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Yin J, Li J, Wang H. Disulfidptosis: a novel gene-based signature predicts prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Discov Oncol 2025; 16:308. [PMID: 40072658 PMCID: PMC11904034 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-025-02053-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2025] [Indexed: 03/14/2025] Open
Abstract
Disulfidptosis, a novel form of disulfide stress-induced cell death involved in tumor progression, hasn't be well defined the function in tumor progression. And the clinical impacts of disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified two distinct disulfidptosis subtypes and found that multilayer DRG alterations were associated with prognosis and TME infiltration characteristics. A three-gene prognostic signature was constructed to predict prognosis, and its clinical significance was characterized in the TCGA-PAAD cohort. The disulfidptosis signature was significantly correlated with prognosis, molecular subtype, CD8 T-cell infiltration, response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity, and its predictive capability in PAAD patients was validated in multiple cohorts. Meanwhile, two anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy cohorts confirmed that low-risk patients exhibited substantially enhanced clinical response and treatment advantages. Furthermore, the expression patterns of DRGs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. The expression and prognostic predictive capability of GLUT1 were verified by 87 PAAD patients from our cohort. These findings may help us understand the roles of DRGs in PAAD and the molecular characterization of disulfidptosis subtypes. The disulfidptosis signature could be a promising biomarker for prognosis, molecular subtypes, TME infiltration characteristics and immunotherapy efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyang Yin
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Intelligent Medicine Engineering for Hepatopancreatobiliary Diseases, Chongqing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) Chongqing School, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Huaizhi Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Intelligent Medicine Engineering for Hepatopancreatobiliary Diseases, Chongqing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) Chongqing School, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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2
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Ogunleye AO, Gayen N, Rauth S, Marimuthu S, Nimmakayala RK, Alsafwani ZW, Cox JL, Batra SK, Ponnusamy MP. PAF1/HIF1α axis rewires the glycolytic metabolism to fuel aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Metab 2024; 12:26. [PMID: 39242538 PMCID: PMC11380429 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-024-00354-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PAF1/PD2 deregulation contributes to tumorigenesis, drug resistance, and cancer stem cell maintenance in Pancreatic Cancer (PC). Recent studies demonstrate that metabolic reprogramming plays a role in PC progression, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we focused on examining the role of PAF1/PD2 in the metabolic rewiring of PC. METHODS Cell lines were transfected with shRNAs to knockdown PAF1/PD2. Metabolic genes regulated by PAF1/PD2 were identified by qPCR/western blot, and metabolic assays were performed. Immunoprecipitations/ChIP were performed to identify PAF1/PD2 protein partners and confirm PAF1/HIF1α sub-complex binding to LDHA. RESULTS PAF1 and LDHA showed progressively increased expression in human pancreatic tumor sections. Aerobic glycolysis genes were downregulated in PAF1-depleted PC cells. Metabolic assays indicated a decreased lactate production and glucose uptake in knockdown cells. Furthermore, PAF1/PD2 depletion showed a reduced glycolytic rate and increased oxidative phosphorylation by ECAR and OCR analysis. Interestingly, we identified that HIF1α interacts and co-localizes with PAF1, specifically in PC cells. We also observed that the PAF1/PD2-HIF1α complex binds to the LDHA promoter to regulate its expression, reprogramming the metabolism to utilize the aerobic glycolysis pathway preferentially. CONCLUSION Overall, the results indicate that PAF1/PD2 rewires PC metabolism by interacting with HIF1α to regulate the expression of LDHA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayoola O Ogunleye
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Neelanjana Gayen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Sanchita Rauth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Saravanakumar Marimuthu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Rama Krishna Nimmakayala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Zahraa W Alsafwani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA
| | - Jesse L Cox
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA.
| | - Moorthy P Ponnusamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 985870, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA.
