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Krieg S, Fernandes SI, Kolliopoulos C, Liu M, Fendt SM. Metabolic Signaling in Cancer Metastasis. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:934-952. [PMID: 38592405 PMCID: PMC7616057 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-24-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Metastases, which are the leading cause of death in patients with cancer, have metabolic vulnerabilities. Alterations in metabolism fuel the energy and biosynthetic needs of metastases but are also needed to activate cell state switches in cells leading to invasion, migration, colonization, and outgrowth in distant organs. Specifically, metabolites can activate protein kinases as well as receptors and they are crucial substrates for posttranslational modifications on histone and nonhistone proteins. Moreover, metabolic enzymes can have moonlighting functions by acting catalytically, mainly as protein kinases, or noncatalytically through protein-protein interactions. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on metabolic signaling in cancer metastasis. SIGNIFICANCE Effective drugs for the prevention and treatment of metastases will have an immediate impact on patient survival. To overcome the current lack of such drugs, a better understanding of the molecular processes that are an Achilles heel in metastasizing cancer cells is needed. One emerging opportunity is the metabolic changes cancer cells need to undergo to successfully metastasize and grow in distant organs. Mechanistically, these metabolic changes not only fulfill energy and biomass demands, which are often in common between cancer and normal but fast proliferating cells, but also metabolic signaling which enables the cell state changes that are particularly important for the metastasizing cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Krieg
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sara Isabel Fernandes
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Constantinos Kolliopoulos
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ming Liu
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Fan Y, Xue H, Li Z, Huo M, Gao H, Guan X. Exploiting the Achilles' heel of cancer: disrupting glutamine metabolism for effective cancer treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1345522. [PMID: 38510646 PMCID: PMC10952006 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1345522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells have adapted to rapid tumor growth and evade immune attack by reprogramming their metabolic pathways. Glutamine is an important nitrogen resource for synthesizing amino acids and nucleotides and an important carbon source in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and lipid biosynthesis pathway. In this review, we summarize the significant role of glutamine metabolism in tumor development and highlight the vulnerabilities of targeting glutamine metabolism for effective therapy. In particular, we review the reported drugs targeting glutaminase and glutamine uptake for efficient cancer treatment. Moreover, we discuss the current clinical test about targeting glutamine metabolism and the prospective direction of drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Fan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Han Xue
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mingge Huo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hongxia Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
| | - Xingang Guan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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3
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Papalazarou V, Newman AC, Huerta-Uribe A, Legrave NM, Falcone M, Zhang T, McGarry L, Athineos D, Shanks E, Blyth K, Vousden KH, Maddocks ODK. Phenotypic profiling of solute carriers characterizes serine transport in cancer. Nat Metab 2023; 5:2148-2168. [PMID: 38066114 PMCID: PMC10730406 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-023-00936-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Serine is a vital amino acid in tumorigenesis. While cells can perform de novo serine synthesis, most transformed cells rely on serine uptake to meet their increased biosynthetic requirements. Solute carriers (SLCs), a family of transmembrane nutrient transport proteins, are the gatekeepers of amino acid acquisition and exchange in mammalian cells and are emerging as anticancer therapeutic targets; however, the SLCs that mediate serine transport in cancer cells remain unknown. Here we perform an arrayed RNAi screen of SLC-encoding genes while monitoring amino acid consumption and cell proliferation in colorectal cancer cells using metabolomics and high-throughput imaging. We identify SLC6A14 and SLC25A15 as major cytoplasmic and mitochondrial serine transporters, respectively. We also observe that SLC12A4 facilitates serine uptake. Dual targeting of SLC6A14 and either SLC25A15 or SLC12A4 diminishes serine uptake and growth of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, particularly in cells with compromised de novo serine biosynthesis. Our results provide insight into the mechanisms that contribute to serine uptake and intracellular handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios Papalazarou
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| | - Alice C Newman
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alejandro Huerta-Uribe
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nathalie M Legrave
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Metabolomics Platform, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Department of Cancer Research, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Mattia Falcone
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Division of Oncogenomics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tong Zhang
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Lynn McGarry
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Emma Shanks
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Karen Blyth
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Oliver D K Maddocks
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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4
