1
|
Lyda BR, Leary GP, Farnsworth J, Seaver B, Silvius D, Kavanaugh MP, Esslinger CS, Natale NR. Discovery and Synthesis of Hydroxy-l-Proline Blockers of the Neutral Amino Acid Transporters SLC1A4 (ASCT1) and SLC1A5 (ASCT2). Molecules 2024; 29:2330. [PMID: 38792190 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
As a conformationally restricted amino acid, hydroxy-l-proline is a versatile scaffold for the synthesis of diverse multi-functionalized pyrrolidines for probing the ligand binding sites of biological targets. With the goal to develop new inhibitors of the widely expressed amino acid transporters SLC1A4 and SLC1A5 (also known as ASCT1 and ASCT2), we synthesized and functionally screened synthetic hydroxy-l-proline derivatives using electrophysiological and radiolabeled uptake methods against amino acid transporters from the SLC1, SLC7, and SLC38 solute carrier families. We have discovered a novel class of alkoxy hydroxy-pyrrolidine carboxylic acids (AHPCs) that act as selective high-affinity inhibitors of the SLC1 family neutral amino acid transporters SLC1A4 and SLC1A5. AHPCs were computationally docked into a homology model and assessed with respect to predicted molecular orientation and functional activity. The series of hydroxyproline analogs identified here represent promising new agents to pharmacologically modulate SLC1A4 and SLC1A5 amino acid exchangers which are implicated in numerous pathophysiological processes such as cancer and neurological diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brent R Lyda
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Gregory P Leary
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Jill Farnsworth
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Benjamin Seaver
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Derek Silvius
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Michael P Kavanaugh
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - C Sean Esslinger
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Nicholas R Natale
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Medicinal Chemistry Graduate Program, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Simon-Molas H, Montironi C, Kabanova A, Eldering E. Metabolic reprogramming in the CLL TME; potential for new therapeutic targets. Semin Hematol 2024:S0037-1963(24)00016-7. [PMID: 38493076 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells circulate between peripheral (PB) blood and lymph node (LN) compartments, and strictly depend on microenvironmental factors for proliferation, survival and drug resistance. All cancer cells display metabolic reprogramming and CLL is no exception - though the inert status of the PB CLL cells has hampered detailed insight into these processes. We summarize previous work on reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, and hypoxia, as well as the important roles of Myc, and PI3K/Akt/mTor pathways. In vitro co-culture systems and gene expression analyses have provided a partial picture of CLL LN metabolism. New broad omics techniques allow to obtain molecular and also single-cell level understanding of CLL plasticity and metabolic reprogramming. We summarize recent developments and describe the new concept of glutamine addiction for CLL, which may hold therapeutic promise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helga Simon-Molas
- Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Chiara Montironi
- Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Kabanova
- Tumour Immunology Unit, Toscana Life Sciences Foundation, Siena, Italy
| | - Eric Eldering
- Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cancer Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jakobsen S, Nielsen CU. Exploring Amino Acid Transporters as Therapeutic Targets for Cancer: An Examination of Inhibitor Structures, Selectivity Issues, and Discovery Approaches. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:197. [PMID: 38399253 PMCID: PMC10893028 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Amino acid transporters are abundant amongst the solute carrier family and have an important role in facilitating the transfer of amino acids across cell membranes. Because of their impact on cell nutrient distribution, they also appear to have an important role in the growth and development of cancer. Naturally, this has made amino acid transporters a novel target of interest for the development of new anticancer drugs. Many attempts have been made to develop inhibitors of amino acid transporters to slow down cancer cell growth, and some have even reached clinical trials. The purpose of this review is to help organize the available information on the efforts to discover amino acid transporter inhibitors by focusing on the amino acid transporters ASCT2 (SLC1A5), LAT1 (SLC7A5), xCT (SLC7A11), SNAT1 (SLC38A1), SNAT2 (SLC38A2), and PAT1 (SLC36A1). We discuss the function of the transporters, their implication in cancer, their known inhibitors, issues regarding selective inhibitors, and the efforts and strategies of discovering inhibitors. The goal is to encourage researchers to continue the search and development within the field of cancer treatment research targeting amino acid transporters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jakobsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Carsten Uhd Nielsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Qin L, Cheng X, Wang S, Gong G, Su H, Huang H, Chen T, Damdinjav D, Dorjsuren B, Li Z, Qiu Z, Bian J. Discovery of Novel Aminobutanoic Acid-Based ASCT2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. J Med Chem 2024; 67:988-1007. [PMID: 38217503 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) is up-regulated in lung cancers, and inhibiting it could potentially lead to nutrient deprivation, making it a viable strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we present a series of ASCT2 inhibitors based on aminobutanoic acids, which exhibit potent inhibitory activity. Two compounds, 20k and 25e, were identified as novel and potent ASCT2 inhibitors, with IC50 values at the micromolar level in both A549 and HEK293 cells, effectively blocking glutamine (Gln) uptake. Additionally, these compounds regulated amino acid metabolism, suppressed mTOR signaling, inhibited non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) growth, and induced apoptosis. In vivo, experiments showed that 20k and 25e suppressed tumor growth in an A549 xenograft model, with tumor growth inhibition (TGI) values of 65 and 70% at 25 mg/kg, respectively, while V9302 only achieved a TGI value of 29%. Furthermore, both compounds demonstrated promising therapeutic potential in patient-derived organoids. Therefore, these ASCT2 inhibitors based on aminobutanoic acids are promising therapeutic agents for treating NSCLC by targeting cancer Gln metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lian Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Xinying Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Shijiao Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Guangyue Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Huiyan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Huidan Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Tian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Davaadagva Damdinjav
- School of Pharmacy, Mongolian National University of Medical Science, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia
| | - Buyankhishig Dorjsuren
- Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Zhixia Qiu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| | - Jinlei Bian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211100, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jakobsen S, Petersen EF, Nielsen CU. Investigations of potential non-amino acid SNAT2 inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1302445. [PMID: 38239202 PMCID: PMC10794626 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1302445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2, SLC38A2) has been implicated in cancer for its ability to supply cancer cells with glutamine and sarcosine. A recent high-throughput screen published by Gauthier-Coles et al. identified the non-amino acid 3-(N-methyl (4-methylphenyl)sulfonamido)-N-(2-trifluoromethylbenzyl)thiophene-2-carboxamide (MMTC or 57E) as a potent and selective SNAT2 inhibitor. Here we have investigated the ability of MMTC and four other compounds selected from the screen by Gauthier-Coles et al. to decrease 3H-Gly uptake in hyperosmotically treated human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. In these cells, SNAT2 is highly upregulated when the cells are hyperosmotically stressed for 24 h and is the primary contributor to glycine uptake. The five compounds were investigated at concentrations of 1-50 µM based on their equilibrium solubility. At 37°C the equilibrium solubility in HEPES buffered HBSS at pH 7.4 was measured to be 24.9 (53B), 56.1 (54F), 13.3 (55B), and 27.5 (57B) µM, respectively. The equilibrium solubility of MMTC was below the detection limit of the HPLC-UV method, thus less than 1.8 µM. However, a kinetic solubility of approximately 2.5-10 µM could be achieved during the course of the uptake study. In contrast to the previous publication, MMTC showed no inhibition of SNAT2-mediated 3H-Gly uptake in PC-3 cells at a concentration of 1 or 5 μM, despite a published IC50 of 0.8 µM. Similarly, 53B, 55B, and 57B showed no inhibition at soluble conditions, whereas 54F showed approximately 20% inhibition at 50 µM. In our experimental setup, the investigated compounds showed limited potential as SNAT2 inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carsten Uhd Nielsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Alam S, Doherty E, Ortega-Prieto P, Arizanova J, Fets L. Membrane transporters in cell physiology, cancer metabolism and drug response. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050404. [PMID: 38037877 PMCID: PMC10695176 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
By controlling the passage of small molecules across lipid bilayers, membrane transporters influence not only the uptake and efflux of nutrients, but also the metabolic state of the cell. With more than 450 members, the Solute Carriers (SLCs) are the largest transporter super-family, clustering into families with different substrate specificities and regulatory properties. Cells of different types are, therefore, able to tailor their transporter expression signatures depending on their metabolic requirements, and the physiological importance of these proteins is illustrated by their mis-regulation in a number of disease states. In cancer, transporter expression is heterogeneous, and the SLC family has been shown to facilitate the accumulation of biomass, influence redox homeostasis, and also mediate metabolic crosstalk with other cell types within the tumour microenvironment. This Review explores the roles of membrane transporters in physiological and malignant settings, and how these roles can affect drug response, through either indirect modulation of sensitivity or the direct transport of small-molecule therapeutic compounds into cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Alam
- Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Lab, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Emily Doherty
- Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Lab, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Paula Ortega-Prieto
- Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Lab, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Julia Arizanova
- Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Lab, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Louise Fets
- Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Lab, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lyu XD, Liu Y, Wang J, Wei YC, Han Y, Li X, Zhang Q, Liu ZR, Li ZZ, Jiang JW, Hu HL, Yuan ST, Sun L. A Novel ASCT2 Inhibitor, C118P, Blocks Glutamine Transport and Exhibits Antitumour Efficacy in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5082. [PMID: 37894450 PMCID: PMC10605716 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15205082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microtubule protein inhibitor C118P shows excellent anti-breast cancer effects. However, the potential targets and mechanisms of C118P in breast cancer remain unknown. METHODS Real-time cellular analysis (RTCA) was used to detect cell viability. Apoptosis and the cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. Computer docking simulations, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) were conducted to study the interaction between C118P and alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2). Seahorse XF technology was used to measure the basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR). The effect of C118P in the adipose microenvironment was explored using a co-culture model of adipocytes and breast cancer cells and mouse cytokine chip. RESULTS C118P inhibited proliferation, potentiated apoptosis, and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells. Notably, ASCT2 was validated as a C118P target through reverse docking, SPR, and MST. C118P suppressed glutamine metabolism and mediated autophagy via ASCT2. Similar results were obtained in the adipocyte-breast cancer microenvironment. Adipose-derived interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoted the proliferation of breast cancer cells by enhancing glutamine metabolism via ASCT2. C118P inhibited the upregulation of ASCT2 by inhibiting the effect of IL-6 in co-cultures. CONCLUSION C118P exerts an antitumour effect against breast cancer via the glutamine transporter ASCT2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Dan Lyu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Yang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Yuan-Cheng Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Yi Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Xue Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Qian Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Zheng-Rui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Zheng-Zheng Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| | - Jing-Wei Jiang
- Shuangyun BioMed Sci & Tech Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215000, China;
| | - Hao-Lin Hu
- General Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China;
| | - Sheng-Tao Yuan
- Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Li Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.-D.L.); (Y.L.); (J.W.); (Y.-C.W.); (Y.H.); (X.L.); (Q.Z.); (Z.-R.L.); (Z.-Z.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Álvarez-Merz I, Muñoz MD, Hernández-Guijo JM, Solís JM. Identification of Non-excitatory Amino Acids and Transporters Mediating the Irreversible Synaptic Silencing After Hypoxia. Transl Stroke Res 2023:10.1007/s12975-023-01192-y. [PMID: 37755645 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-023-01192-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of excitatory amino acids (AA) to ischemic brain injury has been widely described. In addition, we reported that a mixture of non-excitatory AA at plasmatic concentrations turns irreversible the depression of synaptic transmission caused by hypoxia. Here, we describe that the presence of seven non-excitatory AA (L-alanine, L-glutamine, glycine, L-histidine, L-serine, taurine, and L-threonine) during hypoxia provokes an irreversible neuronal membrane depolarization, after an initial phase of hyperpolarization. The collapse of the membrane potential correlates with a great increase in fiber volley amplitude. Nevertheless, we show that the presence of all seven AA is not necessary to cause the irreversible loss of fEPSP after hypoxia and that the minimal combination of AA able to provoke a solid, replicable effect is the mixture of L-alanine, glycine, L-glutamine, and L-serine. Additionally, L-glutamine seems necessary but insufficient to induce these harmful effects. We also prove that the deleterious effects of the AA mixtures on field potentials during hypoxia depend on both the identity and concentration of the individual AA in the mixture. Furthermore, we find that the accumulation of AA in the whole slice does not determine the outcome caused by the AA mixtures on the synaptic transmission during hypoxia. Finally, results obtained using pharmacological inhibitors and specific substrates of AA transporters suggest that system N and the alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) participate in the non-excitatory AA-mediated deleterious effects during hypoxia. Thus, these AA transporters might represent therapeutical targets for the treatment of brain ischemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Álvarez-Merz
- Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Neurobiología-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Dolores Muñoz
- Servicio de Neurobiología-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús M Hernández-Guijo
- Departamento de Farmacología y Terapéutica, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Teófilo Hernando, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Servicio de Neurobiología-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José M Solís
- Servicio de Neurobiología-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bai R, Meng Y, Cui J. Therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic characteristics of cancer cells. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023:104037. [PMID: 37236409 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is one of the important characteristics of cancer and is a key process leading to malignant proliferation, tumor development and treatment resistance. A variety of therapeutic drugs targeting metabolic reaction enzymes, transport receptors, and special metabolic processes have been developed. In this review, we investigate the characteristics of multiple metabolic changes in cancer cells, including glycolytic pathways, lipid metabolism, and glutamine metabolism changes, describe how these changes promote tumor development and tumor resistance, and summarize the progress and challenges of therapeutic strategies targeting various links of tumor metabolism in combination with current study data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rilan Bai
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Ying Meng
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Jiuwei Cui
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sbirkov Y, Vergov B, Dzharov V, Schenk T, Petrie K, Sarafian V. Targeting Glutaminolysis Shows Efficacy in Both Prednisolone-Sensitive and in Metabolically Rewired Prednisolone-Resistant B-Cell Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24. [PMID: 36834787 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The prognosis for patients with relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (cALL) remains poor. The main reason for treatment failure is drug resistance, most commonly to glucocorticoids (GCs). The molecular differences between prednisolone-sensitive and -resistant lymphoblasts are not well-studied, thereby precluding the development of novel and targeted therapies. Therefore, the aim of this work was to elucidate at least some aspects of the molecular differences between matched pairs of GC-sensitive and -resistant cell lines. To address this, we carried out an integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis, which revealed that lack of response to prednisolone may be underpinned by alterations in oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, amino acid, pyruvate and nucleotide biosynthesis, as well as activation of mTORC1 and MYC signalling, which are also known to control cell metabolism. In an attempt to explore the potential therapeutic effect of inhibiting one of the hits from our analysis, we targeted the glutamine-glutamate-α-ketoglutarate axis by three different strategies, all of which impaired mitochondrial respiration and ATP production and induced apoptosis. Thereby, we report that prednisolone resistance may be accompanied by considerable rewiring of transcriptional and biosynthesis programs. Among other druggable targets that were identified in this study, inhibition of glutamine metabolism presents a potential therapeutic approach in GC-sensitive, but more importantly, in GC-resistant cALL cells. Lastly, these findings may be clinically relevant in the context of relapse-in publicly available datasets, we found gene expression patterns suggesting that in vivo drug resistance is characterised by similar metabolic dysregulation to what we found in our in vitro model.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ndaru E, Zielewicz L, Shi Y, Hutchinson K, Garibsingh RAA, Schlessinger A, Grewer C. Alanine serine cysteine transporter (ASCT) substrate binding site properties probed with hydroxyhomoserine esters. J PHYS ORG CHEM 2022; 35:e4347. [PMID: 36568026 PMCID: PMC9786560 DOI: 10.1002/poc.4347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The glutamine transporter ASCT2 is highly overexpressed in cancer cells. Block of glutamine uptake by ASCT2 is a potential strategy to inhibit growth of cancer cells. However, pharmacology of the ASCT2 binding site is not well established. In this work, we report the computational docking to the binding site, and the synthesis of a new class of ASCT2 inhibitors based on the novel L-hydroxyhomoserine scaffold. While these compounds inhibit the ASCT2 leak anion conductance, as expected for competitive inhibitors, they did not block leak conductance in glutamate transporters (EAAT1-3 and EAAT5). They were also ineffective with respect to subtype ASCT1, which has >57% amino acid sequence similarity to ASCT2. Molecular docking studies agree very well with the experimental results and suggest specific polar interactions in the ASCT2 binding site. Our findings add to the repertoire of ASCT2 inhibitors and will aid in further studies of ASCT2 pharmacology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elias Ndaru
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Laura Zielewicz
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Yueyue Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Keino Hutchinson
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Rachel-Ann A Garibsingh
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Christof Grewer
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Das A, Gauthier-coles G, Bröer S, Rae CD. Impact of Inhibition of Glutamine and Alanine Transport on Cerebellar Glial and Neuronal Metabolism. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1189. [PMID: 36139028 PMCID: PMC9496060 DOI: 10.3390/biom12091189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum, or “little brain”, is often overlooked in studies of brain metabolism in favour of the cortex. Despite this, anomalies in cerebellar amino acid homeostasis in a range of disorders have been reported. Amino acid homeostasis is central to metabolism, providing recycling of carbon backbones and ammonia between cell types. Here, we examined the role of cerebellar amino acid transporters in the cycling of glutamine and alanine in guinea pig cerebellar slices by inhibiting amino acid transporters and examining the resultant metabolism of [1-13C]d-glucose and [1,2-13C]acetate by NMR spectroscopy and LCMS. While the lack of specific inhibitors of each transporter makes interpretation difficult, by viewing results from experiments with multiple inhibitors we can draw inferences about the major cell types and transporters involved. In cerebellum, glutamine and alanine transfer is dominated by system A, blockade of which has maximum effect on metabolism, with contributions from System N. Inhibition of neural system A isoform SNAT1 by MeAIB resulted in greatly decreased metabolite pools and reduced net fluxes but showed little effect on fluxes from [1,2-13C]acetate unlike inhibition of SNAT3 and other glutamine transporters by histidine where net fluxes from [1,2-13C]acetate are reduced by ~50%. We interpret the data as further evidence of not one but several glutamate/glutamine exchange pools. The impact of amino acid transport inhibition demonstrates that the cerebellum has tightly coupled cells and that glutamate/glutamine, as well as alanine cycling, play a major role in that part of the brain.