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3
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Schneider C, Hilbert J, Genevaux F, Höfer S, Krauß L, Schicktanz F, Contreras CT, Jansari S, Papargyriou A, Richter T, Alfayomy AM, Falcomatà C, Schneeweis C, Orben F, Öllinger R, Wegwitz F, Boshnakovska A, Rehling P, Müller D, Ströbel P, Ellenrieder V, Conradi L, Hessmann E, Ghadimi M, Grade M, Wirth M, Steiger K, Rad R, Kuster B, Sippl W, Reichert M, Saur D, Schneider G. A Novel AMPK Inhibitor Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Ferroptosis Induction. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307695. [PMID: 38885414 PMCID: PMC11336956 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells must develop strategies to adapt to the dynamically changing stresses caused by intrinsic or extrinsic processes, or therapeutic agents. Metabolic adaptability is crucial to mitigate such challenges. Considering metabolism as a central node of adaptability, it is focused on an energy sensor, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In a subtype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) elevated AMPK expression and phosphorylation is identified. Using drug repurposing that combined screening experiments and chemoproteomic affinity profiling, it is identified and characterized PF-3758309, initially developed as an inhibitor of PAK4, as an AMPK inhibitor. PF-3758309 shows activity in pre-clinical PDAC models, including primary patient-derived organoids. Genetic loss-of-function experiments showed that AMPK limits the induction of ferroptosis, and consequently, PF-3758309 treatment restores the sensitivity toward ferroptosis inducers. The work established a chemical scaffold for the development of specific AMPK-targeting compounds and deciphered the framework for the development of AMPK inhibitor-based combination therapies tailored for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Schneider
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Jorina Hilbert
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Franziska Genevaux
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Stefanie Höfer
- Proteomics and BioanalyticsDepartment of Molecular Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTechnical University of Munich85354FreisingGermany
| | - Lukas Krauß
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Felix Schicktanz
- Institute of PathologyTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Constanza Tapia Contreras
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Shaishavi Jansari
- Department of Gynecology and ObstetricsUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Aristeidis Papargyriou
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- Institute of Stem Cell ResearchHelmholtz Zentrum MuenchenD‐85764NeuherbergGermany
- Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer CenterMedical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- Center for Organoid Systems (COS)Technical University of Munich85747GarchingGermany
| | - Thorsten Richter
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Abdallah M. Alfayomy
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg06120Halle (Saale)Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryAl‐Azhar UniversityAssiut71524Egypt
| | - Chiara Falcomatà
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer TherapyTechnical University Munich81675MunichGermany
- Precision Immunology InstituteIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Christian Schneeweis
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer TherapyTechnical University Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Felix Orben
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Ruppert Öllinger
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional GenomicsTUM School of MedicineTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
| | - Florian Wegwitz
- Department of Gynecology and ObstetricsUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Angela Boshnakovska
- Department of Cellular BiochemistryUniversity Medical Center37073GöttingenGermany
| | - Peter Rehling
- Department of Cellular BiochemistryUniversity Medical Center37073GöttingenGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Denise Müller
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Medical Center37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Philipp Ströbel
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Medical Center37075GöttingenGermany
- Clinical Research Unit 5002KFO5002University Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Volker Ellenrieder
- Clinical Research Unit 5002KFO5002University Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
- Department of GastroenterologyGastrointestinal Oncology and EndocrinologyUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Lena Conradi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- Clinical Research Unit 5002KFO5002University Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Elisabeth Hessmann
- Clinical Research Unit 5002KFO5002University Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
- Department of GastroenterologyGastrointestinal Oncology and EndocrinologyUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Michael Ghadimi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Marian Grade
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
| | - Matthias Wirth
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- Department of HematologyOncology and Cancer ImmunologyCampus Benjamin FranklinCharité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinCorporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin12203BerlinGermany
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of PathologyTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)partner site Municha partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar81675MünchenGermany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional GenomicsTUM School of MedicineTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)partner site Municha partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar81675MünchenGermany
