101
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Effects of Glucose Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, and Glutamine Metabolism on Tumor Microenvironment and Clinical Implications. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12040580. [PMID: 35454171 PMCID: PMC9028125 DOI: 10.3390/biom12040580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, an increasingly more in depth understanding of tumor metabolism in tumorigenesis, tumor growth, metastasis, and prognosis has been achieved. The broad heterogeneity in tumor tissue is the critical factor affecting the outcome of tumor treatment. Metabolic heterogeneity is not only found in tumor cells but also in their surrounding immune and stromal cells; for example, many suppressor cells, such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor-associated T-lymphocytes. Abnormalities in metabolism often lead to short survival or resistance to antitumor therapy, e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Using the metabolic characteristics of the tumor microenvironment to identify and treat cancer has become a great research hotspot. This review systematically addresses the impacts of metabolism on tumor cells and effector cells and represents recent research advances of metabolic effects on other cells in the tumor microenvironment. Finally, we introduce some applications of metabolic features in clinical oncology.
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102
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Li Q, Zhong X, Yao W, Yu J, Wang C, Li Z, Lai S, Qu F, Fu X, Huang X, Zhang D, Liu Y, Li H. Inhibitor of glutamine metabolism V9302 promotes ROS-induced autophagic degradation of B7H3 to enhance antitumor immunity. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101753. [PMID: 35189139 PMCID: PMC8968643 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the enormous successes of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in multiple other cancer types, the overall response rates of breast cancer remain suboptimal. Therefore, exploring additional immune checkpoint molecules for potential cancer treatment is crucial. B7H3, a T-cell coinhibitory molecule, is specifically overexpressed in breast cancer compared with normal breast tissue and benign lesions, making it an attractive therapeutic target. However, the mechanism by which B7H3 contributes to the cancer phenotype is unclear. Here we show that the expression of B7H3 is negatively related to the number of CD8+ T cells in breast tumor sites. In addition, analysis of the differentially expressed B7H3 reveals that it is inversely correlated to autophagic flux both in breast cancer cell lines and clinical tumor tissues. Furthermore, block of autophagy by bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) increases B7H3 levels and attenuates CD8+ T cell activation, while promotion of autophagy by V9302, a small-molecule inhibitor of glutamine metabolism, decreases B7H3 expression and enhances granzyme B (GzB) production of CD8+ T cells via regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. We demonstrate that combined treatment with V9302 and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) enhances antitumor immunity in syngeneic mouse models. Collectively, our findings unveil the beneficial effect of V9302 in boosting antitumor immune response in breast cancer and illustrate that anti-PD-1 together with V9302 treatment may provide synergistic effects in the treatment of patients insensitive to anti-PD-1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weicheng Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junli Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zongyan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengqing Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fanli Qu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojia Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yujie Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Haiyan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Breast Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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103
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Ying L, Cheng M, Lu Y, Tao Q, Chen X, Shen B, Xiong F, Hu Z, Wang D, Li X. Glutamine Metabolism Scoring Predicts Prognosis and Therapeutic Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Pathol Oncol Res 2022; 27:1610075. [PMID: 34992505 PMCID: PMC8724684 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2021.1610075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Glutamine metabolism (GM) plays a critical role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, a comprehensive methodology to quantify GM activity is still lacking. We developed a transcriptome-based GMScore to evaluate GM activity and investigated the association of GMScore with prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Two independent HCC cohorts with transcriptome data were selected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n = 365) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC, n = 231). The expression of 41 GM-associated genes were used to construct and validate GMScore. Several genomic or transcriptomic biomarkers were also estimated. Tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was predicted using the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion algorithm. GMScore was closely correlated with patient characteristics, including stage, histology grade, alpha-fetoprotein level, and vascular invasion. High GMScore was an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS) in both cohorts (HR = 4.2 and 3.91, both p < 0.001), superior to clinical indices and other biomarkers. High GMScore presented transcriptome features to indicate cell growth advantages and genetic stability, which was associated with poor OS of patients who received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). High GMScore was also related to high expression of immune checkpoint genes, increased infiltration of regulatory T cells, and decreased infiltration of M1 macrophages. More importantly, high GMScore indicated poor predicted responses to ICIs, which could be verified in an ICI-treated melanoma cohort. In conclusion, GMScore is a strong prognostic index that may be integrated into existing clinical algorithms. A high GMScore may indicate resistance to TACE and ICIs based on its transcriptome and immune features. Validations using other HCC cohorts, especially ICI-treated HCC cohorts, are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leqian Ying
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Meilian Cheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Qin Tao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fen Xiong
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhangmin Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Deqiang Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xiaoqin Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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104
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Heintzman DR, Fisher EL, Rathmell JC. Microenvironmental influences on T cell immunity in cancer and inflammation. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:316-326. [PMID: 35039633 PMCID: PMC8762638 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00833-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell metabolism is dynamic and highly regulated. While the intrinsic metabolic programs of T cell subsets are integral to their distinct differentiation and functional patterns, the ability of cells to acquire nutrients and cope with hostile microenvironments can limit these pathways. T cells must function in a wide variety of tissue settings, and how T cells interpret these signals to maintain an appropriate metabolic program for their demands or if metabolic mechanisms of immune suppression restrain immunity is an area of growing importance. Both in inflamed and cancer tissues, a wide range of changes in physical conditions and nutrient availability are now acknowledged to shape immunity. These include fever and increased temperatures, depletion of critical micro and macro-nutrients, and accumulation of inhibitory waste products. Here we review several of these factors and how the tissue microenvironment both shapes and constrains immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren R Heintzman
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37205, USA
| | - Emilie L Fisher
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37205, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Rathmell
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37205, USA.