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
One hundred years have passed since Warburg discovered alterations in cancer metabolism, more than 70 years since Sidney Farber introduced anti-folates that transformed the treatment of childhood leukaemia, and 20 years since metabolism was linked to oncogenes. However, progress in targeting cancer metabolism therapeutically in the past decade has been limited. Only a few metabolism-based drugs for cancer have been successfully developed, some of which are in - or en route to - clinical trials. Strategies for targeting the intrinsic metabolism of cancer cells often did not account for the metabolism of non-cancer stromal and immune cells, which have pivotal roles in tumour progression and maintenance. By considering immune cell metabolism and the clinical manifestations of inborn errors of metabolism, it may be possible to isolate undesirable off-tumour, on-target effects of metabolic drugs during their development. Hence, the conceptual framework for drug design must consider the metabolic vulnerabilities of non-cancer cells in the tumour immune microenvironment, as well as those of cancer cells. In this Review, we cover the recent developments, notable milestones and setbacks in targeting cancer metabolism, and discuss the way forward for the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chi V Dang
- The Wistar Institute Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research New York, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
The transcription factor NRF2 coordinates the expression of a vast array of cytoprotective and metabolic genes in response to various stress inputs to restore cellular homeostasis. Transient activation of NRF2 in healthy tissues has been long recognized as a cellular defense mechanism and is critical to prevent cancer initiation by carcinogens. However, cancer cells frequently hijack the protective capability of NRF2 to sustain the redox balance and meet their metabolic requirements for proliferation. Further, aberrant activation of NRF2 in cancer cells confers resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy. During the last decade, many research groups have attempted to block NRF2 activity in tumors to counteract the survival and proliferative advantage of cancer cells and reverse resistance to treatment. In this review, we highlight the role of NRF2 in cancer progression and discuss the past and current approaches to disable NRF2 signaling in tumors. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Volume 62 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torrente
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA;
| | - Gina M DeNicola
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhao J, Yang Z, Tu M, Meng W, Gao H, Li MD, Li L. Correlation Between Prognostic Biomarker SLC1A5 and Immune Infiltrates in Various Types of Cancers Including Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:608641. [PMID: 34367941 PMCID: PMC8339971 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.608641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Solute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) is a major glutamine transporter and plays a key role in tumor growth. The main objectives of this study were to visualize the prognostic landscape of SLC1A5 in multiple cancers and determine the relations between SLC1A5 expression and tumor immunity. Methods SLC1A5 expression and its effect on tumor prognosis were analyzed using multiple online tools Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, PrognoScan, and Kaplan-Meier plotter with their own datasets as well as the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The correlations between SLC1A5 and tumor immune infiltrates were determined via TIMER. Results SLC1A5 expression was significantly higher in several types of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), compared with corresponding normal tissues. High SLC1A5 expression correlated with poor overall survival and with disease-free survival related to alcohol consumption. Moreover, SLC1A5 expression correlated positively with the numbers of tumor-infiltrating B cells, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells in HCC and in lower-grade glioma (LGG). Also, SLC1A5 expression showed strong correlations with diverse immune marker sets in HCC and LGG, indicating its role in regulating tumor immunity. Conclusions SLC1A5 represents a useful prognostic biomarker in multiple cancers, and its expression correlates highly with tumor immune-cell infiltration, especially in HCC and LGG.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junsheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhongli Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingmin Tu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hangzhou Tongchuang Medical Laboratory, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Meng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zoucheng People's Hospital, Zoucheng, China
| | - Hainv Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, ShuLan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming D Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Nachef M, Ali AK, Almutairi SM, Lee SH. Targeting SLC1A5 and SLC3A2/SLC7A5 as a Potential Strategy to Strengthen Anti-Tumor Immunity in the Tumor Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2021; 12:624324. [PMID: 33953707 PMCID: PMC8089370 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.624324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells are metabolically vigorous and are superior in the uptake of nutrients and in the release of the tumor microenvironment (TME)-specific metabolites. They create an acidic, hypoxic, and nutrient-depleted TME that makes it difficult for the cytotoxic immune cells to adapt to the metabolically hostile environment. Since a robust metabolism in immune cells is required for optimal anti-tumor effector functions, the challenges caused by the TME result in severe defects in the invasion and destruction of the established tumors. There have been many recent developments in NK and T cell-mediated immunotherapy, such as engineering them to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to enhance tumor-recognition and infiltration. However, to defeat the tumor and overcome the limitations of the TME, it is essential to fortify these novel therapies by improving the metabolism of the immune cells. One potential strategy to enhance the metabolic fitness of immune cells is to upregulate the expression of nutrient transporters, specifically glucose and amino acid transporters. In particular, the amino acid transporters SLC1A5 and SLC7A5 as well as the ancillary subunit SLC3A2, which are required for efficient uptake of glutamine and leucine respectively, could strengthen the metabolic capabilities and effector functions of tumor-directed CAR-NK and T cells. In addition to enabling the influx and efflux of essential amino acids through the plasma membrane and within subcellular compartments such as the lysosome and the mitochondria, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the amino acid transporters participate in sensing amino acid levels and thereby activate mTORC1, a master metabolic regulator that promotes cell metabolism, and induce the expression of c-Myc, a transcription factor essential for cell growth and proliferation. In this review, we discuss the regulatory pathways of these amino acid transporters and how we can take advantage of these processes to strengthen immunotherapy against cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Nachef
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alaa Kassim Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Saeedah Musaed Almutairi
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Seung-Hwan Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The University of Ottawa Centre for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Feng Y, Pathria G, Heynen-Genel S, Jackson M, James B, Yin J, Scott DA, Ronai ZA. Identification and Characterization of IMD-0354 as a Glutamine Carrier Protein Inhibitor in Melanoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:816-832. [PMID: 33632871 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A key hallmark of cancer, altered metabolism, is central to cancer pathogenesis and therapy resistance. Robust glutamine metabolism is among cellular processes regulating tumor progression and responsiveness to therapy in a number of cancers, including melanoma and breast cancer. Among mechanisms underlying the increase in glutamine metabolism in tumors is enhanced glutamine uptake mediated by the glutamine transporters, with SLC1A5 (also known as ASCT2) shown to play a predominant role. Correspondingly, increased SLC1A5 expression coincides with poorer survival in patients with breast cancer and melanoma. Therefore, we performed an image-based screen to identify small molecules that are able to prevent the localization of SLC1A5 to the plasma membrane without impacting cell shape. From 7,000 small molecules, nine were selected as hits, of which one (IMD-0354) qualified for further detailed functional assessment. IMD-0354 was confirmed as a potent inhibitor of glutamine uptake that attained sustained low intracellular glutamine levels. Concomitant with its inhibition of glutamine uptake, IMD-0354 attenuated mTOR signaling, suppressed two- and three-dimensional growth of melanoma cells, and induced cell-cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. Pronounced effect of IMD-0354 was observed in different tumor-derived cell lines, compared with nontransformed cells. RNA-sequencing analysis identified the unfolded protein response, cell cycle, and response (DNA damage response pathways) to be affected by IMD-0354. Combination of IMD-0354 with GLS1 or LDHA inhibitors enhanced melanoma cell death. In vivo, IMD-0354 suppressed melanoma growth in a xenograft model. As a modulator of glutamine metabolism, IMD-0354 may serve as an important therapeutic and experimental tool that deserves further examination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongmei Feng
