Insulin controls key steps of carbohydrate metabolism in cultured HT29 colon cancer cells

Kinetic modeling of glucose central metabolism in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells

BACKGROUND

Kinetic modeling and control analysis of a metabolic pathway may identify the steps with the highest control in tumor cells, and low control in normal cells, which can be proposed as the best therapeutic targets.

METHODS

Enzyme kinetic characterization, pathway kinetic modeling and control analysis of the glucose central metabolism were carried out in rat (hepatoma AS-30D) and human (cervix HeLa) cancer cells and normal rat hepatocytes.

RESULTS

The glycogen metabolism enzymes in AS-30D, HeLa cells and hepatocytes showed similar kinetic properties, except for higher AS-30D glycogen phosphorylase (GP) sensitivity to AMP. Pathway modeling indicated that fluxes of glycogen degradation and PPP were mainly controlled by GP and NADPH consumption, respectively, in both hepatocytes and cancer cells. Likewise, hexose-6-phosphate isomerase (HPI) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) exerted significant control on glycolysis and glycogen synthesis fluxes in cancer cells but not in hepatocytes. Modeling also indicated that glycolytic and glycogen synthesis fluxes could be strongly decreased when HPI and PGM were simultaneously inhibited in AS-30D cells but not in hepatocytes. Experimental assessment of these predictions showed that both the glycolytic and glycogen synthesis fluxes of AS-30D cells, but not of hepatocytes, were inhibited by oxamate, by inducing increased Fru1,6BP levels, a competitive inhibitor of HPI and PGM.

CONCLUSION

HPI and PGM seem suitable targets for decreasing glycolytic and glycogen synthesis fluxes in AS-30D cells but not in hepatocytes.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The present study identified new therapeutic targets within glucose central metabolism in the analyzed cancer cells, with no effects on non-cancer cells.

Insulin induces PFKFB3 gene expression in HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is present at high concentrations in many established lines of transformed cells. It plays a key role in the maintenance of a high glycolytic rate by coupling hormonal and growth factor signals with metabolic demand. The concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is controlled by the activity of the homodimeric bifunctional enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFK-2). We report here the PFKFB-3 gene expression control by insulin in the human colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cell line. The incubation of these cells with 1 microM insulin resulted in an increase in the PFK-2 mRNA level after 6 h of treatment, this effect being blocked by actinomycin D. Furthermore, insulin induced ubiquitous PFK-2 protein levels, that were evident after a lag of 3 h and could be inhibited by incubation with cycloheximide.

In vivo effects of insulin on tumor and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in patients with lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The anabolic properties of insulin have been suggested for use to reverse malnutrition associated with cancer. The host and tumor sensitivities to insulin are critical for such treatments, which aim to improve patient nutrition. The authors studied insulin effects on tumor and skeletal muscle metabolism with 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET).

METHODS

Six patients with lymphoma twice underwent [18F]FDG-PET imaging: once after fasting overnight and once during euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. The dynamic uptake of the glucose analogue [18F]FDG was measured in diseased nodes and upper arm skeletal muscle in both metabolic states. The [18F]FDG uptake in muscle and the whole body glucose use during euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp were compared with those of weight-matched healthy subjects studied under similar circumstances.

RESULTS

In lymphomatous tissue, [18F]FDG uptake rates were similar in overnight fasting and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (38 +/- 10 versus 41 +/- 9 mumol/100 g/minute, not significant), whereas glucose uptake in skeletal muscle was increased by insulin (1.7 +/- 0.2 versus 3.8 +/- 0.5 mumol/100 g/minute, P = 0.012). Both basal (2.3 +/- 0.2 mumol/100 g/minute, P = 0.061) and insulin-stimulated (8.5 +/- 1.9 mumol/100 g/minute, P = 0.055) skeletal arm muscle glucose uptake rates were higher in control subjects than in patients. Whole body glucose use was 55% lower in patients than in control subjects (17 +/- 3 mumol/kg/minute versus 38 +/- 3 mumol/kg/minute, P = 0.002), consistent with insulin resistance in cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that insulin does not induce major changes in glucose uptake of lymphomatous tissue. Although insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscle was also reduced in patients with lymphoma, the net insulin effect may counteract imbalance between glucose uptake of tumor and muscle, offering a potential means to circumvent at least some metabolic abnormalities found in cancer.

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and the control of glycolysis by growth factors, tumor promoters and oncogenes

Tumor and proliferating cells maintain a high glycolytic rate even under aerobic conditions. The discovery of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, a potent stimulator of glycolysis, has prompted a re-investigation of this phenomenon. Rat hepatoma cells and fibroblasts stimulated by mitogens or transformed by the Rous sarcoma virus carrying the v-src oncogene were used as models. The results indicate that in established lines of hepatoma cells the biochemical properties of the bifunctional enzyme, PFK-2/FBPase-2, involved in the synthesis and degradation of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, differ from those of the enzyme from normal liver. In addition, the stimulation of glycolysis induced by phorbol esters and pp60v-src can be explained by an increase in the concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and an activation of PFK-2. The mechanism of stimulation involves the transcription of a gene whose product activates PFK-2 or is a distinct PFK-2 isozyme. Finally, mercaptopurines were found to block fructose 2,6-bisphosphate synthesis in vitro and in lymphocytes and lymphoblastic cells. In these cells, this resulted in an inhibition of glycolysis.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide and forskolin regulate proliferation of the HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line