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37205, USA.
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105
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Boyer T, Blaye C, Larmonier N, Domblides C. Influence of the Metabolism on Myeloid Cell Functions in Cancers: Clinical Perspectives. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030554. [PMID: 35159363 PMCID: PMC8834417 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor metabolism plays a crucial role in sustaining tumorigenesis. There have been increasing reports regarding the role of tumor metabolism in the control of immune cell functions, generating a potent immunosuppressive contexture that can lead to immune escape. The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells and the immune escape are two major hallmarks of cancer, with several instances of crosstalk between them. In this paper, we review the effects of tumor metabolism on immune cells, focusing on myeloid cells due to their important role in tumorigenesis and immunosuppression from the early stages of the disease. We also discuss ways to target this specific crosstalk in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Boyer
- CNRS UMR5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Site de Carreire, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (T.B.); (C.B.); (N.L.)
- Department of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Céline Blaye
- CNRS UMR5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Site de Carreire, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (T.B.); (C.B.); (N.L.)
- Department of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Bergonié Institute, 229 cours de l’Argonne, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Nicolas Larmonier
- CNRS UMR5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Site de Carreire, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (T.B.); (C.B.); (N.L.)
- Department of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Charlotte Domblides
- CNRS UMR5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Site de Carreire, University of Bordeaux, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (T.B.); (C.B.); (N.L.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Bergonié Institute, 229 cours de l’Argonne, 33076 Bordeaux, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Saint-André, 1 rue Jean Burguet, University Hospital Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
- Correspondence:
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106
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Zhao L, Chen S, Zheng R, Kong R, Rao X, Chen A, Cheng H, Zhang D, Li S, Yu X. Self-Delivery Nanomedicine for Glutamine-Starvation Enhanced Photodynamic Tumor Therapy. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102038. [PMID: 34729950 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Glutamine metabolism of tumor cells plays a crucial role in maintaining cell homeostasis and reducing oxidative damage. Herein, a valid strategy of inhibiting glutamine metabolism is proposed to amplify the oxidative damage of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to tumor cells. Specifically, the authors develop a drug co-delivery system (designated as CeV) based on chlorine e6 (Ce6) and V9302 via the self-assembly technology. In spite of the strong hydrophobicity of therapeutic agents, the assembled CeV holds a favorable dispersibility in water and an improved cellular uptake capability. Under light irradiation, the internalized CeV is capable of generating abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) for PDT. More importantly, CeV can reduce the uptake of glutamine through V9302-mediated alanine-serine-cysteine transporter of type-2 (ASCT2) inhibition, leading to a reduced glutathione (GSH) production and an amplified oxidative stress. As a result, CeV has a robust PDT efficacy on tumor inhibition by the blockade of glutamine transport. Notably, CeV exhibits a superiority on tumor suppression over the single treatment as well as the combined administration of Ce6 and V9302, which indicates the advantage of CeV for synergistic treatment. It may serve as a novel nanoplatform for developing a drug co-delivery system to improve PDT efficiency by inhibiting cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin‐Ping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
| | - Shao‐Yi Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 P. R. China
| | - Rong‐Rong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
| | - Ren‐Jiang Kong
- Biomaterials Research Center School of Biomedical Engineering Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 P. R. China
| | - Xiao‐Na Rao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
| | - A‐Li Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
| | - Hong Cheng
- Biomaterials Research Center School of Biomedical Engineering Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 P. R. China
| | - Da‐Wei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 P. R. China
| | - Shi‐Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
| | - Xi‐Yong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 511436 P. R. China
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107
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van Genugten EAJ, Weijers JAM, Heskamp S, Kneilling M, van den Heuvel MM, Piet B, Bussink J, Hendriks LEL, Aarntzen EHJG. Imaging the Rewired Metabolism in Lung Cancer in Relation to Immune Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 11:786089. [PMID: 35070990 PMCID: PMC8779734 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.786089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Alterations in the micro-environmental metabolic characteristics are recognized as important tools for cancer cells to interact with the resident and infiltrating T-cells within this tumor microenvironment. Cancer-induced metabolic changes in the micro-environment also affect treatment outcomes. In particular, immune therapy efficacy might be blunted because of somatic mutation-driven metabolic determinants of lung cancer such as acidity and oxygenation status. Based on these observations, new onco-immunological treatment strategies increasingly include drugs that interfere with metabolic pathways that consequently affect the composition of the lung cancer tumor microenvironment (TME). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has developed a wide array of tracers targeting metabolic pathways, originally intended to improve cancer detection and staging. Paralleling the developments in understanding metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, as well as its effects on stromal, immune, and endothelial cells, a wave of studies with additional imaging tracers has been published. These tracers are yet underexploited in the perspective of immune therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of currently available PET tracers for clinical studies and discuss their potential roles in the development of effective immune therapeutic strategies, with a focus on lung cancer. We report on ongoing efforts that include PET/CT to understand the outcomes of interactions between cancer cells and T-cells in the lung cancer microenvironment, and we identify areas of research which are yet unchartered. Thereby, we aim to provide a starting point for molecular imaging driven studies to understand and exploit metabolic features of lung cancer to optimize immune therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien A J van Genugten
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jetty A M Weijers
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sandra Heskamp
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Manfred Kneilling
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | | | - Berber Piet
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Johan Bussink
- Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboudumc, Netherlands
| | - Lizza E L Hendriks
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, GROW - School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC), Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Erik H J G Aarntzen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Nijmegen, Netherlands
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108
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Amino Acid Metabolism in Cancer Drug Resistance. Cells 2022; 11:cells11010140. [PMID: 35011702 PMCID: PMC8750102 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the numerous investigations on resistance mechanisms, drug resistance in cancer therapies still limits favorable outcomes in cancer patients. The complexities of the inherent characteristics of tumors, such as tumor heterogeneity and the complicated interaction within the tumor microenvironment, still hinder efforts to overcome drug resistance in cancer cells, requiring innovative approaches. In this review, we describe recent studies offering evidence for the essential roles of amino acid metabolism in driving drug resistance in cancer cells. Amino acids support cancer cells in counteracting therapies by maintaining redox homeostasis, sustaining biosynthetic processes, regulating epigenetic modification, and providing metabolic intermediates for energy generation. In addition, amino acid metabolism impacts anticancer immune responses, creating an immunosuppressive or immunoeffective microenvironment. A comprehensive understanding of amino acid metabolism as it relates to therapeutic resistance mechanisms will improve anticancer therapeutic strategies.