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Gaurav Pathria
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Susanne Heynen-Genel
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Michael Jackson
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Brian James
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Jun Yin
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - David A Scott
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Ze'ev A Ronai
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kahya U, Köseer AS, Dubrovska A. Amino Acid Transporters on the Guard of Cell Genome and Epigenome. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:E125. [PMID: 33401748 PMCID: PMC7796306 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumorigenesis is driven by metabolic reprogramming. Oncogenic mutations and epigenetic alterations that cause metabolic rewiring may also upregulate the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Precise regulation of the intracellular ROS levels is critical for tumor cell growth and survival. High ROS production leads to the damage of vital macromolecules, such as DNA, proteins, and lipids, causing genomic instability and further tumor evolution. One of the hallmarks of cancer metabolism is deregulated amino acid uptake. In fast-growing tumors, amino acids are not only the source of energy and building intermediates but also critical regulators of redox homeostasis. Amino acid uptake regulates the intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels, endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein response signaling, mTOR-mediated antioxidant defense, and epigenetic adaptations of tumor cells to oxidative stress. This review summarizes the role of amino acid transporters as the defender of tumor antioxidant system and genome integrity and discusses them as promising therapeutic targets and tumor imaging tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uğur Kahya
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (U.K.); (A.S.K.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology-OncoRay, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ayşe Sedef Köseer
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (U.K.); (A.S.K.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology-OncoRay, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Dubrovska
- OncoRay–National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01309 Dresden, Germany; (U.K.); (A.S.K.)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology-OncoRay, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ndaru E, Garibsingh RA, Zielewicz L, Schlessinger A, Grewer C. Interaction of the neutral amino acid transporter ASCT2 with basic amino acids. Biochem J 2020; 477:1443-57. [PMID: 32242892 DOI: 10.1042/BCJ20190859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Glutamine transport across cell membranes is performed by a variety of transporters, including the alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2). The substrate-binding site of ASCT2 was proposed to be specific for small amino acids with neutral side chains, excluding basic substrates such as lysine. A series of competitive inhibitors of ASCT2 with low µM affinity were developed previously, on the basis of the 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) scaffold with a potential positive charge in the side chain. Therefore, we tested whether basic amino acids with side chains shorter than lysine can interact with the ASCT2 binding site. Molecular docking of L-1,3-diaminopropionic acid (L-DAP) and L-DAB suggested that these compounds bind to ASCT2. Consistent with this prediction, L-DAP and L-DAB, but not ornithine, lysine or D-DAP, elicited currents when applied to ASCT2-expressing cells. The currents were carried by anions and showed the hallmark properties of ASCT2 currents induced by transported substrates. The L-DAP response could be eliminated by a competitive ASCT2 inhibitor, suggesting that binding occurs at the substrate binding site. The KM for L-DAP was weakly voltage dependent. Furthermore, the pH dependence of the L-DAP response showed that the compound can bind in several protonation states. Together, these results suggest that the ASCT2 binding site is able to recognize L-amino acids with short, basic side chains, such as the L-DAP derivative β-N-methylamino-l-Alanine (BMAA), a well-studied neurotoxin. Our results expand the substrate specificity of ASCT2 to include amino acid substrates with positively charged side chains.
Collapse
|
20
|
Jiang H, Zhang N, Tang T, Feng F, Sun H, Qu W. Target the human Alanine/Serine/Cysteine Transporter 2(ASCT2): Achievement and Future for Novel Cancer Therapy. Pharmacol Res 2020; 158:104844. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
21
|
Baguet T, Bouton J, Janssens J, Pauwelyn G, Verhoeven J, Descamps B, Van Calenbergh S, Vanhove C, De Vos F. Radiosynthesis, in vitro and preliminary biological evaluation of [ 18 F]2-amino-4-((2-((3-fluorobenzyl)oxy)benzyl)(2-((3-(fluoromethyl)benzyl)oxy)benzyl)amino)butanoic acid, a novel alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 inhibitor-based positron emission tomography tracer. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 2020; 63:442-455. [PMID: 32472945 DOI: 10.1002/jlcr.3863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The metabolic alterations in tumors make it possible to visualize the latter by means of positron emission tomography, enabling diagnosis and providing metabolic information. The alanine serine cysteine transporter-2 (ASCT-2) is the main transporter of glutamine and is upregulated in several tumors. Therefore, a good positron emission tracer targeting this transport protein would have substantial value. Hence, the aim of this study is to develop a fluorine-18-labeled version of a V-9302 analogue, one of the most potent inhibitors of ASCT-2. The precursor was labeled with fluorine-18 via a nucleophilic substitution of the corresponding benzylic bromide. The cold reference product was subjected to in vitro assays with [3 H]glutamine in a PC-3 and F98 cell line to determine the affinity for both the human and rat ASCT-2. To evaluate the tracer potential dynamic μPET, images were acquired in a mouse xenograft model for prostate cancer. The tracer could be synthesized with an overall nondecay corrected yield of 3.66 ± 1.90%. in vitro experiments show inhibitor constants Ki of 90 and 125 μM for the PC-3 and F98 cells, respectively. The experiments in the PC-3 xenograft demonstrate a low uptake in the tumor tissue. We have successfully synthesized the radiotracer [18 F]2-amino-4-((2-((3-fluorobenzyl)oxy)benzyl)(2-((3-(fluoromethyl)benzyl)oxy)benzyl)amino)butanoic acid. in vitro experiments show a good affinity for both the human and rat ASCT-2. However, the tracer suffers from poor in vivo tumor uptake in the PC-3 model. Briefly, we present the first fluorine-18-labeled derivative of compound V-9302, a promising novel ASCT-2 blocker used for inhibition of tumor growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Baguet
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jakob Bouton
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jonas Janssens
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Glenn Pauwelyn
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Benedicte Descamps
- IBiTech-MEDISIP, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Christian Vanhove
- IBiTech-MEDISIP, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Filip De Vos
