: 4245. [Epub ahead of print]15(19):
    Cancer Metabolism as a Therapeutic Target and Review of Interventions.
    Matthew T J Halma, Jack A Tuszynski, Paul E Marik.
      Cancer is amenable to low-cost treatments, given that it has a significant metabolic component, which can be affected through diet and lifestyle change at minimal cost. The Warburg hypothesis states that cancer cells have an altered cell metabolism towards anaerobic glycolysis. Given this metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, it is possible to target cancers metabolically by depriving them of glucose. In addition to dietary and lifestyle modifications which work on tumors metabolically, there are a panoply of nutritional supplements and repurposed drugs associated with cancer prevention and better treatment outcomes. These interventions and their evidentiary basis are covered in the latter half of this review to guide future cancer treatment.
    Keywords:  Warburg effect; cancer metabolism; glycolysis; ketogenic diet; lifestyle interventions; repurposed drugs
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194245
  7. Nutrients. 2023 Sep 23. pii: 4117. [Epub ahead of print]15(19):
    L-Glutamine and Survival of Patients with Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Chemoradiotherapy.
    Takae Tsujimoto, Masafumi Wasa, Hidenori Inohara, Toshinori Ito.
      We previously reported that L-glutamine reduces the severity of mucositis caused by chemoradiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. However, the impact of glutamine on the anti-tumor effect of chemoradiotherapy remains controversial. This study, which included 40 patients, investigated whether L-glutamine influences survival. Radiation therapy (total: 66 or 70 Gy), cisplatin, and docetaxel were co-administered for a period of 6 weeks. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either glutamine (glutamine group, n = 20) or placebo (placebo group, n = 20) during the entire course of chemoradiotherapy. We compared the overall survival and progression-free survival rates between the two groups. At 5-year follow-up, 16 (80%) and 13 (72%) patients in the glutamine and placebo groups, respectively, survived (with no significant difference in overall survival [glutamine group: 55.2 ± 12.7 months vs. placebo group: 48.3 ± 21.3 months]). A total of 14 (70%) and 12 (67%) patients in the glutamine and placebo groups, respectively, did not experience disease progression (with no significant difference in progression-free survival [glutamine group: 46.7 ± 19.5 months vs. placebo group: 43.6 ± 25.2 months]). These findings indicate that L-glutamine does not influence the survival of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy.
    Keywords:  L-glutamine; chemoradiotherapy; glutathione; head and neck cancer; mucositis; oral glutamine supplementation; overall response rate; overall survival; progression-free survival; reactive oxygen species
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194117
  8. Biochem Pharmacol. 2023 Oct 07. pii: S0006-2952(23)00439-2. [Epub ahead of print] 115848
    An intricate rewiring of cancer metabolism via alternative splicing.
    Gazmend Temaj, Sivia Chichiarelli, Sarmistha Saha, Pelin Telkoparan-Akillilar, Nexhibe Nuhii, Rifat Hadziselimovic, Luciano Saso.
      All human genes undergo alternative splicing leading to the diversity of the proteins. However, in some cases, abnormal regulation of alternative splicing can result in diseases that trigger defects in metabolism, reduced apoptosis, increased proliferation, and progression in almost all tumor types. Metabolic dysregulations and immune dysfunctions are crucial factors in cancer. In this respect, alternative splicing in tumors could be a potential target for therapeutic cancer strategies. Dysregulation of alternative splicing during mRNA maturation promotes carcinogenesis and drug resistance in many cancer types. Alternative splicing (changing the target mRNA 3'UTR binding site) can result in a protein with altered drug affinity, ultimately leading to drug resistance.. Here, we will highlight the function of various alternative splicing factors, how it regulates the reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism, and their contribution to tumor initiation and proliferation. Also, we will discuss emerging therapeutics for treating tumors via abnormal alternative splicing. Finally, we will discuss the challenges associated with these therapeutic strategies for clinical applications.
    Keywords:  Alternative splicing; Cancer; Metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115848
  9. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Oct 05. pii: 4857. [Epub ahead of print]15(19):
    The Combined Inhibition of Autophagy and Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase-Mediated Lipid Droplet Biogenesis Induces Cancer Cell Death during Acute Amino Acid Starvation.
    Maida Jusović, Pia Starič, Eva Jarc Jovičić, Toni Petan.
      Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles involved in the management of fatty acid trafficking and metabolism. Recent studies suggest that autophagy and LDs serve complementary roles in the protection against nutrient stress, but the autophagy-LD interplay in cancer cells is not well understood. Here, we examined the relationship between autophagy and LDs in starving HeLa cervical cancer- and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We found that acute amino acid depletion induces autophagy and promotes diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1)-mediated LD accumulation in HeLa cells. Inhibition of autophagy via late-stage autophagy inhibitors, or by knocking down autophagy-related 5 (ATG5), reduced LD accumulation in amino acid-starved cancer cells, suggesting that autophagy contributes to LD biogenesis. On the contrary, knockdown of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) increased LD accumulation, suggesting that LD breakdown is mediated by lipolysis under these conditions. Concurrent inhibition of autophagy by silencing ATG5 and of LD biogenesis using DGAT inhibitors was effective in killing starving HeLa cells, whereas cell survival was not compromised by suppression of ATGL-mediated lipolysis. Autophagy-dependent LD biogenesis was also observed in the aggressive triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells deprived of amino acids, but these cells were not sensitized to starvation by the combined inhibition of LD biogenesis and autophagy. These findings reveal that while targeting autophagy-driven and DGAT-mediated LD biogenesis reduces the resilience of HeLa cervical cancer cells to amino acid deprivation, this strategy may not be successful in other cancer cell types.
    Keywords:  autophagy; cancer; cell death; diacylglycerol acyltransferase; lipid droplets; nutrient starvation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15194857
  10. Nat Immunol. 2023 Oct 09.
    The malate shuttle detoxifies ammonia in exhausted T cells by producing 2-ketoglutarate.
    Nina Weisshaar, Sicong Ma, Yanan Ming, Alaa Madi, Alessa Mieg, Marvin Hering, Ferdinand Zettl, Kerstin Mohr, Nora Ten Bosch, Diana Stichling, Michael Buettner, Gernot Poschet, Glynis Klinke, Michael Schulz, Nina Kunze-Rohrbach, Carolin Kerber, Isabel Madeleine Klein, Jingxia Wu, Xi Wang, Guoliang Cui.
      The malate shuttle is traditionally understood to maintain NAD+/NADH balance between the cytosol and mitochondria. Whether the malate shuttle has additional functions is unclear. Here we show that chronic viral infections induce CD8+ T cell expression of GOT1, a central enzyme in the malate shuttle. Got1 deficiency decreased the NAD+/NADH ratio and limited antiviral CD8+ T cell responses to chronic infection; however, increasing the NAD+/NADH ratio did not restore T cell responses. Got1 deficiency reduced the production of the ammonia scavenger 2-ketoglutarate (2-KG) from glutaminolysis and led to a toxic accumulation of ammonia in CD8+ T cells. Supplementation with 2-KG assimilated and detoxified ammonia in Got1-deficient T cells and restored antiviral responses. These data indicate that the major function of the malate shuttle in CD8+ T cells is not to maintain the NAD+/NADH balance but rather to detoxify ammonia and enable sustainable ammonia-neutral glutamine catabolism in CD8+ T cells during chronic infection.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01636-5
  11. Cell Rep. 2023 Oct 09. pii: S2211-1247(23)01233-0. [Epub ahead of print]42(10): 113221
    MYC is a regulator of androgen receptor inhibition-induced metabolic requirements in prostate cancer.
    Preston D Crowell, Jenna M Giafaglione, Anthony E Jones, Nicholas M Nunley, Takao Hashimoto, Amelie M L Delcourt, Anton Petcherski, Raag Agrawal, Matthew J Bernard, Johnny A Diaz, Kylie Y Heering, Rong Rong Huang, Jin-Yih Low, Nedas Matulionis, Nora M Navone, Huihui Ye, Amina Zoubeidi, Heather R Christofk, Matthew B Rettig, Robert E Reiter, Michael C Haffner, Paul C Boutros, Orian S Shirihai, Ajit S Divakaruni, Andrew S Goldstein.
      Advanced prostate cancers are treated with therapies targeting the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. While many tumors initially respond to AR inhibition, nearly all develop resistance. It is critical to understand how prostate tumor cells respond to AR inhibition in order to exploit therapy-induced phenotypes prior to the outgrowth of treatment-resistant disease. Here, we comprehensively characterize the effects of AR blockade on prostate cancer metabolism using transcriptomics, metabolomics, and bioenergetics approaches. The metabolic response to AR inhibition is defined by reduced glycolysis, robust elongation of mitochondria, and increased reliance on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. We establish DRP1 activity and MYC signaling as mediators of AR-blockade-induced metabolic phenotypes. Rescuing DRP1 phosphorylation after AR inhibition restores mitochondrial fission, while rescuing MYC restores glycolytic activity and prevents sensitivity to complex I inhibition. Our study provides insight into the regulation of treatment-induced metabolic phenotypes and vulnerabilities in prostate cancer.