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109
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Reinfeld BI, Rathmell WK, Kim TK, Rathmell JC. The therapeutic implications of immunosuppressive tumor aerobic glycolysis. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:46-58. [PMID: 34239083 PMCID: PMC8752729 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00727-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2011, Hanahan and Weinberg added "Deregulating Cellular Energetics" and "Avoiding Immune Destruction" to the six previous hallmarks of cancer. Since this seminal paper, there has been a growing consensus that these new hallmarks are not mutually exclusive but rather interdependent. The following review summarizes how founding genetic events for tumorigenesis ultimately increase tumor cell glycolysis, which not only supports the metabolic demands of malignancy but also provides an immunoprotective niche, promoting malignant cell proliferation, maintenance and progression. The mechanisms by which altered metabolism contributes to immune impairment are multifactorial: (1) the metabolic demands of proliferating tumor cells and activated immune cells are similar, thus creating a situation where immune cells may be in competition for key nutrients; (2) the metabolic byproducts of aerobic glycolysis directly inhibit antitumor immunity while promoting a regulatory immune phenotype; and (3) the gene programs associated with the upregulation of glycolysis also result in the generation of immunosuppressive cytokines and metabolites. From this perspective, we shed light on important considerations for the development of new classes of agents targeting cancer metabolism. These types of therapies can impair tumor growth but also pose a significant risk of stifling antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley I Reinfeld
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - W Kimryn Rathmell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Tae Kon Kim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Rathmell
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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110
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Ekici S, Nye J, Neill S, Allen J, Shu HK, Fleischer C. Glutamine Imaging: A New Avenue for Glioma Management. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2022; 43:11-18. [PMID: 34737183 PMCID: PMC8757564 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The glutamine pathway is emerging as an important marker of cancer prognosis and a target for new treatments. In gliomas, the most common type of brain tumors, metabolic reprogramming leads to abnormal consumption of glutamine as an energy source, and increased glutamine concentrations are associated with treatment resistance and proliferation. A key challenge in the development of glutamine-based biomarkers and therapies is the limited number of in vivo tools to noninvasively assess local glutamine metabolism and monitor its changes. In this review, we describe the importance of glutamine metabolism in gliomas and review the current landscape of translational and emerging imaging techniques to measure glutamine in the brain. These techniques include MRS, PET, SPECT, and preclinical methods such as fluorescence and mass spectrometry imaging. Finally, we discuss the roadblocks that must be overcome before incorporating glutamine into a personalized approach for glioma management.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Ekici
- From the Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (S.E., J.A.N., J.W.A., C.C.F.)
| | - J.A. Nye
- From the Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (S.E., J.A.N., J.W.A., C.C.F.)