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Baguet T, Verhoeven J, Pauwelyn G, Hu J, Lambe P, De Lombaerde S, Piron S, Donche S, Descamps B, Goethals I, Vanhove C, De Vos F, Beyzavi MH. Radiosynthesis, in vitro and preliminary in vivo evaluation of the novel glutamine derived PET tracers [ 18F]fluorophenylglutamine and [ 18F]fluorobiphenylglutamine. Nucl Med Biol 2020; 86-87:20-29. [PMID: 32447069 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Glucose has been deemed the driving force of tumor growth for decades. However, research has shown that several tumors metabolically shift towards glutaminolysis. The development of radiolabeled glutamine derivatives could be a useful molecular imaging tool for visualizing these tumors. We elaborated on the glutamine-derived PET tracers by developing two novel probes, namely [18F]fluorophenylglutamine and [18F]fluorobiphenylglutamine. MATERIALS AND METHODS Both tracers were labelled with fluorine-18 using our recently reported ruthenium-based direct aromatic fluorination method. Their affinity was evaluated with a [3H]glutamine inhibition experiment in a human PC-3 and a rat F98 cell line. The imaging potential of [18F]fluorophenylglutamine and [18F]fluorobiphenylglutamine was tested using a mouse PC-3 and a rat F98 tumor model. RESULTS The radiosynthesis of both tracers was successful with overall non-decay corrected yields of 18.46 ± 4.18% (n = 10) ([18F]fluorophenylglutamine) and 8.05 ± 3.25% (n = 5) ([18F]fluorobiphenylglutamine). In vitro inhibition experiments showed a moderate and low affinity of fluorophenylglutamine and fluorobiphenylglutamine, respectively, towards the human ASCT-2 transporter. Both compounds had a low affinity towards the rat ASCT-2 transporter. These results were endorsed by the in vivo experiments with low uptake of both tracers in the F98 rat xenograft, low uptake of [18F]FBPG in the mice PC-3 xenograft and a moderate uptake of [18F]FPG in the PC-3 tumors. CONCLUSION We investigated the imaging potential of two novel PET radiotracers [18F]FPG and [18F]FBPG. [18F]FPG is the first example of a glutamine radiotracer derivatized with a phenyl group which enables the exploration of further derivatization of the phenyl group to increase the affinity and imaging qualities. We hypothesize that increasing the affinity of [18F]FPG by optimizing the substituents of the arene ring can result in a high-quality glutamine-based PET radiotracer. Advances in Knowledge and Implications for patient care: We hereby report novel glutamine-based PET-tracers. These tracers are tagged on the arene group with fluorine-18, hereby preventing in vivo defluorination, which can occur with alkyl labelled tracers (e.g. (2S,4R)4-[18F]fluoroglutamine). [18F]FPG shows clear tumor uptake in vivo, has no in vivo defluorination and has a straightforward production. We believe this tracer is a good starting point for the development of a high-quality tracer which is useful for the clinical visualization of the glutamine transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Baguet
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | | | - Glenn Pauwelyn
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jiyun Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, AR, USA
| | - Patricia Lambe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, AR, USA
| | | | - Sarah Piron
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sam Donche
- Ghent University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Benedicte Descamps
- IBiTech-MEDISIP Ghent University, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Goethals
- Ghent University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christian Vanhove
- IBiTech-MEDISIP Ghent University, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Filip De Vos
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - M Hassan Beyzavi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, AR, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Luo Z, Xu J, Sun J, Huang H, Zhang Z, Ma W, Wan Z, Liu Y, Pardeshi A, Li S. Co-delivery of 2-Deoxyglucose and a glutamine metabolism inhibitor V9302 via a prodrug micellar formulation for synergistic targeting of metabolism in cancer. Acta Biomater 2020; 105:239-252. [PMID: 31958597 PMCID: PMC7105957 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The unique metabolic demand of cancer cells suggests a new therapeutic strategy targeting the metabolism in cancers. V9302 is a recently reported inhibitor of ASCT2 amino acid transporter which shows promising antitumor activity by blocking glutamine uptake. However, its poor solubility in aqueous solutions and tumor cells' compensatory metabolic shift to glucose metabolism may limit the antitumor efficacy of V9302. 2-Deoxyglucose (2-DG), a derivative of glucose, has been developed as a potential antitumor agent through inhibiting glycolysis in tumor cells. In order to achieve enhanced antitumor effect by inhibiting both metabolic pathways, a 2-DG prodrug-based micellar carrier poly-(oligo ethylene glycol)-co-poly(4-((4-oxo-4-((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)butyl)disulfaneyl)butanoic acid)-(2-deoxyglucose) (POEG-p-2DG) was developed. POEG-p-2DG well retained the pharmacological activity of 2-DG in vitro and in vivo, More importantly, POEG-p-2DG could self-assemble to form micelles that were capable of loading V9302 to achieve co-delivery of 2-DG and V9302. V9302-loaded POEG-p2DG micelles were small in sizes (~10 nm), showed a slow kinetics of drug release and demonstrated targeted delivery to tumor. In addition, V9302 loaded POEG-p-2DG micelles exhibited improved anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, 2-DG treatment further decreased the glutamine uptake when combined with V9302, likely due to inhibition of ASCT2 glycosylation. These results suggest that POEG-p2DG prodrug micelles may serve as a dual functional carrier for V9302 to achieve synergistic targeting of metabolism in cancers. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Unique cancer cell's metabolism profile denotes a new therapeutic strategy. V9302 is a recently reported glutamine metabolism inhibitor that shows promising antitumor activity. However, its poor waster solubility and tumor cell's compensatory metabolic network may limit its potential clinical application. 2-Deoxyglucose(2-DG) is a widely used glycolysis inhibitor. However, its clinical application is hindered by low efficacy as monotherapy. Thus, in this study, we developed a redox-sensitive, 2-DG-based prodrug polymer, as a dual-functional carrier for co-delivery of V9302 and 2-DG as a combination strategy. V9302 loaded POEG-p-2DG micelle showed significantly improved antitumor activity through synergistic targeting of both glutamine and glycolysis metabolism pathway. More interestingly, POEG-p-2DG itself further facilitates inhibition of glutamine metabolism, likely through inhibition of ASCT2 glycosylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhangyi Luo
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Jieni Xu
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Haozhe Huang
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Ziqian Zhang
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Weina Ma
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Zhuoya Wan
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Yangwuyue Liu
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Apurva Pardeshi
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Song Li
- Center for pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Yoo HC, Park SJ, Nam M, Kang J, Kim K, Yeo JH, Kim JK, Heo Y, Lee HS, Lee MY, Lee CW, Kang JS, Kim YH, Lee J, Choi J, Hwang GS, Bang S, Han JM. A Variant of SLC1A5 Is a Mitochondrial Glutamine Transporter for Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells. Cell Metab 2020; 31:267-283.e12. [PMID: 31866442 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glutamine is an essential nutrient that regulates energy production, redox homeostasis, and signaling in cancer cells. Despite the importance of glutamine in mitochondrial metabolism, the mitochondrial glutamine transporter has long been unknown. Here, we show that the SLC1A5 variant plays a critical role in cancer metabolic reprogramming by transporting glutamine into mitochondria. The SLC1A5 variant has an N-terminal targeting signal for mitochondrial localization. Hypoxia-induced gene expression of the SLC1A5 variant is mediated by HIF-2α. Overexpression of the SLC1A5 variant mediates glutamine-induced ATP production and glutathione synthesis and confers gemcitabine resistance to pancreatic cancer cells. SLC1A5 variant knockdown and overexpression alter cancer cell and tumor growth, supporting an oncogenic role. This work demonstrates that the SLC1A5 variant is a mitochondrial glutamine transporter for cancer metabolic reprogramming.
Collapse
|
25
|
Freidman N, Chen I, Wu Q, Briot C, Holst J, Font J, Vandenberg R, Ryan R. Amino Acid Transporters and Exchangers from the SLC1A Family: Structure, Mechanism and Roles in Physiology and Cancer. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:1268-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-019-02934-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
26
|
Song W, Li D, Tao L, Luo Q, Chen L. Solute carrier transporters: the metabolic gatekeepers of immune cells. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:61-78. [PMID: 31993307 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Solute carrier (SLC) transporters meditate many essential physiological functions, including nutrient uptake, ion influx/efflux, and waste disposal. In its protective role against tumors and infections, the mammalian immune system coordinates complex signals to support the proliferation, differentiation, and effector function of individual cell subsets. Recent research in this area has yielded surprising findings on the roles of solute carrier transporters, which were discovered to regulate lymphocyte signaling and control their differentiation, function, and fate by modulating diverse metabolic pathways and balanced levels of different metabolites. In this review, we present current information mainly on glucose transporters, amino-acid transporters, and metal ion transporters, which are critically important for mediating immune cell homeostasis in many different pathological conditions.
