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Youssef R, Maniar R, Khan J, Mesa H. Metabolic Interplay in the Tumor Microenvironment: Implications for Immune Function and Anticancer Response. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:9753-9767. [PMID: 38132455 PMCID: PMC10742411 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45120609] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumors exhibit rapid growth and high metabolic rates, similar to embryonic stem cells, and depend on aerobic glycolysis, known as the "Warburg effect". This understanding has enabled the use of radiolabeled glucose analogs in tumor staging and therapeutic response assessment via PET scans. Traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy target rapidly dividing cells, causing significant toxicity. Despite immunotherapy's impact on solid tumor treatment, gaps remain, leading to research on cancer cell evasion of immune response and immune tolerance induction via interactions with the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME, consisting of immune cells, fibroblasts, vessels, and the extracellular matrix, regulates tumor progression and therapy responses. TME-targeted therapies aim to transform this environment from supporting tumor growth to impeding it and fostering an effective immune response. This review examines the metabolic disparities between immune cells and cancer cells, their impact on immune function and therapeutic targeting, the TME components, and the complex interplay between cancer cells and nontumoral cells. The success of TME-targeted therapies highlights their potential to achieve better cancer control or even a cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Youssef
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Rohan Maniar
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jaffar Khan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Hector Mesa
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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2
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Liu T, Han S, Yao Y, Zhang G. Role of Human Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 (hMCT1) and 4 (hMCT4) in Tumor Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancer Manag Res 2023; 15:957-975. [PMID: 37693221 PMCID: PMC10487743 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s421771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the abnormal glucose metabolism of tumor cells has attracted increasing attention. Abnormal glucose metabolism is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) transport the sugar metabolites lactic acid and pyruvate, which affect glucose metabolism and tumor progression in a variety of ways. Thus, research has recently focused on MCTs and their potential functions in cancer. The MCT superfamily consists of 14 members. MCT1 and MCT4 play a crucial role in the maintenance of intracellular pH in tumor cells by transporting monocarboxylic acids (such as lactate, pyruvate and butyrate). MCT1 and MCT4 are highly expressed in a variety of tumor cells and are involved the proliferation, invasion and migration of tumor cells, which are closely related to the prognosis of cancer. Because of their important functions in tumor cells, MCT1 and MCT4 have become potential targets for cancer treatment. In this review, we focus on the structure, function and regulation of MCT1 and MCT4 and discuss the developed inhibitors of MCT1 and MCT4 to provide more comprehensive information that might aid in the development of strategies targeting MCTs in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Liu
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shangcong Han
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Yao
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guiming Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Jaworska M, Szczudło J, Pietrzyk A, Shah J, Trojan SE, Ostrowska B, Kocemba-Pilarczyk KA. The Warburg effect: a score for many instruments in the concert of cancer and cancer niche cells. Pharmacol Rep 2023:10.1007/s43440-023-00504-1. [PMID: 37332080 PMCID: PMC10374743 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-023-00504-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Although Warburg's discovery of intensive glucose uptake by tumors, followed by lactate fermentation in oxygen presence of oxygen was made a century ago, it is still an area of intense research and development of new hypotheses that, layer by layer, unravel the complexities of neoplastic transformation. This seemingly simple metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells reveals an intriguing, multi-faceted nature that may link various phenomena including cell signaling, cell proliferation, ROS generation, energy supply, macromolecules synthesis/biosynthetic precursor supply, immunosuppression, or cooperation of cancerous cells with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), known as reversed Warburg effect. According to the current perception of the causes and consequences of the Warburg effect, PI3K/Akt/mTOR are the main signaling pathways that, in concert with the transcription factors HIF-1, p53, and c-Myc, modulate the activity/expression of key regulatory enzymes, including PKM2, and PDK1 to tune in the most optimal metabolic setting for the cancer cell. This in turn secures adequate levels of biosynthetic precursors, NADPH, NAD+, and rapid ATP production to meet the increased demands of intensively proliferating tumor cells. The end-product of "aerobic glycolysis", lactate, an oncometabolite, may provide fuel to neighboring cancer cells, and facilitate metastasis and immunosuppression together enabling cancer progression. The importance and possible applicability of the presented issue are best illustrated by numerous trials with various agents targeting the Warburg effect, constituting a promising strategy in future anti-cancer regimens. In this review, we present the key aspects of this multifactorial phenomenon, depicting the mechanisms and benefits behind the Warburg effect, and also pointing to selected aspects in the field of anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Jaworska