    Keywords:  CP: Cancer; CP: Metabolism
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113221
  12. Life Sci. 2023 Oct 10. pii: S0024-3205(23)00801-9. [Epub ahead of print] 122166
    Metabolomics profiling and chemoresistance mechanisms in ovarian cancer cell lines: Implications for targeting glutathione pathway.
    Pedro Alarcon-Zapata, Andy J Perez, Karin Toledo-Oñate, Hector Contreras, Valeska Ormazabal, Estefania Nova-Lamperti, Claudio A Aguayo, Carlos Salomon, Felipe A Zuniga.
      Ovarian cancer presents a significant challenge due to its high rate of chemoresistance, which complicates the effectiveness of drug-response therapy. This study provides a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR-3 and SK-OV-3, characterizing their distinct metabolic landscapes. Metabolomics coupled with chemometric analysis enabled us to discriminate between the metabolic profiles of these two cell lines. The OVCAR-3 cells, which are sensitive to doxorubicin (DOX), exhibited a preference for biosynthetic pathways associated with cell proliferation. Conversely, DOX-resistant SK-OV-3 cells favored fatty acid oxidation for energy maintenance. Notably, a marked difference in glutathione (GSH) metabolism was observed between these cell lines. Our investigations further revealed that GSH depletion led to a profound change in drug sensitivity, inducing a shift from a cytostatic to a cytotoxic response. The results derived from this comprehensive metabolomic analysis offer potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies to overcome drug resistance. Our study suggests that targeting the GSH pathway could potentially enhance chemotherapy's efficacy in treating ovarian cancer.
    Keywords:  Chemoresistance; Glutathione; Metabolomics; Ovarian cancer; SK-OV-3 cells
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122166
  13. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Sep 29. pii: 4803. [Epub ahead of print]15(19):
    MYCN Amplifications and Metabolic Rewiring in Neuroblastoma.
    Marialena Pouliou, Marianna A Koutsi, Lydia Champezou, Angeliki-Ioanna Giannopoulou, Giannis Vatsellas, Christina Piperi, Marios Agelopoulos.
      Cancer is a disease caused by (epi)genomic and gene expression abnormalities and characterized by metabolic phenotypes that are substantially different from the normal phenotypes of the tissues of origin. Metabolic reprogramming is one of the key features of tumors, including those established in the human nervous system. In this work, we emphasize a well-known cancerous genomic alteration: the amplification of MYCN and its downstream effects in neuroblastoma phenotype evolution. Herein, we extend our previous computational biology investigations by conducting an integrative workflow applied to published genomics datasets and comprehensively assess the impact of MYCN amplification in the upregulation of metabolism-related transcription factor (TF)-encoding genes in neuroblastoma cells. The results obtained first emphasized overexpressed TFs, and subsequently those committed in metabolic cellular processes, as validated by gene ontology analyses (GOs) and literature curation. Several genes encoding for those TFs were investigated at the mechanistic and regulatory levels by conducting further omics-based computational biology assessments applied on published ChIP-seq datasets retrieved from MYCN-amplified- and MYCN-enforced-overexpression within in vivo systems of study. Hence, we approached the mechanistic interrelationship between amplified MYCN and overexpression of metabolism-related TFs in neuroblastoma and showed that many are direct targets of MYCN in an amplification-inducible fashion. These results illuminate how MYCN executes its regulatory underpinnings on metabolic processes in neuroblastoma.
    Keywords:  MYCN amplifications; cancers; computational investigations; dysregulated gene expression; genomics; metabolism; neuroblastoma; transcription factors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15194803
  14. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2023 Sep 26. pii: S1386-1425(23)01142-3. [Epub ahead of print]305 123457
    A fluorescent probe for bioimaging of GSH in cancer cells.
    Langping Zhou, Weibing Zhang, Junhong Qian.
      A fluorescent probe CTP2-IMC was designed for bioimaging of glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells with indomethacin (IMC), coumarin and bromide as the targeting group, fluorophore and receptor, respectively. Due to the π-π interaction between coumarin and IMC, CTP2-IMC mainly exists in the form of folded state in aqueous solution. The non-radiative transitions caused by the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process from IMC to the fluorophore as well as the heavy-atom effect led to non-fluorescent of CTP2-IMC. The substitution of Br by GSH and unfolded conformation induced by IMC acceptor on cancer cells resulted in significant fluorescence enhancement, which enabled CTP2-IMC to bioimage GSH in cancer cells rather than in normal one.
    Keywords:  Bioimaging; Cancer cells; Fluorescent probe; Glutathione; Indomethacin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2023.123457
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