| | - S.G. Neill
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (S.G.N.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J.W. Allen
- From the Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (S.E., J.A.N., J.W.A., C.C.F.),Neurology (J.W.A.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - H.-K. Shu
- Radiation Oncology (H.-K.S.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - C.C. Fleischer
- From the Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (S.E., J.A.N., J.W.A., C.C.F.),Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (C.C.F.), Geogria Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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111
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Blum BC, Lin W, Lawton ML, Liu Q, Kwan J, Turcinovic I, Hekman R, Hu P, Emili A. Multiomic Metabolic Enrichment Network Analysis Reveals Metabolite-Protein Physical Interaction Subnetworks Altered in Cancer. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100189. [PMID: 34933084 PMCID: PMC8761777 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2021.100189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolism is recognized as an important driver of cancer progression and other complex diseases, but global metabolite profiling remains a challenge. Protein expression profiling is often a poor proxy since existing pathway enrichment models provide an incomplete mapping between the proteome and metabolism. To overcome these gaps, we introduce multiomic metabolic enrichment network analysis (MOMENTA), an integrative multiomic data analysis framework for more accurately deducing metabolic pathway changes from proteomics data alone in a gene set analysis context by leveraging protein interaction networks to extend annotated metabolic models. We apply MOMENTA to proteomic data from diverse cancer cell lines and human tumors to demonstrate its utility at revealing variation in metabolic pathway activity across cancer types, which we verify using independent metabolomics measurements. The novel metabolic networks we uncover in breast cancer and other tumors are linked to clinical outcomes, underscoring the pathophysiological relevance of the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C Blum
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Weiwei Lin
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew L Lawton
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qian Liu
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Julian Kwan
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Isabella Turcinovic
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ryan Hekman
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pingzhao Hu
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Andrew Emili
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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112
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Milano SK, Huang Q, Nguyen TTT, Ramachandran S, Finke A, Kriksunov I, Schuller D, Szebenyi M, Arenholz E, McDermott LA, Sukumar N, Cerione RA, Katt WP. New insights into the molecular mechanisms of glutaminase C inhibitors in cancer cells using serial room temperature crystallography. J Biol Chem 2021; 298:101535. [PMID: 34954143 PMCID: PMC8784640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells frequently exhibit uncoupling of the glycolytic pathway from the TCA cycle (i.e. the "Warburg effect"), and as a result, often become dependent on their ability to increase glutamine catabolism. The mitochondrial enzyme Glutaminase C (GAC) helps to satisfy this 'glutamine addiction' of cancer cells by catalyzing the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate, which is then converted to the TCA-cycle intermediate α-ketoglutarate. This makes GAC an intriguing drug target, and spurred the molecules derived from bis-2-(5-phenylacetamido-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethyl sulfide (the so-called BPTES-class of allosteric GAC inhibitors), including CB-839, which is currently in clinal trials. However, none of the drugs targeting GAC are yet approved for cancer treatment and their mechanism of action is not well understood. Here, we shed new light on the underlying basis for the differential potencies exhibited by members of the BPTES/CB-839 family of compounds, which could not previously be explained with standard cryo-cooled X-ray crystal structures of GAC bound to CB-839 or its analogs. Using an emerging technique known as serial room temperature crystallography, we were able to observe clear differences between the binding conformations of inhibitors with significantly different potencies. We also developed a computational model to further elucidate the molecular basis of differential inhibitor potency. We then corroborated the results from our modeling efforts using recently established fluorescence assays that directly read out inhibitor binding to GAC. Together, these findings should aid in future design of more potent GAC inhibitors with better clinical outlook.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn K Milano
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Qingqiu Huang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Thuy-Tien T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Sekar Ramachandran
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Aaron Finke
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Irina Kriksunov
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - David Schuller
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Marian Szebenyi
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Elke Arenholz
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Lee A McDermott
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - N Sukumar
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Informatics, Shiv Nadar University, India
| | - Richard A Cerione
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
| | - William P Katt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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113
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Matsuyama T, Yoshinaga SK, Shibue K, Mak TW. Comorbidity-associated glutamine deficiency is a predisposition to severe COVID-19. Cell Death Differ 2021; 28:3199-3213. [PMID: 34663907 PMCID: PMC8522258 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-021-00892-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations have greatly reduced COVID-19 cases, but we must continue to develop our understanding of the nature of the disease and its effects on human immunity. Previously, we suggested that a dysregulated STAT3 pathway following SARS-Co-2 infection ultimately leads to PAI-1 activation and cascades of pathologies. The major COVID-19-associated metabolic risks (old age, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity) share high PAI-1 levels and could predispose certain groups to severe COVID-19 complications. In this review article, we describe the common metabolic profile that is shared between all of these high-risk groups and COVID-19. This profile not only involves high levels of PAI-1 and STAT3 as previously described, but also includes low levels of glutamine and NAD+, coupled with overproduction of hyaluronan (HA). SARS-CoV-2 infection exacerbates this metabolic imbalance and predisposes these patients to the severe pathophysiologies of COVID-19, including the involvement of NETs (neutrophil extracellular traps) and HA overproduction in the lung. While hyperinflammation due to proinflammatory cytokine overproduction has been frequently documented, it is recently recognized that the immune response is markedly suppressed in some cases by the expansion and activity of MDSCs (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) and FoxP3+ Tregs (regulatory T cells). The metabolomics profiles of severe COVID-19 patients and patients with advanced cancer are similar, and in high-risk patients, SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to aberrant STAT3 activation, which promotes a cancer-like metabolism. We propose that glutamine deficiency and overproduced HA is the central metabolic characteristic of COVID-19 and its high-risk groups. We suggest the usage of glutamine supplementation and the repurposing of cancer drugs to prevent the development of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshifumi Matsuyama
- Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
| | | | - Kimitaka Shibue
- Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tak W Mak
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M9, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, 999077, Hong Kong
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114
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Luby A, Alves-Guerra MC. Targeting Metabolism to Control Immune Responses in Cancer and Improve Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5912. [PMID: 34885023 PMCID: PMC8656934 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, advances in cancer immunotherapy through PD1-PDL1 and CTLA4 immune checkpoint blockade have revolutionized the management of cancer treatment. However, these treatments are inefficient for many cancers, and unfortunately, few patients respond to these treatments. Indeed, altered metabolic pathways in the tumor play a pivotal role in tumor growth and immune response. Thus, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) reprograms the behavior of immune cells by altering their cellular machinery and nutrient availability to limit antitumor functions. Today, thanks to a better understanding of cancer metabolism, immunometabolism and immune checkpoint evasion, the development of new therapeutic approaches targeting the energy metabolism of cancer or immune cells greatly improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in different cancer models. Herein, we highlight the changes in metabolic pathways that regulate the differentiation of pro- and antitumor immune cells and how TME-induced metabolic stress impedes their antitumor activity. Finally, we propose some drug strategies to target these pathways in the context of cancer immunotherapy.