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Julia Szczudło
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Adrian Pietrzyk
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jay Shah
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Government Medical College Miraj, Miraj, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sonia E Trojan
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Ostrowska
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga A Kocemba-Pilarczyk
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
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4
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Otegui N, Houry M, Arozarena I, Serrano D, Redin E, Exposito F, Leon S, Valencia K, Montuenga L, Calvo A. Cancer Cell-Intrinsic Alterations Associated with an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment and Resistance to Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3076. [PMID: 37370686 PMCID: PMC10295869 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123076] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the great clinical success of immunotherapy in lung cancer patients, only a small percentage of them (<40%) will benefit from this therapy alone or combined with other strategies. Cancer cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms have been associated with a lack of response to immunotherapy. The present study is focused on cancer cell-intrinsic genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic and metabolic alterations that reshape the tumor microenvironment (TME) and determine response or refractoriness to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Mutations in KRAS, SKT11(LKB1), KEAP1 and TP53 and co-mutations of these genes are the main determinants of ICI response in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Recent insights into metabolic changes in cancer cells that impose restrictions on cytotoxic T cells and the efficacy of ICIs indicate that targeting such metabolic restrictions may favor therapeutic responses. Other emerging pathways for therapeutic interventions include epigenetic modulators and DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways, especially in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Therefore, the many potential pathways for enhancing the effect of ICIs suggest that, in a few years, we will have much more personalized medicine for lung cancer patients treated with immunotherapy. Such strategies could include vaccines and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Otegui
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maeva Houry
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Imanol Arozarena
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Cancer Signaling Unit, Navarrabiomed, University Hospital of Navarra (HUN), Public University of Navarra (UPNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Diego Serrano
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Esther Redin
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Francisco Exposito
- Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA;
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sergio Leon
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Karmele Valencia
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Montuenga
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Calvo
- CCUN Cancer Center and Program in Solid Tumors, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (N.O.); (M.H.); (D.S.); (S.L.); (K.V.); (L.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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5
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Silva A, Cerqueira MC, Rosa B, Sobral C, Pinto-Ribeiro F, Costa MF, Baltazar F, Afonso J. Prognostic Value of Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 Overexpression in Cancer: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065141. [PMID: 36982217 PMCID: PMC10049181 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy production by cancer is driven by accelerated glycolysis, independently of oxygen levels, which results in increased lactate production. Lactate is shuttled to and from cancer cells via monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). MCT1 works both as an importer and an extruder of lactate, being widely studied in recent years and generally associated with a cancer aggressiveness phenotype. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the prognostic value of MCT1 immunoexpression in different malignancies. Study collection was performed by searching nine different databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, OVID, TRIP and PsycINFO), using the keywords "cancer", "Monocarboxylate transporter 1", "SLC16A1" and "prognosis". Results showed that MCT1 is an indicator of poor prognosis and decreased survival for cancer patients in sixteen types of malignancies; associations between the transporter's overexpression and larger tumour sizes, higher disease stage/grade and metastasis occurrence were also frequently observed. Yet, MCT1 overexpression correlated with better outcomes in colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients. These results support the applicability of MCT1 as a biomarker of prognosis, although larger cohorts would be necessary to validate the overall role of MCT1 as an outcome predictor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Mónica Costa Cerqueira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Rosa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Catarina Sobral
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Filipa Pinto-Ribeiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Marta Freitas Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Fátima Baltazar