Collapse
Key Words
- 3-PG, 3-phosphoglyceric acid
- ABC, ATP-binding cassette
- AIF, apoptosis-inducing factor
- AP-1, activator protein 1
- ASCT2, alanine serine and cysteine transporter system 2
- ATP, adenosine triphosphate
- BCR, B cell receptor
- BMDMs, bone marrow-derived macrophages
- CD45R, a receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase
- CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocytes
- DC, dendritic cells
- EAATs, excitatory amino acid transporters
- ER, endoplasmic reticulum
- ERRα, estrogen related receptor alpha
- FFA, free fatty acids
- G-6-P, glucose 6-phosphate
- GLUT, glucose transporters
- GSH, glutathione
- Glucose
- Glutamine
- HIF-1α, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha
- HIV-1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1
- Hk1, hexokinase-1
- IFNβ, interferon beta
- IFNγ, interferon gamma
- IKK, IκB kinase
- IKKβ, IκB kinase beta subunit
- IL, interleukin
- LDHA, lactate dehydrogenase A
- LPS, lipopolysaccharide
- Lymphocytes
- Lyn, tyrosine-protein kinase
- MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase
- MCT, monocarboxylate transporters
- MS, multiple sclerosis
- Metal ion
- NADPH, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate
- NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells
- NO, nitric oxide
- NOD2, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2
- PEG2, prostaglandin E2
- PI-3K/AKT, phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase/serine–threonine kinase
- PPP, pentose phosphate pathway
- Pfk, phosphofructokinase
- RA, rheumatoid arthritis
- RLR, RIG-I-like receptor
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- SLC, solute carrier
- SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus
- SNAT, sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporters
- STAT, signal transducers and activators of transcription
- Solute carrier
- TAMs, tumor-associated macrophages
- TCA, tricarboxylic acid
- TCR, T cell receptor
- TLR, toll-like receptor
- TNF, tumor necrosis factor
- TRPM7, transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 7
- Teffs, effector T cells
- Th1/2/17, type 1/2/17 helper T cells
- Tregs, regulatory T cells
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- ZIP, zrt/irt-like proteins
- iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase
- iTregs, induced regulatory T cells
- mTORC1, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1
- α-KG, α-ketoglutaric acid
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
The transport of materials across membranes is a vital process for all aspects of cellular function, including growth, metabolism, and communication. Protein transporters are the molecular gates that control this movement and serve as key points of regulation for these processes, thus representing an attractive class of therapeutic targets. With more than 400 members, the solute carrier (SLC) membrane transport proteins are the largest family of transporters, yet, they are pharmacologically underexploited relative to other protein families and many of the available chemical tools possess suboptimal selectivity and efficacy. Fortuitously, there is increased interest in elucidating the physiological roles of SLCs as well as growing recognition of their therapeutic potential. This Perspective provides an overview of the SLC superfamily, including their biochemical and functional features, as well as their roles in various human diseases. In particular, we explore efforts and associated challenges toward drugging SLCs, as well as highlight opportunities for future drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Leandro Gallo
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Appaso Jadhav
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Richard Hawkins
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Christopher G Parker
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States.,Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Amino acids perform a variety of functions in cells and organisms, particularly in the synthesis of proteins, as energy metabolites, neurotransmitters, and precursors for many other molecules. Amino acid transport plays a key role in all these functions. Inhibition of amino acid transport is pursued as a therapeutic strategy in several areas, such as diabetes and related metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, cancer, and stem cell biology. The role of amino acid transporters in these disorders and processes is well established, but the implementation of amino acid transporters as drug targets is still in its infancy. This is at least in part due to the underdeveloped pharmacology of this group of membrane proteins. Recent advances in structural biology, membrane protein expression, and inhibitor screening methodology will see an increased number of improved and selective inhibitors of amino acid transporters that can serve as tool compounds for further studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bröer
- 1 Research School of Biology, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Garibsingh RAA, Schlessinger A. Advances and Challenges in Rational Drug Design for SLCs. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2019; 40:790-800. [PMID: 31519459 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2019.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
There are over 420 human solute carrier (SLC) transporters from 65 families that are expressed ubiquitously in the body. The SLCs mediate the movement of ions, drugs, and metabolites across membranes and their dysfunction has been associated with a variety of diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Thus, SLCs are emerging as important targets for therapeutic intervention. Recent technological advances in experimental and computational biology allow better characterization of SLC pharmacology. Here we describe recent approaches to modulate SLC transporter function, with an emphasis on the use of computational approaches and computer-aided drug design (CADD) to study nutrient transporters. Finally, we discuss future perspectives in the rational design of SLC drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel-Ann A Garibsingh
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Affiliation(s)
- Kanu Wahi
- a Translational Cancer Metabolism Laboratory , School of Medical Sciences and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney , Australia
| | - Jeff Holst
- a Translational Cancer Metabolism Laboratory , School of Medical Sciences and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney , Australia
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ndaru E, Garibsingh RAA, Shi Y, Wallace E, Zakrepine P, Wang J, Schlessinger A, Grewer C. Novel alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) inhibitors based on sulfonamide and sulfonic acid ester scaffolds. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:357-368. [PMID: 30718375 PMCID: PMC6400523 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201812276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The neutral amino acid transporter alanine serine cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) belongs to the solute carrier 1 (SLC1) family of transport proteins and transports neutral amino acids, such as alanine and glutamine, into the cell in exchange with intracellular amino acids. This amino acid transport is sodium dependent, but not driven by the transmembrane Na+ concentration gradient. Glutamine transport by ASCT2 is proposed to be important for glutamine homoeostasis in rapidly growing cancer cells to fulfill the energy and nitrogen demands of these cells. Thus, ASCT2 is thought to be a potential anticancer drug target. However, the pharmacology of the amino acid binding site is not well established. Here, we report on the synthesis and characterization of a novel class of ASCT2 inhibitors based on an amino acid scaffold with a sulfonamide/sulfonic acid ester linker to a hydrophobic group. The compounds were designed based on an improved ASCT2 homology model using the human glutamate transporter hEAAT1 crystal structure as a modeling template. The compounds were shown to inhibit with a competitive mechanism and a potency that scales with the hydrophobicity of the side chain. The most potent compound binds with an apparent affinity, K i, of 8 ± 4 µM and can block the alanine response with a K i of 40 ± 23 µM at 200 µM alanine concentration. Computational analysis predicts inhibitor interactions with the binding site through molecular docking. In conclusion, the sulfonamide/sulfonic acid ester scaffold provides facile synthetic access to ASCT2 inhibitors with a potentially large variability in chemical space of the hydrophobic side chain. These inhibitors will be useful chemical tools to further characterize the role of ASCT2 in disease as well as improve our understanding of inhibition mechanisms of this transporter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elias Ndaru
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| | - Rachel-Ann A Garibsingh
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - YueYue Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| | - Evan Wallace
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| | - Paul Zakrepine
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| | - Jiali Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Christof Grewer
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Li L, Meng Y, Li Z, Dai W, Xu X, Bi X, Bian J. Discovery and development of small molecule modulators targeting glutamine metabolism. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 163:215-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.11.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
33
|
Bröer A, Gauthier-Coles G, Rahimi F, van Geldermalsen M, Dorsch D, Wegener A, Holst J, Bröer S. Ablation of the ASCT2 ( SLC1A5) gene encoding a neutral amino acid transporter reveals transporter plasticity and redundancy in cancer cells. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:4012-4026. [PMID: 30635397 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The neutral amino acid transporter solute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5 or ASCT2) is overexpressed in many cancers. To identify its roles in tumors, we employed 143B osteosarcoma cells and HCC1806 triple-negative breast cancer cells with or without ASCT2 deletion. ASCT2ko 143B cells grew well in standard culture media, but ASCT2 was required for optimal growth at <0.5 mm glutamine, with tumor spheroid growth and monolayer migration of 143B ASCT2ko cells being strongly impaired at lower glutamine concentrations. However, the ASCT2 deletion did not affect matrix-dependent invasion. ASCT2ko 143B xenografts in nude mice exhibited a slower onset of growth and a higher number of small tumors than ASCT2wt 143B xenografts, but did not differ in average tumor size 25 days after xenotransplantation. ASCT2 deficiency was compensated by increased levels of sodium neutral amino acid transporter 1 (SNAT1 or SLC38A1) and SNAT2 (SLC38A2) in ASCT2ko 143B cells, mediated by a GCN2 EIF2α kinase (GCN2)-dependent pathway, but this compensation was not observed in ASCT2ko HCC1806 cells. Combined SNAT1 silencing and GCN2 inhibition significantly inhibited growth of ASCT2ko HCC1806 cells, but not of ASCT2ko 143B cells. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and GCN2 significantly inhibited growth of ASCT2ko HCC1806 cells, but not of ASCT2ko 143B cells. We conclude that cancer cells with reduced transporter plasticity are more vulnerable to disruption of amino acid homeostasis than cells with a full capacity to up-regulate redundant transporters by an integrated stress response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Bröer
- From the Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Gregory Gauthier-Coles
- From the Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Farid Rahimi
- From the Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Michelle van Geldermalsen
- Origins of Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2050, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | | | | | - Jeff Holst
- School of Medical Sciences and Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- From the Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia,