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115
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Matias MI, Yong CS, Foroushani A, Goldsmith C, Mongellaz C, Sezgin E, Levental KR, Talebi A, Perrault J, Rivière A, Dehairs J, Delos O, Bertand-Michel J, Portais JC, Wong M, Marie JC, Kelekar A, Kinet S, Zimmermann VS, Levental I, Yvan-Charvet L, Swinnen JV, Muljo SA, Hernandez-Vargas H, Tardito S, Taylor N, Dardalhon V. Regulatory T cell differentiation is controlled by αKG-induced alterations in mitochondrial metabolism and lipid homeostasis. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109911. [PMID: 34731632 PMCID: PMC10167917 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Suppressive regulatory T cell (Treg) differentiation is controlled by diverse immunometabolic signaling pathways and intracellular metabolites. Here we show that cell-permeable α-ketoglutarate (αKG) alters the DNA methylation profile of naive CD4 T cells activated under Treg polarizing conditions, markedly attenuating FoxP3+ Treg differentiation and increasing inflammatory cytokines. Adoptive transfer of these T cells into tumor-bearing mice results in enhanced tumor infiltration, decreased FoxP3 expression, and delayed tumor growth. Mechanistically, αKG leads to an energetic state that is reprogrammed toward a mitochondrial metabolism, with increased oxidative phosphorylation and expression of mitochondrial complex enzymes. Furthermore, carbons from ectopic αKG are directly utilized in the generation of fatty acids, associated with lipidome remodeling and increased triacylglyceride stores. Notably, inhibition of either mitochondrial complex II or DGAT2-mediated triacylglyceride synthesis restores Treg differentiation and decreases the αKG-induced inflammatory phenotype. Thus, we identify a crosstalk between αKG, mitochondrial metabolism and triacylglyceride synthesis that controls Treg fate.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cell Differentiation/drug effects
- Cells, Cultured
- Cytokines/genetics
- Cytokines/metabolism
- Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase/metabolism
- Energy Metabolism/drug effects
- Fibrosarcoma/genetics
- Fibrosarcoma/immunology
- Fibrosarcoma/metabolism
- Fibrosarcoma/therapy
- Forkhead Transcription Factors/genetics
- Forkhead Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Homeostasis
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Ketoglutaric Acids/pharmacology
- Lipid Metabolism/drug effects
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mitochondria/drug effects
- Mitochondria/genetics
- Mitochondria/metabolism
- Phenotype
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/transplantation
- Th1 Cells/drug effects
- Th1 Cells/immunology
- Th1 Cells/metabolism
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Matias
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Carmen S Yong
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France; Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Amir Foroushani
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chloe Goldsmith
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, University Lyon 1, Inserm/ CNRS, Labex DEVweCAN, Lyon France
| | - Cédric Mongellaz
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Kandice R Levental
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ali Talebi
- Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julie Perrault
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Anais Rivière
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Jonas Dehairs
- Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Océane Delos
- MetaboHUB-MetaToul, National Infrastructure of Metabolomics and Fluxomics, Toulouse, France; I2MC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, Toulouse, France
| | - Justine Bertand-Michel
- MetaboHUB-MetaToul, National Infrastructure of Metabolomics and Fluxomics, Toulouse, France; I2MC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Charles Portais
- MetaboHUB-MetaToul, National Infrastructure of Metabolomics and Fluxomics, Toulouse, France
| | - Madeline Wong
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julien C Marie
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, University Lyon 1, Inserm/ CNRS, Labex DEVweCAN, Lyon France
| | - Ameeta Kelekar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sandrina Kinet
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Valérie S Zimmermann
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Ilya Levental
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Johannes V Swinnen
- Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer, Leuven Cancer Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan A Muljo
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hector Hernandez-Vargas
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon, University Lyon 1, Inserm/ CNRS, Labex DEVweCAN, Lyon France
| | - Saverio Tardito
- Cancer Research UK, Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Naomi Taylor
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France; Pediatric Oncology Branch, NCI, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Valérie Dardalhon
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
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116
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SLC1A1 mediated glutamine addiction and contributed to natural killer T-cell lymphoma progression with immunotherapeutic potential. EBioMedicine 2021; 72:103614. [PMID: 34628354 PMCID: PMC8511843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic reprogramming plays an essential role on lymphoma progression. Dysregulation of glutamine metabolism is implicated in natural-killer T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) and tumor cell response to asparaginase-based anti-metabolic treatment. METHODS To understand the metabolomic alterations and determine the potential therapeutic target of asparaginase, we assessed metabolomic profile using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in serum samples of 36 NKTCL patients, and integrated targeted metabolic analysis and RNA sequencing in tumor samples of 102 NKTCL patients. The biological function of solute carrier family 1 member 1 (SLC1A1) on metabolic flux, lymphoma cell growth, and drug sensitivity was further examined in vitro in NK-lymphoma cell line NK-92 and SNK-6, and in vivo in zebrafish xenograft models. FINDINGS In NKTCL patients, serum metabolomic profile was characterized by aberrant glutamine metabolism and SLC1A1 was identified as a central regulator of altered glutaminolysis. Both in vitro and in vivo, ectopic expression of SLC1A1 increased cellular glutamine uptake, enhanced glutathione metabolic flux, and induced glutamine addiction, leading to acceleration of cell proliferation and tumor growth. Of note, SLC1A1 overexpression was significantly associated with PD-L1 downregulation and reduced cytotoxic CD3+/CD8+ T cell activity when co-cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Asparaginase treatment counteracted SLC1A1-mediated glutamine addiction, restored SLC1A1-induced impaired T-cell immunity. Clinically, high EAAT3 (SLC1A1-encoded protein) expression independently predicted superior progression-free and overall survival in 90 NKTCL patients treated with asparaginase-based regimens. INTERPRETATION SLC1A1 functioned as an extracellular glutamine transporter, promoted tumor growth through reprogramming glutamine metabolism of NKTCL, while rendered tumor cells sensitive to asparaginase treatment. Moreover, SLC1A1-mediated modulation of PD-L1 expression might provide clinical rationale of co-targeting metabolic vulnerability and immunosuppressive microenvironment in NKTCL. FUNDING This study was supported, in part, by research funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82130004, 81830007 and 81900192), Chang Jiang Scholars Program, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant Support (20152206 and 20152208), Clinical Research Plan of SHDC (2020CR1032B), Multicenter Clinical Research Project by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (DLY201601), Shanghai Chenguang Program (19CG15), Shanghai Sailing Program (19YF1430800), Medical-Engineering Cross Foundation of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (ZH2018QNA46), and Shanghai Yi Yuan Xin Xing Program.