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Julieta Afonso
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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6
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Kawatkar A, Clark RA, Hopcroft L, Roaquin DA, Tomlinson R, Zuhl AM, Lamont GM, Kettle JG, Critchlow SE, Castaldi MP, Goldberg FW, Zhang AX. Chemical Biology Approaches Confirm MCT4 as the Therapeutic Target of a Cellular Optimized Hit. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:296-303. [PMID: 36602435 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Lactic acid transport is a key process maintaining glycolytic flux in tumors. Inhibition of this process will result in glycolytic shutdown, impacting on cell growth and survival and thus has been pursued as a therapeutic approach for cancers. Using a cell-based screen in a MCT4-dependent cell line, we identified and optimized compounds for their ability to inhibit the efflux of intracellular lactic acid with good physical and pharmacokinetic properties. To deconvolute the mechanism of lactic acid efflux inhibition, we have developed three assays to measure cellular target engagement. Specifically, we synthesized a biologically active photoaffinity probe (IC50 < 10 nM), and using this probe, we demonstrated selective engagement of MCT4 of our parent molecule through a combination of confocal microscopy and in-cell chemoproteomics. As an orthogonal assay, the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) confirmed binding to MCT4 in the cellular system. Comparisons of lactic acid efflux potencies in cells with differential expression of MCT family members further confirmed that the optimized compounds inhibit the efflux of lactic acid through the inhibition of MCT4. Taken together, these data demonstrate the power of orthogonal chemical biology methods to determine cellular target engagement, particularly for proteins not readily amenable to traditional biophysical methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Kawatkar
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
| | - Roger A Clark
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, CambridgeCB2 0AA, U.K
| | | | - Debora Ann Roaquin
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
| | - Ronald Tomlinson
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
| | - Andrea M Zuhl
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
| | | | | | | | - M Paola Castaldi
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
| | | | - Andrew X Zhang
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts02451, United States
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7
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Goldberg FW, Kettle JG, Lamont GM, Buttar D, Ting AKT, McGuire TM, Cook CR, Beattie D, Morentin Gutierrez P, Kavanagh SL, Komen JC, Kawatkar A, Clark R, Hopcroft L, Hughes G, Critchlow SE. Discovery of Clinical Candidate AZD0095, a Selective Inhibitor of Monocarboxylate Transporter 4 (MCT4) for Oncology. J Med Chem 2023; 66:384-397. [PMID: 36525250 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Due to increased reliance on glycolysis, which produces lactate, monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are often upregulated in cancer. MCT4 is associated with the export of lactic acid from cancer cells under hypoxia, so inhibition of MCT4 may lead to cytotoxic levels of intracellular lactate. In addition, tumor-derived lactate is known to be immunosuppressive, so MCT4 inhibition may be of interest for immuno-oncology. At the outset, no potent and selective MCT4 inhibitors had been reported, but a screen identified a triazolopyrimidine hit, with no close structural analogues. Minor modifications to the triazolopyrimidine were made, alongside design of a constrained linker and broad SAR exploration of the biaryl tail to improve potency, physical properties, PK, and hERG. The resulting clinical candidate 15 (AZD0095) has excellent potency (1.3 nM), MCT1 selectivity (>1000×), secondary pharmacology, clean mechanism of action, suitable properties for oral administration in the clinic, and good preclinical efficacy in combination with cediranib.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David Buttar
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield SK10 2NA, U.K
| | | | | | - Calum R Cook
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield SK10 2NA, U.K
| | | | | | - Stefan L Kavanagh
- Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Jasper C Komen
- Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Aarti Kawatkar
- Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Roger Clark
- Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
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8
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Duan Q, Zhang S, Wang Y, Lu D, Sun Y, Wu Y. Proton-coupled monocarboxylate transporters in cancer: From metabolic crosstalk, immunosuppression and anti-apoptosis to clinical applications. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1069555. [PMID: 36506099 PMCID: PMC9727313 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1069555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Warburg effect is known as the hyperactive glycolysis that provides the energy needed for rapid growth and proliferation in most tumor cells even under the condition of sufficient oxygen. This metabolic pattern can lead to a large accumulation of lactic acid and intracellular acidification, which can affect the growth of tumor cells and lead to cell death. Proton-coupled monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) belong to the SLC16A gene family, which consists of 14 members. MCT1-4 promotes the passive transport of monocarboxylate (e.g., lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies) and proton transport across membranes. MCT1-4-mediated lactate shuttling between glycolytic tumor cells or cancer-associated fibroblasts and oxidative tumor cells plays an important role in the metabolic reprogramming of energy, lipids, and amino acids and maintains the survival of tumor cells. In addition, MCT-mediated lactate signaling can promote tumor angiogenesis, immune suppression and multidrug resistance, migration and metastasis, and ferroptosis resistance and autophagy, which is conducive to the development of tumor cells and avoid death. Although there are certain challenges, the study of targeted drugs against these transporters shows great promise and may form new anticancer treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixin Duan