| | - Bernhard Kuster
- Proteomics and BioanalyticsDepartment of Molecular Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTechnical University of Munich85354FreisingGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)partner site Municha partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar81675MünchenGermany
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg06120Halle (Saale)Germany
| | - Maximilian Reichert
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer CenterMedical Clinic and Polyclinic IIKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of Munich81675MunichGermany
- Center for Organoid Systems (COS)Technical University of Munich85747GarchingGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)partner site Municha partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar81675MünchenGermany
- Center for Protein Assemblies (CPA)Technical University of Munich85747GarchingGermany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer TherapyTechnical University Munich81675MunichGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)partner site Municha partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar81675MünchenGermany
| | - Günter Schneider
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer TherapyTechnical University Munich81675MunichGermany
- Clinical Research Unit 5002KFO5002University Medical Center Göttingen37075GöttingenGermany
- CCC‐N (Comprehensive Cancer Center Lower Saxony)37075GöttingenGermany
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4
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Sheikh E, Agrawal K, Roy S, Burk D, Donnarumma F, Ko YH, Guttula PK, Biswal NC, Shukla HD, Gartia MR. Multimodal Imaging of Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment in Response to an Antiglycolytic Drug. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2301815. [PMID: 37706285 PMCID: PMC10842640 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Lipid metabolism and glycolysis play crucial roles in the progression and metastasis of cancer, and the use of 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) as an antiglycolytic agent has shown promise in killing pancreatic cancer cells. However, developing an effective strategy to avoid chemoresistance requires the ability to probe the interaction of cancer drugs with complex tumor-associated microenvironments (TAMs). Unfortunately, no robust and multiplexed molecular imaging technology is currently available to analyze TAMs. In this study, the simultaneous profiling of three protein biomarkers using SERS nanotags and antibody-functionalized nanoparticles in a syngeneic mouse model of pancreatic cancer (PC) is demonstrated. This allows for comprehensive information about biomarkers and TAM alterations before and after treatment. These multimodal imaging techniques include surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), immunohistochemistry (IHC), polarized light microscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), and untargeted liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The study reveals the efficacy of 3-BP in treating pancreatic cancer and identifies drug treatment-induced lipid species remodeling and associated pathways through bioinformatics analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz Sheikh
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Kirti Agrawal
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Sanjit Roy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - David Burk
- Department of Cell Biology and Bioimaging, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA
| | - Fabrizio Donnarumma
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Young H Ko
- NewG Lab Pharma, 701 East Pratt Street, Columbus Center, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA
| | - Praveen Kumar Guttula
- Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Nrusingh C Biswal
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Hem D Shukla
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Manas Ranjan Gartia
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
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Dang HX, Saha D, Jayasinghe R, Zhao S, Coonrod E, Mudd J, Goedegebuure S, Fields R, Ding L, Maher C. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals long noncoding RNAs associated with tumor biology and the microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad055. [PMID: 38023733 PMCID: PMC10664695 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is highly heterogeneous and lethal. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of genes regulating tumorigenesis and progression. Prior bulk transcriptomic studies in PDAC have revealed the dysregulation of lncRNAs but lack single-cell resolution to distinguish lncRNAs in tumor-intrinsic biology and the tumor microenvironment (TME). We analyzed single-cell transcriptome data from 73 multiregion samples in 21 PDAC patients to evaluate lncRNAs associated with intratumoral heterogeneity and the TME in PDAC. We found 111 cell-specific lncRNAs that reflected tumor, immune and stromal cell contributions, associated with outcomes, and validated across orthogonal datasets. Single-cell analysis of tumor cells revealed lncRNAs associated with TP53 mutations and FOLFIRINOX treatment that were obscured in bulk tumor analysis. Lastly, tumor subcluster analysis revealed widespread intratumor heterogeneity and intratumoral lncRNAs associated with cancer hallmarks and tumor processes such as angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metabolism and immune signaling. Intratumoral subclusters and lncRNAs were validated across six datasets and showed clinically relevant associations with patient outcomes. Our study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the lncRNA landscape in PDAC using single-cell transcriptomic data and can serve as a resource, PDACLncDB (accessible at https://www.maherlab.com/pdaclncdb-overview), to guide future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha X Dang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Debanjan Saha