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117
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Moon J, Oh YM, Ha SJ. Perspectives on immune checkpoint ligands: expression, regulation, and clinical implications. BMB Rep 2021. [PMID: 34078531 PMCID: PMC8411045 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2021.54.8.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the tumor microenvironment, immune checkpoint ligands (ICLs) must be expressed in order to trigger the inhibitory signal via immune checkpoint receptors (ICRs). Although ICL expression frequently occurs in a manner intrinsic to tumor cells, extrinsic factors derived from the tumor microenvironment can fine-tune ICL expression by tumor cells or prompt non-tumor cells, including immune cells. Considering the extensive interaction between T cells and other immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, ICL expression on immune cells can be as significant as that of ICLs on tumor cells in promoting anti-tumor immune responses. Here, we introduce various regulators known to induce or suppress ICL expression in either tumor cells or immune cells, and concise mechanisms relevant to their induction. Finally, we focus on the clinical significance of understanding the mechanisms of ICLs for an optimized immunotherapy for individual cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihyun Moon
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science & Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 (BK21) FOUR Program, Yonsei Education & Research Center for Biosystems, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Yoo Min Oh
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science & Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 (BK21) FOUR Program, Yonsei Education & Research Center for Biosystems, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Sang-Jun Ha
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science & Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 (BK21) FOUR Program, Yonsei Education & Research Center for Biosystems, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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118
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Zou J, Du K, Li S, Lu L, Mei J, Lin W, Deng M, Wei W, Guo R. Glutamine Metabolism Regulators Associated with Cancer Development and the Tumor Microenvironment: A Pan-Cancer Multi-Omics Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1305. [PMID: 34573287 PMCID: PMC8466418 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, metabolic reprogramming has been identified as a hallmark of cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that glutamine metabolism plays a crucial role in oncogenesis and the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we aimed to perform a systematic and comprehensive analysis of six key metabolic node genes involved in the dynamic regulation of glutamine metabolism (referred to as GLNM regulators) across 33 types of cancer. METHODS We analyzed the gene expression, epigenetic regulation, and genomic alterations of six key GLNM regulators, including SLC1A5, SLC7A5, SLC3A2, SLC7A11, GLS, and GLS2, in pan-cancer using several open-source platforms and databases. Additionally, we investigated the impacts of these gene expression changes on clinical outcomes, drug sensitivity, and the tumor microenvironment. We also attempted to investigate the upstream microRNA-mRNA molecular networks and the downstream signaling pathways involved in order to uncover the potential molecular mechanisms behind metabolic reprogramming. RESULTS We found that the expression levels of GLNM regulators varied across cancer types and were related to several genomic and immunological characteristics. While the immune scores were generally lower in the tumors with higher gene expression, the types of immune cell infiltration showed significantly different correlations among cancer types, dividing them into two clusters. Furthermore, we showed that elevated GLNM regulators expression was associated with poor overall survival in the majority of cancer types. Lastly, the expression of GLNM regulators was significantly associated with PD-L1 expression and drug sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS The elevated expression of GLNM regulators was associated with poorer cancer prognoses and a cold tumor microenvironment, providing novel insights into cancer treatment and possibly offering alternative options for the treatment of clinically refractory cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Zou
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Kunpeng Du
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510095, China;
| | - Shaohua Li
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Lianghe Lu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jie Mei
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Wenping Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Min Deng
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Rongping Guo
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.Z.); (S.L.); (L.L.); (J.M.); (W.L.); (M.D.); (W.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China
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119
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Chen S, Duan Y, Wu Y, Yang D, An J. A Novel Integrated Metabolism-Immunity Gene Expression Model Predicts the Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:728368. [PMID: 34393804 PMCID: PMC8361602 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.728368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Although multiple metabolic pathways are involved in the initiation, progression, and therapy of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the tumor microenvironment (TME) for immune cell infiltration that is regulated by metabolic enzymes has not yet been characterized. Methods: 517 LUAD samples and 59 non-tumor samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database as the training cohort. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Univariate Cox analysis were applied to screen the candidate metabolic enzymes for their role in relation to survival rate in LUAD patients. A prognostic metabolic enzyme signature, termed the metabolic gene risk score (MGRS), was established based on multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and was verified in an independent test cohort, GSE31210. In addition, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration characteristics in patients grouped by their Risk Score. Furthermore, the prognostic value of these four enzymes was verified in another independent cohort by immunohistochemistry and an optimized model of the metabolic-immune protein risk score (MIPRS) was constructed. Results: The MGRS model comprising 4 genes (TYMS, NME4, LDHA, and SMOX) was developed to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Patients with a high-risk score had a poor prognosis and exhibited activated carbon and nucleotide metabolism, both of which were associated with changes to TME immune cell infiltration characteristics. In addition, the optimized MIPRS model showed more accurate predictive power in prognosis of LUAD. Conclusion: Our study revealed an integrated metabolic enzyme signature as a reliable prognostic tool to accurately predict the prognosis of LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yumei Duan