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Liu Y, Zhao T, Li Z, Wang L, Yuan S, Sun L. The role of ASCT2 in cancer: A review. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 837:81-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
|
35
|
Sen N, Cross AM, Lorenzi PL, Khan J, Gryder BE, Kim S, Caplen NJ. EWS-FLI1 reprograms the metabolism of Ewing sarcoma cells via positive regulation of glutamine import and serine-glycine biosynthesis. Mol Carcinog 2018; 57:1342-1357. [PMID: 29873416 PMCID: PMC6175245 DOI: 10.1002/mc.22849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a soft tissue and bone tumor that occurs primarily in adolescents and young adults. In most cases of EWS, the chimeric transcription factor, EWS-FLI1 is the primary oncogenic driver. The epigenome of EWS cells reflects EWS-FLI1 binding and activation or repression of transcription. Here, we demonstrate that EWS-FLI1 positively regulates the expression of proteins required for serine-glycine biosynthesis and uptake of the alternative nutrient source glutamine. Specifically, we show that EWS-FLI1 activates expression of PHGDH, PSAT1, PSPH, and SHMT2. Using cell-based studies, we also establish that EWS cells are dependent on glutamine for cell survival and that EWS-FLI1 positively regulates expression of the glutamine transporter, SLC1A5 and two enzymes involved in the one-carbon cycle, MTHFD2 and MTHFD1L. Inhibition of serine-glycine biosynthesis in EWS cells impacts their redox state leading to an accumulation of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and apoptosis. Importantly, analysis of EWS primary tumor transcriptome data confirmed that the aforementioned genes we identified as regulated by EWS-FLI1 exhibit increased expression compared with normal tissues. Furthermore, retrospective analysis of an independent data set generated a significant stratification of the overall survival of EWS patients into low- and high-risk groups based on the expression of PHGDH, PSAT1, PSPH, SHMT2, SLC1A5, MTHFD2, and MTHFD1L. In summary, our study demonstrates that EWS-FLI1 reprograms the metabolism of EWS cells and that serine-glycine metabolism or glutamine uptake are potential targetable vulnerabilities in this tumor type.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nirmalya Sen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| | - Allison M. Cross
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| | - Philip L. Lorenzi
- Proteomic and Metabolomics Core Facility, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational BiologyThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTexas
| | - Javed Khan
- Oncogenomics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| | - Berkley E. Gryder
- Oncogenomics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| | - Suntae Kim
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| | - Natasha J. Caplen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research (CCR)National Cancer Institute (NCI)BethesdaMaryland
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that glutamine metabolism has become the main energy and building blocks supply for the growth and viability of a potentially large subset of malignant tumors. The glutamine metabolism often depends upon mitochondrial glutaminase (GLS) activity, which converts glutamine to glutamate and serves as a significant role for bioenergetic processes. Thus, recently, the GLS has become a key target for small molecule therapeutic intervention. Numerous medicinal chemistry studies are currently aimed at the design of novel and potent inhibitors for GLS, however, to date, only one compound (named CB-839) have entered clinical trials for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The perspective summarizes the progress in the discovery and development of GLS inhibitors, including the potential binding site, biochemical techniques for inhibitor identification, and approaches for identifying small-molecule inhibitors, as well as future therapeutic perspectives in glutamine metabolism are also put forward in order to provide reference and rational for the drug discovery of novel and potent glutamine metabolism modulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China
| | - Ying Meng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China
| | - Jubo Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China
| | - Zhiyu Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 21009 , P. R. China
| | - Jinlei Bian
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry , China Pharmaceutical University , 24 Tongjiaxiang , Nanjing 210009 , P. R. China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 21009 , P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Garibsingh RAA, Otte NJ, Ndaru E, Colas C, Grewer C, Holst J, Schlessinger A. Homology Modeling Informs Ligand Discovery for the Glutamine Transporter ASCT2. Front Chem 2018; 6:279. [PMID: 30137742 PMCID: PMC6066518 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Alanine-Serine-Cysteine transporter (SLC1A5, ASCT2), is a neutral amino acid exchanger involved in the intracellular homeostasis of amino acids in peripheral tissues. Given its role in supplying glutamine to rapidly proliferating cancer cells in several tumor types such as triple-negative breast cancer and melanoma, ASCT2 has been identified as a key drug target. Here we use a range of computational methods, including homology modeling and ligand docking, in combination with cell-based assays, to develop hypotheses for structure-function relationships in ASCT2. We perform a phylogenetic analysis of the SLC1 family and its prokaryotic homologs to develop a useful multiple sequence alignment for this protein family. We then generate homology models of ASCT2 in two different conformations, based on the human EAAT1 structures. Using ligand enrichment calculations, the ASCT2 models are then compared to crystal structures of various homologs for their utility in discovering ASCT2 inhibitors. We use virtual screening, cellular uptake and electrophysiology experiments to identify a non-amino acid ASCT2 inhibitor that is predicted to interact with the ASCT2 substrate binding site. Our results provide insights into the structural basis of substrate specificity in the SLC1 family, as well as a framework for the design of future selective and potent ASCT2 inhibitors as cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel-Ann A Garibsingh
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nicholas J Otte
- Origins of Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elias Ndaru
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Claire Colas
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christof Grewer
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Jeff Holst
- Origins of Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Bröer A, Fairweather S, Bröer S. Disruption of Amino Acid Homeostasis by Novel ASCT2 Inhibitors Involves Multiple Targets. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:785. [PMID: 30072900 PMCID: PMC6060247 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The glutamine transporter ASCT2 (SLC1A5) is actively investigated as an oncological target, but the field lacks efficient ASCT2 inhibitors. A new group of ASCT2 inhibitors, 2-amino-4-bis(aryloxybenzyl)aminobutanoic acids (AABA), were developed recently and shown to suppress tumor growth in preclinical in vivo models. To test its specificity, we deleted ASCT2 in two human cancer cell lines. Surprisingly, growth of parental and ASCT2-knockout cells was equally sensitive to AABA compounds. AABA compounds inhibited glutamine transport in cells lacking ASCT2, but not in parental cells. Deletion of ASCT2 and amino acid (AA) depletion induced expression of SNAT2 (SLC38A2), the activity of which was inhibited by AABA compounds. They also potently inhibited isoleucine uptake via LAT1 (SLC7A5), a transporter that is upregulated in cancer cells together with ASCT2. Inhibition of SNAT2 and LAT1 was confirmed by recombinant expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The reported reduction of tumor growth in pre-clinical models may be explained by a significant disruption of AA homeostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Bröer
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Stephen Fairweather
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Awad D, Pulliam TL, Lin C, Wilkenfeld SR, Frigo DE. Delineation of the androgen-regulated signaling pathways in prostate cancer facilitates the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2018; 41:1-11. [PMID: 29609138 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Although androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is initially effective for the treatment of progressive prostate cancer, it inevitably fails due to the onset of diverse resistance mechanisms that restore androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Thus, AR remains a desired therapeutic target even in the relapsed stages of the disease. Given the difficulties in stopping all AR reactivation mechanisms, we propose that the identification of the driver signaling events downstream of the receptor offer viable, alternative therapeutic targets. Here, we summarize recently described, AR-regulated processes that have been demonstrated to promote prostate cancer. By highlighting these signaling events and describing some of the ongoing efforts to pharmacologically modulate these pathways, our goal is to advocate potential new therapeutic targets that would represent an alternative approach for blocking AR actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Awad
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas L Pulliam
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chenchu Lin
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sandi R Wilkenfeld
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel E Frigo
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Molecular Medicine Program, The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Schulte ML, Fu A, Zhao P, Li J, Geng L, Smith ST, Kondo J, Coffey RJ, Johnson MO, Rathmell JC, Sharick JT, Skala MC, Smith JA, Berlin J, Washington MK, Nickels ML, Manning HC. Pharmacological blockade of ASCT2-dependent glutamine transport leads to antitumor efficacy in preclinical models. Nat Med 2018; 24:194-202. [PMID: 29334372 PMCID: PMC5803339 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The unique metabolic demands of cancer cells underscore potentially fruitful opportunities for drug discovery in the era of precision medicine. However, therapeutic targeting of cancer metabolism has led to surprisingly few new drugs to date. The neutral amino acid glutamine serves as a key intermediate in numerous metabolic processes leveraged by cancer cells, including biosynthesis, cell signaling, and oxidative protection. Herein we report the preclinical development of V-9302, a competitive small molecule antagonist of transmembrane glutamine flux that selectively and potently targets the amino acid transporter ASCT2. Pharmacological blockade of ASCT2 with V-9302 resulted in attenuated cancer cell growth and proliferation, increased cell death, and increased oxidative stress, which collectively contributed to antitumor responses in vitro and in vivo. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate the utility of a pharmacological inhibitor of glutamine transport in oncology, representing a new class of targeted therapy and laying a framework for paradigm-shifting therapies targeting cancer cell metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Schulte
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Allie Fu
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Ping Zhao
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Jun Li
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Ling Geng
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Shannon T. Smith
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Jumpei Kondo
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Robert J. Coffey
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Veterans Health Administration, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, 37212, United States