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- MD–PhD Program, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Reyka Jayasinghe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sidi Zhao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Emily Coonrod
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jacqueline Mudd
- Department of Surgery, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - S Peter Goedegebuure
- Department of Surgery, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ryan Fields
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Surgery, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Li Ding
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Christopher A Maher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
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6
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Li Y, Amrutkar M, Finstadsveen AV, Dalen KT, Verbeke CS, Gladhaug IP. Fatty acids abrogate the growth-suppressive effects induced by inhibition of cholesterol flux in pancreatic cancer cells. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:276. [PMID: 37978383 PMCID: PMC10657020 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03138-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains extremely poor. Metabolic reprogramming is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to tumor progression and therapy resistance in PDAC. One of the main metabolic changes essential for tumor growth is altered cholesterol flux. Targeting cholesterol flux appears an attractive therapeutic approach, however, the complex regulation of cholesterol balance in PDAC cells remains poorly understood. METHODS The lipid content in human pancreatic duct epithelial (HPDE) cells and human PDAC cell lines (BxPC-3, MIA PaCa-2, and PANC-1) was determined. Cells exposed to eight different inhibitors targeting different regulators of lipid flux, in the presence or absence of oleic acid (OA) stimulation were assessed for changes in viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Intracellular content and distribution of cholesterol was assessed. Lastly, proteome profiling of PANC-1 exposed to the sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1) inhibitor avasimibe, in presence or absence of OA, was performed. RESULTS PDAC cells contain more free cholesterol but less cholesteryl esters and lipid droplets than HPDE cells. Exposure to different lipid flux inhibitors increased cell death and suppressed proliferation, with different efficiency in the tested PDAC cell lines. Avasimibe had the strongest ability to suppress proliferation across the three PDAC cell lines. All inhibitors showing cell suppressive effect disturbed intracellular cholesterol flux and increased cholesterol aggregation. OA improved overall cholesterol balance, reduced free cholesterol aggregation, and reversed cell death induced by the inhibitors. Treatment with avasimibe changed the cellular proteome substantially, mainly for proteins related to biosynthesis and metabolism of lipids and fatty acids, apoptosis, and cell adhesion. Most of these changes were restored by OA. CONCLUSIONS The study reveals that disturbing the cholesterol flux by inhibiting the actions of its key regulators can yield growth suppressive effects on PDAC cells. The presence of fatty acids restores intracellular cholesterol balance and abrogates the alternations induced by cholesterol flux inhibitors. Taken together, targeting cholesterol flux might be an attractive strategy to develop new therapeutics against PDAC. However, the impact of fatty acids in the tumor microenvironment must be taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchuan Li
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Manoj Amrutkar
- Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Knut Tomas Dalen
- Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, The Norwegian Transgenic Center, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Caroline S Verbeke
- Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivar P Gladhaug
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
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7
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Xu J, Zhou L, Du X, Qi Z, Chen S, Zhang J, Cao X, Xia J. Transcriptome and Lipidomic Analysis Suggests Lipid Metabolism Reprogramming and Upregulating SPHK1 Promotes Stemness in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Stem-like Cells. Metabolites 2023; 13:1132. [PMID: 37999228 PMCID: PMC10673379 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13111132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered to play a key role in the development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, little is known about lipid metabolism reprogramming in PDAC CSCs. Here, we assigned stemness indices, which were used to describe and quantify CSCs, to every patient from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-PAAD) database and observed differences in lipid metabolism between patients with high and low stemness indices. Then, tumor-repopulating cells (TRCs) cultured in soft 3D (three-dimensional) fibrin gels were demonstrated to be an available PDAC cancer stem-like cell (CSLCs) model. Comprehensive transcriptome and lipidomic analysis results suggested that fatty acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and, especially, the sphingolipid metabolism pathway were mostly associated with CSLCs properties. SPHK1 (sphingosine kinases 1), one of the genes involved in sphingolipid metabolism and encoding the key enzyme to catalyze sphingosine to generate S1P (sphingosine-1-phosphate), was identified to be the key gene in promoting the stemness of PDAC. In summary, we explored the characteristics of lipid metabolism both in patients with high stemness indices and in novel CSLCs models, and unraveled a molecular mechanism via which sphingolipid metabolism maintained tumor stemness. These findings may contribute to the development of a strategy for targeting lipid metabolism to inhibit CSCs in PDAC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhi Xu