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanhao Wu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Desong Yang
- Thoracic Surgery Department II, Hunan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jian An
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Changsha, China
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Wu L, Lian W, Zhao L. Calcium signaling in cancer progression and therapy. FEBS J 2021; 288:6187-6205. [PMID: 34288422 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The old Greek aphorism 'Panta Rhei' ('everything flows') is true for all living things in general. As a dynamic process, calcium signaling plays fundamental roles in cellular activities under both normal and pathological conditions, with recent researches uncovering its involvement in cell proliferation, migration, survival, gene expression, and more. The major question we address here is how calcium signaling affects cancer progression and whether it could be targeted to combine with classic chemotherapeutics or emerging immunotherapies to improve their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wu
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weidong Lian
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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121
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Liu Y, Mao C, Liu S, Xiao D, Shi Y, Tao Y. Proline dehydrogenase in cancer: apoptosis, autophagy, nutrient dependency and cancer therapy. Amino Acids 2021; 53:1891-1902. [PMID: 34283310 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-021-03032-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
L-proline catabolism is emerging as a key pathway that is critical to cellular metabolism, growth, survival, and death. Proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) enzyme, which catalyzes the first step of proline catabolism, has diverse functional roles in regulating many pathophysiological processes, including apoptosis, autophagy, cell senescence, and cancer metastasis. Notably, accumulated evidence demonstrated that PRODH plays complex role in many types of cancers. In this review, we briefly introduce the function of PRODH, then its expression in different types of cancer. We next discuss the regulation of PRODH in cancer, the downstream pathways of PRODH and the therapies that are under investigation. Finally, we propose novel insights for future perspectives on the modulation of PRODH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Liu
- Postdoctoral Research Station of Clinical Medicine & Department of Hematology and Critical Care Medicine, Central South University, the 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, 410000, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410078, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis (Central South University), Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Chao Mao
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410078, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis (Central South University), Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Center for Geriatric Disorders, National Clinical Research, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Desheng Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410078, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis (Central South University), Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.
| | - Ying Shi
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410078, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis (Central South University), Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.
| | - Yongguang Tao
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410078, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis (Central South University), Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precision Therapy in Lung Cancer, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
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122
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Ma G, Li C, Zhang Z, Liang Y, Liang Z, Chen Y, Wang L, Li D, Zeng M, Shan W, Niu H. Targeted Glucose or Glutamine Metabolic Therapy Combined With PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Tumors - Mechanisms and Strategies. Front Oncol 2021; 11:697894. [PMID: 34327138 PMCID: PMC8314994 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.697894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy, especially PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, has led tumor therapy into a new era. However, the vast majority of patients do not benefit from immunotherapy. One possible reason for this lack of response is that the association between tumors, immune cells and metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment affect tumor immune escape. Generally, the limited amount of metabolites in the tumor microenvironment leads to nutritional competition between tumors and immune cells. Metabolism regulates tumor cell expression of PD-L1, and the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint regulates the metabolism of tumor and T cells, which suggests that targeted tumor metabolism may have a synergistic therapeutic effect together with immunotherapy. However, the targeting of different metabolic pathways in different tumors may have different effects on tumor immune escape. Herein, we discuss the influence of glucose metabolism and glutamine metabolism on tumor immune escape and describe the theoretical basis for strategies targeting glucose or glutamine metabolism in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofeng Ma
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Central Hospital of Shengli Oil Field, Dongying, China
| | - Zhilei Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ye Liang
- Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhijuan Liang
- Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuanbin Chen
- Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dan Li
- Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Manqin Zeng
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenhong Shan
- Department of Nephrology, Qingdao Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Haitao Niu
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,Key Laboratory, Department of Urology and Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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123