Although several lines of evidence implicate cAMP in the regulation of intestinal cell proliferation, the precise role of this second messenger in the control of the human colon cancer cell cycle is still unclear. In order to investigate the role of cAMP in HT29 cell proliferation, we have tested the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and forskolin on DNA synthesis and cell number, focusing on the time-dependent efficacy of the treatment. The cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase by incubation for 24 h in serum-free medium and proliferation was re-initiated by addition of either 85 nM insulin or 0.5% fetal calf serum. In the presence of fetal calf serum, G1/S transition was found to occur earlier than with insulin. Exposure of the HT29 cells to 10(-5) M forskolin in the early stages of growth induction (within 12 h from FCS addition or within 14 h from insulin treatment) resulted in a significant inhibition of DNA synthesis and a delayed entry in the S phase. By contrast, VIP (10(-7) M) was inhibitory only when added within a narrow window (10 to 12 h or 12 to 14 h following FCS or insulin addition, respectively). The difference in efficiency of forskolin and VIP to inhibit cell proliferation may be correlated with their own potency to promote long-lasting cAMP accumulation. The combination of VIP plus forskolin had synergistic effects on both cAMP accumulation and cell-growth inhibition. Taken together, our data indicate that cAMP may act at a step in the late G1 or G1/S transition.

Involvement of ornithine decarboxylase in the control of proliferation of the HT29 human colon cancer cell line. Effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide on enzyme activity

Involvement of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in proliferation of the HT29 cell line and its control by either fetal calf serum (FCS) or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as an external signal increasing cAMP level were investigated. Activation of the polyamine-producing system appears to be a necessary step in the proliferative response of HT29 cells since cell growth is arrested by addition of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, an inhibitor of ODC), then restored by further addition of putrescine into the culture medium. FCS deprivation results in decreased activity of ODC and arrest of cell growth. Addition of FCS induces reactivation of ODC peaking at 9 hr and re-initiates proliferation but does not affect cAMP level. VIP strongly and rapidly stimulated cAMP accumulation, which resulted in significant activation of ODC. When VIP-induced cAMP formation was hindered by the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist UK14304, activation of ODC was no longer observed. The dose-response curve for ODC activation by VIP indicates an EC50 value of 0.078 nM which falls within the range of physiological concentrations for this peptide. However, VIP fails to stimulate proliferation when cells are cultured either in an FCS-free medium or in the presence of a growth-limiting concentration of FCS. We conclude that the mechanisms of ODC activation by either FCS or VIP are different, the latter involving cAMP formation. Activation of ODC to produce polyamines is necessary to support the proliferative process in our model but the VIP-induced activation of the enzyme alone is not sufficient to promote cell growth.

Phosphofructokinase 2 and glycolysis in HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Regulation by insulin and phorbol esters

Kinetic properties of phosphofructokinase 2 (PFK2) and regulation of glycolysis by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and insulin were investigated in highly glycolytic HT29 colon cancer cells. PFK2 was found to be inhibited by citrate and, to a lesser extent, by phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP, but to be insensitive to inhibition by sn-glycerol phosphate. From these kinetic data, PFK2 from HT29 cells appears different from the liver form, but resembles somewhat the heart isoenzyme. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) levels, glucose consumption and lactate production are increased in a dose-dependent manner in HT29 cells treated with PMA or insulin. The increase in Fru-2,6-P2 can be related to an increase in the Vmax. of PFK2, persisting after the enzyme has been precipitated with poly(ethylene glycol), without change in the Km for fructose 6-phosphate. The most striking effects of PMA and insulin on Fru-2,6-P2 production are observed after long-term treatment (24 h) and are abolished by actinomycin, cycloheximide and puromycin, suggesting that protein synthesis is involved. Furthermore, the effects of insulin and PMA on glucose consumption, lactate production, Fru-2,6-P2 levels and PFK2 activity are additive, and the effect of insulin on Fru-2,6-P2 production is not altered by pre-treatment of the cells with the phorbol ester. This suggests that these effects are exerted by separate mechanisms.

Respiration of mitochondria isolated from differentiated and undifferentiated HT29 colon cancer cells in the presence of various substrates and ADP generating systems

1. Oxygen consumption was investigated in two cultured subpopulations of either undifferentiated (Glc+ cells) or differentiated (Glc- cells) HT29 colon cancer cells and in the corresponding isolated mitochondria. In Glc+ cells, a decrease of the respiration is induced by the presence of glucose (Crabtree effect), whereas it is not the case in Glc- cells. 2. The oxidative phosphorylation rate of Glc- mitochondria is found to be much higher than that of Glc+ mitochondria, due to a higher efficiency to oxidize glutamine, glutamate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate or malate. 3. In both types of mitochondria, respiration can be supported by the ADP formed by adenylate kinase or nucleotide diphosphate kinase, and, although to a lesser extent in Glc- mitochondria, by hexokinase. 4. Glc+ cells are characterized by a low respiration capacity and a high glycolytic flux leading to the Crabtree effect. Glc- cells are characterized by a better correlation between a moderate glycolytic flux and a high respiratory capacity.