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Sniegowski T, Rajasekaran D, Sennoune SR, Sunitha S, Chen F, Fokar M, Kshirsagar S, Reddy PH, Korac K, Mahmud Syed M, Sharker T, Ganapathy V, Bhutia YD. Amino acid transporter SLC38A5 is a tumor promoter and a novel therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16863. [PMID: 37803043 PMCID: PMC10558479 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43983-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells have a great demand for nutrients in the form of sugars, amino acids, and lipids. Particularly, amino acids are critical for cancer growth and, as intermediates, connect glucose, lipid and nucleotide metabolism. PDAC cells meet these requirements by upregulating selective amino acid transporters. Here we show that SLC38A5 (SN2/SNAT5), a neutral amino acid transporter is highly upregulated and functional in PDAC cells. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of SLC38A5, we show its tumor promoting role in an in vitro cell line model as well as in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model. Using metabolomics and RNA sequencing, we show significant reduction in many amino acid substrates of SLC38A5 as well as OXPHOS inactivation in response to SLC38A5 deletion. Experimental validation demonstrates inhibition of mTORC1, glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in KO cells, suggesting a serious metabolic crisis associated with SLC38A5 deletion. Since many SLC38A5 substrates are activators of mTORC1 as well as TCA cycle intermediates/precursors, we speculate amino acid insufficiency as a possible link between SLC38A5 deletion and inactivation of mTORC1, glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, and the underlying mechanism for PDAC attenuation. Overall, we show that SLC38A5 promotes PDAC, thereby identifying a novel, hitherto unknown, therapeutic target for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Sniegowski
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Devaraja Rajasekaran
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Souad R Sennoune
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Sukumaran Sunitha
- Center for Biotechnology & Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Fang Chen
- Center for Biotechnology & Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Mohamed Fokar
- Center for Biotechnology & Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Sudhir Kshirsagar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Ksenija Korac
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Mosharaf Mahmud Syed
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Tanima Sharker
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Vadivel Ganapathy
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Yangzom D Bhutia
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
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Lavoro A, Falzone L, Tomasello B, Conti GN, Libra M, Candido S. In silico analysis of the solute carrier (SLC) family in cancer indicates a link among DNA methylation, metabolic adaptation, drug response, and immune reactivity. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1191262. [PMID: 37397501 PMCID: PMC10308049 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1191262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The oncogenic transformation is driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations influencing cancer cell fate. These alterations also result in metabolic reprogramming by modulating the expression of membrane Solute Carrier (SLC) transporters involved in biomolecules trafficking. SLCs act as tumor suppressors or promoters influencing cancer methylome, tumor growth, immune-escape, and chemoresistance. Methods: This in silico study aimed to identify the deregulated SLCs in various tumor types compared to normal tissues by analyzing the TCGA Target GTEx dataset. Furthermore, the relationship between SLCs expression and the most relevant tumor features was tackled along with their genetic regulation mediated by DNA methylation. Results: We identified 62 differentially expressed SLCs, including the downregulated SLC25A27 and SLC17A7, as well as the upregulated SLC27A2 and SLC12A8. Notably, SLC4A4 and SLC7A11 expression was associated with favorable and unfavorable outcome, respectively. Moreover, SLC6A14, SLC34A2, and SLC1A2 were linked to tumor immune responsiveness. Interestingly, SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 positively correlated with anti-MEK and anti-RAF sensitivity. The expression of relevant SLCs was correlated with hypo- and hyper-methylation of promoter and body region, showing an established DNA methylation pattern. Noteworthy, the positive association of cg06690548 (SLC7A11) methylation with cancer outcome suggests the independent predictive role of DNA methylation at a single nucleotide resolution. Discussion: Although our in silico overview revealed a wide heterogeneity depending on different SLCs functions and tumor types, we identified key SLCs and pointed out the role of DNA methylation as regulatory mechanism of their expression. Overall, these findings deserve further studies to identify novel cancer biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Lavoro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Luca Falzone
- Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori “Fondazione G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Tomasello
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nicolò Conti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Massimo Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Research Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Saverio Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Research Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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6
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Pérez-Díez I, Andreu Z, Hidalgo MR, Perpiñá-Clérigues C, Fantín L, Fernandez-Serra A, de la Iglesia-Vaya M, Lopez-Guerrero JA, García-García F. A Comprehensive Transcriptional Signature in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Reveals New Insights into the Immune and Desmoplastic Microenvironments. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15112887. [PMID: 37296850 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognoses and treatment responses remain devastatingly poor due partly to the highly heterogeneous, aggressive, and immunosuppressive nature of this tumor type. The intricate relationship between the stroma, inflammation, and immunity remains vaguely understood in the PDAC microenvironment. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of stroma-, and immune-related gene expression in the PDAC microenvironment to improve disease prognosis and therapeutic development. We selected 21 PDAC studies from the Gene Expression Omnibus and ArrayExpress databases, including 922 samples (320 controls and 602 cases). Differential gene enrichment analysis identified 1153 significant dysregulated genes in PDAC patients that contribute to a desmoplastic stroma and an immunosuppressive environment (the hallmarks of PDAC tumors). The results highlighted two gene signatures related to the immune and stromal environments that cluster PDAC patients into high- and low-risk groups, impacting patients' stratification and therapeutic decision making. Moreover, HCP5, SLFN13, IRF9, IFIT2, and IFI35 immune genes are related to the prognosis of PDAC patients for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Pérez-Díez