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Song J, Liu Y, Guan X, Zhang X, Yu W, Li Q. A Novel Ferroptosis-Related Biomarker Signature to Predict Overall Survival of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:675193. [PMID: 34291083 PMCID: PMC8287967 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.675193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for the main esophageal cancer (ESCA) type, which is also associated with the greatest malignant grade and low survival rates worldwide. Ferroptosis is recently discovered as a kind of programmed cell death, which is indicated in various reports to be involved in the regulation of tumor biological behaviors. This work focused on the comprehensive evaluation of the association between ferroptosis-related gene (FRG) expression profiles and prognosis in ESCC patients based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). ALOX12, ALOX12B, ANGPTL7, DRD4, MAPK9, SLC38A1, and ZNF419 were selected to develop a novel ferroptosis-related gene signature for GEO and TCGA cohorts. The prognostic risk model exactly classified patients who had diverse survival outcomes. In addition, this study identified the ferroptosis-related signature as a factor to independently predict the risk of ESCC. Thereafter, we also constructed the prognosis nomogram by incorporating clinical factors and risk score, and the calibration plots illustrated good prognostic performance. Moreover, the association of the risk score with immune checkpoints was observed. Collectively, the proposed ferroptosis-related gene signature in our study is effective and has a potential clinical application to predict the prognosis of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahang Song
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanhu Liu
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang Guan
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenda Yu
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingguo Li
- Cardiovascular Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, China
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124
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Hargadon KM. The role of interferons in melanoma resistance to immune checkpoint blockade: mechanisms of escape and therapeutic implications. Br J Dermatol 2021; 185:1095-1104. [PMID: 34185875 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has achieved unprecedented success in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, though its efficacy is often limited by innate and acquired mechanisms of resistance. Type I and type II interferons (IFNs) act as key determinants of checkpoint blockade therapeutic outcome, and tumour-intrinsic and -extrinsic factors that disrupt IFN activity confer resistance to various checkpoint inhibitors. This review highlights our current understanding of the mechanisms by which tumours disrupt IFN function in the context of ICB, and it discusses therapeutic strategies to overcome these mechanisms of resistance and improve the clinical reach of ICB therapy in patients with melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Hargadon
- Hargadon Laboratory, Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA, 23943, USA
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125
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Identification of SLC38A7 as a Prognostic Marker and Potential Therapeutic Target of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Ann Surg 2021; 274:500-507. [PMID: 34171866 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND No effective molecular targeted therapy has been established for SCC. We conducted a comprehensive study of SCC patients using RNA-sequencing and TCGA dataset to clarify the driver oncogene of SCC. METHOD Forty-six samples of 23 patients were totally analyzed with RNA-sequencing. We then searched for candidate-oncogenes of SCC using the TCGA database. To identify candidate oncogenes, we used the following 2 criteria: (1) the genes of interest were overexpressed in tumor tissues of SCC patients in comparison to normal tissues; and (2) using an integrated mRNA expression and DNA copy number profiling analysis using the TCGA dataset, the DNA copy number of the genes was positively correlated with the mRNA expression. RESULT We identified 188 candidate-oncogenes. Among those, the high expression of SLC38A7 was a strong prognostic marker that was significantly associated with a poor prognosis in terms of both overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival in the TCGA dataset (P < 0.05). Additionally, 202 resected SCC specimens were also subjected to an immunohistochemical analysis. Patients with the high expression of SLC38A7 (alternative name is sodium-coupled amino acid transporters 7) protein showed significantly shorter OS in comparison to those with the low expression of SLC38A7 protein [median OS 3.9 years (95% confidence interval, 2.4-6.4 years) vs 2.2 years (95% confidence interval, 1.9-4.1 years); log rank test: P = 0.0021]. CONCLUSION SLC38A7, which is the primary lysosomal glutamine transporter required for the extracellular protein-dependent growth of cancer cells, was identified as a candidate therapeutic target of SCC.
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126
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Pallett LJ, Dimeloe S, Sinclair LV, Byrne AJ, Schurich A. A glutamine 'tug-of-war': targets to manipulate glutamine metabolism for cancer immunotherapy. IMMUNOTHERAPY ADVANCES 2021; 1:ltab010. [PMID: 34541580 PMCID: PMC8444990 DOI: 10.1093/immadv/ltab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the tumour microenvironment (TME), there is a cellular 'tug-of-war' for glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body. This competition is most evident when considering the balance between a successful anti-tumour immune response and the uncontrolled growth of tumour cells that are addicted to glutamine. The differential effects of manipulating glutamine abundance in individual cell types is an area of intense research and debate. Here, we discuss some of the current strategies in development altering local glutamine availability focusing on inhibition of enzymes involved in the utilisation of glutamine and its uptake by cells in the TME. Further studies are urgently needed to complete our understanding of glutamine metabolism, to provide critical insights into the pathways that represent promising targets and for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of advanced or drug resistant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Pallett
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Dimeloe
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Linda V Sinclair
- Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Adam J Byrne
- Inflammation, Repair and Development Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Schurich
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK
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127
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Abstract
In this issue of Molecular Cell, Byun et al. (2020) find that the dual targeting of glutamine metabolism and the PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor augments anti-tumor immunity. Mechanistically, decreased glutamine availability attenuated S-glutathionylation of SERCA, resulting in an increase in cytosolic calcium, enhanced NF-κB activity, and upregulation of programmed death-ligand 1.
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