| | - Marc O. Johnson
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Jeffrey C. Rathmell
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Joe T. Sharick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Melissa C. Skala
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Jarrod A. Smith
- Vanderbilt Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Jordan Berlin
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - M. Kay Washington
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Michael L. Nickels
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - H. Charles Manning
- Vanderbilt Center for Molecular Probes, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Scopelliti AJ, Font J, Vandenberg RJ, Boudker O, Ryan RM. Structural characterisation reveals insights into substrate recognition by the glutamine transporter ASCT2/SLC1A5. Nat Commun 2018; 9:38. [PMID: 29295993 PMCID: PMC5750217 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02444-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells undergo a shift in metabolism where they become reliant on nutrients such as the amino-acid glutamine. Glutamine enters the cell via the alanine/serine/cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) that is upregulated in several cancers to maintain an increased supply of this nutrient and are therefore an attractive target in cancer therapeutic development. ASCT2 belongs to the glutamate transporter (SLC1A) family but is the only transporter in this family able to transport glutamine. The structural basis for glutamine selectivity of ASCT2 is unknown. Here, we identify two amino-acid residues in the substrate-binding site that are responsible for conferring glutamine selectivity. We introduce corresponding mutations into a prokaryotic homologue of ASCT2 and solve four crystal structures, which reveal the structural basis for neutral amino acid and inhibitor binding in this family. This structural model of ASCT2 may provide a basis for future development of selective ASCT2 inhibitors to treat glutamine-dependent cancers. Cancer cells are reliant on nutrients such as glutamine, which enter the cell via the alanine/serine/cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2). Here, authors use crystallography to show which amino-acid residues in the substrate-binding site are responsible for conferring glutamine selectivity to ASCT2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Scopelliti
- Transporter Biology Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Josep Font
- Transporter Biology Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Robert J Vandenberg
- Transporter Biology Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Renae M Ryan
- Transporter Biology Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Foster AC, Rangel-Diaz N, Staubli U, Yang JY, Penjwini M, Viswanath V, Li YX. Phenylglycine analogs are inhibitors of the neutral amino acid transporters ASCT1 and ASCT2 and enhance NMDA receptor-mediated LTP in rat visual cortex slices. Neuropharmacology 2017; 126:70-83. [PMID: 28807674 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA) co-agonist d-serine is a substrate for the neutral amino acid transporters ASCT1 (SLC1A4) and ASCT2 (SLC1A5). We identified l-phenylglycine (PG) and its analogs as inhibitors of ASCT1 and ASCT2. PG analogs were shown to be non-substrate inhibitors of ASCT1 and ASCT2 with a range of activities relative to other amino acid transport systems, including sodium-dependent glutamate transporters, the sodium-independent d-serine transporter asc-1 and system L. L-4-chloroPG was the most potent and selective ASCT1/2 inhibitor identified. The PG analogs facilitated theta-burst induced long-term potentiation in rat visual cortex slices in a manner that was dependent on extracellular d-serine. For structurally-related PG analogs, there was an excellent correlation between ASCT1/2 transport inhibition and enhancement of LTP which was not the case for inhibition of asc-1 or system L. The ability of PG analogs to enhance LTP is likely due to inhibition of d-serine transport by ASCT1/2, leading to elevated extracellular levels of d-serine and increased NMDA receptor activity. These results suggest that ASCT1/2 may play an important role in regulating extracellular d-serine and NMDA receptor-mediated physiological effects and that ASCT1/2 inhibitors have the potential for therapeutic benefit.
Collapse
|
43
|
White MA, Lin C, Rajapakshe K, Dong J, Shi Y, Tsouko E, Mukhopadhyay R, Jasso D, Dawood W, Coarfa C, Frigo DE. Glutamine Transporters Are Targets of Multiple Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in Prostate Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 15:1017-1028. [PMID: 28507054 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the known importance of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in prostate cancer, the processes downstream of AR that drive disease development and progression remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap has thus limited the ability to treat cancer. Here, it is demonstrated that androgens increase the metabolism of glutamine in prostate cancer cells. This metabolism was required for maximal cell growth under conditions of serum starvation. Mechanistically, AR signaling promoted glutamine metabolism by increasing the expression of the glutamine transporters SLC1A4 and SLC1A5, genes commonly overexpressed in prostate cancer. Correspondingly, gene expression signatures of AR activity correlated with SLC1A4 and SLC1A5 mRNA levels in clinical cohorts. Interestingly, MYC, a canonical oncogene in prostate cancer and previously described master regulator of glutamine metabolism, was only a context-dependent regulator of SLC1A4 and SLC1A5 levels, being unable to regulate either transporter in PTEN wild-type cells. In contrast, rapamycin was able to decrease the androgen-mediated expression of SLC1A4 and SLC1A5 independent of PTEN status, indicating that mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) was needed for maximal AR-mediated glutamine uptake and prostate cancer cell growth. Taken together, these data indicate that three well-established oncogenic drivers (AR, MYC, and mTOR) function by converging to collectively increase the expression of glutamine transporters, thereby promoting glutamine uptake and subsequent prostate cancer cell growth.Implications: AR, MYC, and mTOR converge to increase glutamine uptake and metabolism in prostate cancer through increasing the levels of glutamine transporters. Mol Cancer Res; 15(8); 1017-28. ©2017 AACR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A White
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Chenchu Lin
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Kimal Rajapakshe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jianrong Dong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Yan Shi
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Efrosini Tsouko
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Ratna Mukhopadhyay
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Diana Jasso
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Wajahat Dawood
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Daniel E Frigo
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas. .,Molecular Medicine Program, The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Masle-Farquhar E, Bröer A, Yabas M, Enders A, Bröer S. ASCT2 (SLC1A5)-Deficient Mice Have Normal B-Cell Development, Proliferation, and Antibody Production. Front Immunol 2017; 8:549. [PMID: 28553292 PMCID: PMC5427077 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SLC1A5 (solute carrier family 1, member 5) is a small neutral amino acid exchanger that is upregulated in rapidly proliferating lymphocytes but also in many primary human cancers. Furthermore, cancer cell lines have been shown to require SLC1A5 for their survival in vitro. One of SLC1A5's primary substrates is the immunomodulatory amino acid glutamine, which plays an important role in multiple key processes, such as energy supply, macromolecular synthesis, nucleotide biosynthesis, redox homeostasis, and resistance against oxidative stress. These processes are also essential to immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, B and T lymphocytes. We show here that mice with a stop codon in Slc1a5 have reduced glutamine uptake in activated lymphocytes and primary fibroblasts. B and T cell populations and maturation in resting mice were not affected by absence of SLC1A5. Antibody production in resting and immunized mice and the germinal center response to immunization were also found to be normal. SLC1A5 has been recently described as a novel target for the treatment of a variety of cancers, and our results indicate that inhibition of SLC1A5 in cancer therapy may be tolerated well by the immune system of cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Masle-Farquhar
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Angelika Bröer
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Mehmet Yabas
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Anselm Enders
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
Glucose and glutamine are the most abundant nutrients for producing energy and building blocks in normal and tumor cells. Increased glycolysis in tumors, the Warburg Effect, is the basis for 18F-FDG PET imaging. Cancer cells can also be genetically reprogrammed to use glutamine. 5-11C-(2S)-glutamine and 18F-(2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine may be useful complementary tools to measure changes in tumor metabolism. In glioma patients, the tracer 18F-(2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine showed tumor-to-background contrast different from that of 18F-FDG and differences in uptake in glioma patients with clinical progression of disease versus stable disease (tumor-to-brain ratio > 3.7 in clinically active glioma tumors, minimal or no specific uptake in clinically stable tumors). These preliminary results suggest that 18F-(2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine PET may be a new tool for probing in vivo metabolism of glutamine in cancer patients and for guiding glutamine-targeted therapeutics. Further studies of uptake mechanism, and comparison of kinetics for 18F-(2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine versus the 11C-labeled native glutamine, will be important and enlightening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- College of Chemistry 82#, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Karl Ploessl
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Rong Zhou
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - David Mankoff
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Hank F Kung
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and .,Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Singh K, Tanui R, Gameiro A, Eisenberg G, Colas C, Schlessinger A, Grewer C. Structure activity relationships of benzylproline-derived inhibitors of the glutamine transporter ASCT2. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 27:398-402. [PMID: 28057420 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.12.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The glutamine transporter ASCT2 has been identified as a promising target to inhibit rapid growth of cancer cells. However, ASCT2 pharmacology is not well established. In this report, we performed a systematic structure activity analysis of a series of substituted benzylproline derivatives. Substitutions on the phenyl ring resulted in compounds with characteristics of ASCT2 inhibitors. Apparent binding affinity increased with increasing hydrophobicity of the side chain. In contrast, interaction of the ASCT2 binding site with specific positions on the phenyl ring was not observed. The most potent compound inhibits the ASCT2 anion conductance with a Ki of 3μM, which is in the same range as that of more bulky and higher molecular weight inhibitors recently reported by others. The experimental results are consistent with computational analysis based on docking of the inhibitors against an ASCT2 homology model. The benzylproline scaffold provides a valuable tool for further improving binding potency of future ASCT2 inhibitors.
Collapse
|