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Sanming First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Sanming, Fujian, China,Department of Urology, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of Nursing, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Urology, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, China
| | - Dongming Lu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Sanming First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Sanming, Fujian, China
| | - Yingming Sun
- Department of Medical and Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Sanming First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Sanming, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yongyang Wu, ; Yingming Sun,
| | - Yongyang Wu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Sanming First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Sanming, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Yongyang Wu, ; Yingming Sun,
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9
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Zafeiriadou A, Kollias I, Londra T, Tsaroucha E, Georgoulias V, Kotsakis A, Lianidou E, Markou A. Metabolism-Related Gene Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells from Patients with Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133237. [PMID: 35805008 PMCID: PMC9264894 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the present study, the expression of three Metabolism-Related Enzymes (MRGs) that are related to glucose and pyruvate metabolism, in parallel with glucose and monocarboxylate transporter expression (HK2, MCT1, PHGDH), was studied in CTCs isolated from the peripheral blood of early stage NSCLC patients at different timepoints. The expression levels of all tested MRGs decreased in CTCs one month after surgery, but a significant increase was noticed at the time of relapse for PHGDH and MCT1 only. An overexpression of MRGs was observed at a high frequency in the CTCs isolated from early NSCLC patients, thereby supporting the role of MRGs in metastatic processes. The glycolytic and mesenchymal subpopulation of CTCs was significantly predominant compared to CTCs that wereglycolytic but not mesenchymal-like. Our data indicate that MRGs merit further evaluation through large and well-defined cohort studies. Abstract Purpose: Metabolic reprogramming is now characterized as one of the core hallmarks of cancer, and it has already been shown that the altered genomic profile of metabolically rewired cancer cells can give valuable information. In this study, we quantified three Metabolism-Related Gene (MRG) transcripts in the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of early stage NSCLC patients and evaluated their associations with epithelial and EMT markers. Experimental Design: We first developed and analytically validated highly sensitive RT-qPCR assays for the quantification of HK2, MCT1 and PHGDH transcripts, and further studied the expression of MRGs in CTCs that were isolated using a size-dependent microfluidic device (Parsortix, Angle) from the peripheral blood of: (a) 46 NSCLC patients at baseline, (b) 39/46 of these patients one month after surgery, (c) 10/46 patients at relapse and (d) 10 pairs of cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous FFPE tissues from the same NSCLC patients. Epithelial and EMT markers were also evaluated. Results: MCT1 and HK2 were differentially expressed between HD and NSCLC patients. An overexpression of MCT1 was detected in 15/46 (32.6%) and 3/10 (30%) patients at baseline and at progression disease (PD), respectively, whereas an overexpression of HK2 was detected in 30.4% and 0% of CTCs in the same group of samples. The expression levels of all tested MRGs decreased in CTCs one month after surgery, but a significant increase was noticed at the time of relapse for PHGDH and MCT1 only. The expression levels of HK2 and MCT1 were associated with the overexpression of mesenchymal markers (TWIST-1 and VIM). Conclusion: An overexpression of MRGs was observed at a high frequency in the CTCs isolated from early NSCLC patients, thereby supporting the role of MRGs in metastatic processes. The glycolytic and mesenchymal subpopulation of CTCs was significantly predominant compared to CTCs that were glycolytic but not mesenchymal-like. Our data indicate that MRGs merit further evaluation through large and well-defined cohort studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Zafeiriadou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.Z.); (I.K.); (T.L.); (E.L.)
| | - I. Kollias
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.Z.); (I.K.); (T.L.); (E.L.)
| | - T. Londra
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.Z.); (I.K.); (T.L.); (E.L.)
| | - E. Tsaroucha
- ‘Sotiria’ General Hospital for Chest Diseases, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - V. Georgoulias
- First Department of Medical Oncology, IASO General Hospital of Athens, 15123 Athens, Greece;
| | - A. Kotsakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece;
| | - E. Lianidou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.Z.); (I.K.); (T.L.); (E.L.)
| | - A. Markou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece; (A.Z.); (I.K.); (T.L.); (E.L.)
- Correspondence:
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