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lina Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xiaojing Du
- Endoscopy Center, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Zhuoran Qi
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sinuo Chen
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Cao
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
- Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jinglin Xia
- National Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
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8
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Farhana A, Alsrhani A, Khan YS, Rasheed Z. Cancer Bioenergetics and Tumor Microenvironments-Enhancing Chemotherapeutics and Targeting Resistant Niches through Nanosystems. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3836. [PMID: 37568652 PMCID: PMC10416858 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is an impending bottleneck in the advanced scientific workflow to achieve diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic success. Most cancers are refractory to conventional diagnostic and chemotherapeutics due to their limited targetability, specificity, solubility, and side effects. The inherent ability of each cancer to evolve through various genetic and epigenetic transformations and metabolic reprogramming underlies therapeutic limitations. Though tumor microenvironments (TMEs) are quite well understood in some cancers, each microenvironment differs from the other in internal perturbations and metabolic skew thereby impeding the development of appropriate diagnostics, drugs, vaccines, and therapies. Cancer associated bioenergetics modulations regulate TME, angiogenesis, immune evasion, generation of resistant niches and tumor progression, and a thorough understanding is crucial to the development of metabolic therapies. However, this remains a missing element in cancer theranostics, necessitating the development of modalities that can be adapted for targetability, diagnostics and therapeutics. In this challenging scenario, nanomaterials are modular platforms for understanding TME and achieving successful theranostics. Several nanoscale particles have been successfully researched in animal models, quite a few have reached clinical trials, and some have achieved clinical success. Nanoparticles exhibit an intrinsic capability to interact with diverse biomolecules and modulate their functions. Furthermore, nanoparticles can be functionalized with receptors, modulators, and drugs to facilitate specific targeting with reduced toxicity. This review discusses the current understanding of different theranostic nanosystems, their synthesis, functionalization, and targetability for therapeutic modulation of bioenergetics, and metabolic reprogramming of the cancer microenvironment. We highlight the potential of nanosystems for enhanced chemotherapeutic success emphasizing the questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Farhana
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Alsrhani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yusuf Saleem Khan
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka 72388, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zafar Rasheed
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6655, Buraidah 51452, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
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9
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Dalmasso B, Ghiorzo P. Long Non-Coding RNAs and Metabolic Rewiring in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3486. [PMID: 37444595 PMCID: PMC10340399 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. The reprogramming of energetic metabolism has long been implicated in pancreatic tumorigenesis and/or resistance to treatment. Considering that long non-coding RNA dysregulation has been described both in cancerogenesis and in the altered homeostasis of several metabolic pathways, metabolism-associated lncRNAs can contribute to pancreatic cancer evolution. The objective of this review is to assess the burden of lncRNA dysregulation in pancreatic cancer metabolic reprogramming, and its effect on this tumor's natural course and response to treatment. Therefore, we reviewed the available literature to assess whether metabolism-associated lncRNAs have been found to be differentially expressed in pancreatic cancer, as well as whether experimental evidence of their role in such pathways can be demonstrated. Specifically, we provide a comprehensive overview of lncRNAs that are implicated in hypoxia-related pathways, as well as in the reprogramming of autophagy, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Our review gathers background material for further research on possible applications of metabolism-associated lncRNAs as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and/or as potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Dalmasso
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genetics of Rare Cancers, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Paola Ghiorzo
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genetics of Rare Cancers, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
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