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- Biomedical Imaging Unit FISABIO-CIPF, Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46012 Valencia, Spain
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Zoraida Andreu
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta R Hidalgo
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carla Perpiñá-Clérigues
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucía Fantín
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernandez-Serra
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, 46009 Valencia, Spain
| | - María de la Iglesia-Vaya
- Biomedical Imaging Unit FISABIO-CIPF, Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46012 Valencia, Spain
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - José A Lopez-Guerrero
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, 46009 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, Catholic University of Valencia, 46001 Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco García-García
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Principe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
- IVO-CIPF Joint Research Unit of Cancer, Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), 46012 Valencia, Spain
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7
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Fu S, Xu S, Zhang S. The role of amino acid metabolism alterations in pancreatic cancer: From mechanism to application. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188893. [PMID: 37015314 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing in both developed and developing Nations. In recent years, various research evidence suggested that reprogrammed metabolism may play a key role in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis and development. Therefore, it has great potential as a diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic target. Amino acid metabolism is deregulated in pancreatic cancer, and changes in amino acid metabolism can affect cancer cell status, systemic metabolism in malignant tumor patients and mistakenly involved in different biological processes including stemness, proliferation and growth, invasion and migration, redox state maintenance, autophagy, apoptosis and even tumor microenvironment interaction. Generally, the above effects are achieved through two pathways, energy metabolism and signal transduction. This review aims to highlight the current research progress on the abnormal alterations of amino acids metabolism in pancreatic cancer, how they affect tumorigenesis and development of pancreatic cancer and the application prospects of them as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenao Fu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China; Clinical Medicine Eight-Year Program, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Shaokang Xu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China; Clinical Medicine Eight-Year Program, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Shubing Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China.
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8
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Anderson CMH, Edwards N, Watson AK, Althaus M, Thwaites DT. Reshaping the Binding Pocket of the Neurotransmitter:Solute Symporter (NSS) Family Transporter SLC6A14 (ATB 0,+) Selectively Reduces Access for Cationic Amino Acids and Derivatives. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12101404. [PMID: 36291613 PMCID: PMC9599917 DOI: 10.3390/biom12101404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
SLC6A14 (ATB0,+) is unique among SLC proteins in its ability to transport 18 of the 20 proteinogenic (dipolar and cationic) amino acids and naturally occurring and synthetic analogues (including anti-viral prodrugs and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors). SLC6A14 mediates amino acid uptake in multiple cell types where increased expression is associated with pathophysiological conditions including some cancers. Here, we investigated how a key position within the core LeuT-fold structure of SLC6A14 influences substrate specificity. Homology modelling and sequence analysis identified the transmembrane domain 3 residue V128 as equivalent to a position known to influence substrate specificity in distantly related SLC36 and SLC38 amino acid transporters. SLC6A14, with and without V128 mutations, was heterologously expressed and function determined by radiotracer solute uptake and electrophysiological measurement of transporter-associated current. Substituting the amino acid residue occupying the SLC6A14 128 position modified the binding pocket environment and selectively disrupted transport of cationic (but not dipolar) amino acids and related NOS inhibitors. By understanding the molecular basis of amino acid transporter substrate specificity we can improve knowledge of how this multi-functional transporter can be targeted and how the LeuT-fold facilitates such diversity in function among the SLC6 family and other SLC amino acid transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catriona M. H. Anderson
- School of Natural & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agriculture, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
- Correspondence: (C.M.H.A.); (D.T.T.)
| | - Noel Edwards
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Andrew K. Watson
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Mike Althaus
- School of Natural & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agriculture, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
- Department of Natural Sciences & Institute for Functional Gene Analytics, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany
| | - David T. Thwaites
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
- Correspondence: (C.M.H.A.); (D.T.T.)
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9
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Regulation of SLC6A14 trafficking in breast cancer cells by heat shock protein HSP90β. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 614:41-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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