A metabolic intervention strategy to break evolutionary adaptability of tumor for reinforced immunotherapy

The typical hallmark of tumor evolution is metabolic dysregulation. In addition to secreting immunoregulatory metabolites, tumor cells and various immune cells display different metabolic pathways and plasticity. Harnessing the metabolic differences to reduce the tumor and immunosuppressive cells while enhancing the activity of positive immunoregulatory cells is a promising strategy. We develop a nanoplatform (CLCeMOF) based on cerium metal-organic framework (CeMOF) by lactate oxidase (LOX) modification and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839) loading. The cascade catalytic reactions induced by CLCeMOF generate reactive oxygen species "storm" to elicit immune responses. Meanwhile, LOX-mediated metabolite lactate exhaustion relieves the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, preparing the ground for intracellular regulation. Most noticeably, the immunometabolic checkpoint blockade therapy, as a result of glutamine antagonism, is exploited for overall cell mobilization. It is found that CLCeMOF inhibited glutamine metabolism-dependent cells (tumor cells, immunosuppressive cells, etc.), increased infiltration of dendritic cells, and especially reprogrammed CD8+ T lymphocytes with considerable metabolic flexibility toward a highly activated, long-lived, and memory-like phenotype. Such an idea intervenes both metabolite (lactate) and cellular metabolic pathway, which essentially alters overall cell fates toward the desired situation. Collectively, the metabolic intervention strategy is bound to break the evolutionary adaptability of tumors for reinforced immunotherapy.

Research Progress in Improving Efficacy of Radiotherapy by Targeting Glutamine Metabolism / 肿瘤防治研究

Radiotherapy is an important treatment method for malignant tumors. Radiation resistance is the main obstacle to the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy. Cellular metabolic reprogramming is one of the main features of cancer, and it may have an important effect on the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy. Glutamine is closely related to tumor cell biosynthesis and growth. It affects radiotherapy sensitivity by producing antioxidants through decomposition. In addition, the expression patterns and functions of two isoenzymes of glutamine, namely, glutaminase (GLS) and glutaminase 2 (GLS2), are different and have an important influence on the sensitivity of radiotherapy. The utilization of glutamine metabolism in the tumor microenvironment has great research value to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy. This review describes the metabolic characteristics of glutamine in malignant tumors and the sensitization effect of glutamine inhibitors on the efficacy of radiotherapy.

The role of glutamine metabolism in castration-resistant prostate cancer / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Reprogramming of metabolism is a hallmark of tumors, which has been explored for therapeutic purposes. Prostate cancer (PCa), particularly advanced and therapy-resistant PCa, displays unique metabolic properties. Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities in PCa may benefit patients who have exhausted currently available treatment options and improve clinical outcomes. Among the many nutrients, glutamine has been shown to play a central role in the metabolic reprogramming of advanced PCa. In addition to amino acid metabolism, glutamine is also widely involved in the synthesis of other macromolecules and biomasses. Targeting glutamine metabolic network by maximally inhibiting glutamine utilization in tumor cells may significantly add to treatment options for many patients. This review summarizes the metabolic landscape of PCa, with a particular focus on recent studies of how glutamine metabolism alterations affect therapeutic resistance and disease progression of PCa, and suggests novel therapeutic strategies.

Validation of compound C19 as a glutaminase C inhibitor / 药学学报

The mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase C (GAC) is highly expressed in a variety of cancer cells, resulting in increased glutamine metabolism and cancer development. Therefore, GAC has become a potential target for anti-tumor drug development. However, current GAC inhibitors shared similar structural characteristics, few new scaffolds were reported. By conducting a prokaryotic Escherichia coli expression system, human GAC protein of high-purity was obtained through lysozyme digestion combined with ultrasound dissociation, and cobalt magnetic beads purification, Moreover, we performed studies to validate interaction between small molecules and GAC protein through thermal shift assay, drug affinity responsive target stability assay, protein crosslinking and GAC enzyme activity detection. Meanwhile, a comprehensive small molecule-protein interaction confirmation and systematic pharmacodynamic study in vitro were carried out on compound C19, which was a reported GAC inhibitor screened from the Enamine database. Results showed that C19 directly bind to GAC protein, disturbed GAC tetramers formation, and inhibited its enzyme catalytic activity. By interfering GAC function, C19 dose-dependently suppressed GAC-mediated glutamine metabolism, reduced glutamate in cancer cells, and thus alleviated A549 and NCI-H1299 non-small cell lung cancer cell growth. Together, C19 was identified as a lead compound, providing a new strategy for the structural design of drugs targeting GAC.

RUNX3 regulates trastuzumab resistance of gastric cancer cells: a metabolomic analysis based on UPLC-Q Exactive Focus Orbitrap mass spectrometry / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the role of Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) in metabolic regulation of trastuzumab-resistant gastric cancer cells and investigate the mechanism of RUNX3 knockdown-mediated reversal of trastuzumab resistance.@*METHODS@#We performed a metabolomic analysis of trastuzumab-resistant gastric cancer cells (NCI N87R) and RUNX3 knockdown cells (NCI N87R/RUNX3) using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with Q Exactive Focus Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS). Multivariate combined with univariate analyses and MS/MS ion spectrums were used to screen the differential variables. MetaboAnalyst 5.0 database was employed for pathway enrichment analysis. Differential metabolites-genes regulatory relationships were constructed based on OmicsNet database. The changes in GSH/GSSG and NADPH/NADP ratios in NCI N87R/RUNX3 cells were measured using detection kits.@*RESULTS@#The metabolic profile of NCI N87R cells was significantly altered after RUNX3 knockdown, with 81 differential metabolites identified to contribute significantly to the classification, among which 43 metabolites were increased and 38 were decreased (P < 0.01). In NCI N87R cells, RUNX3 knockdown resulted in noticeable alterations in 8 pathways involving glutamine metabolism, glycolysis, glycerophospholipid, nicotinate-nicotinamide and glutathione metabolism, causing also significant reduction of intracellular GSH/GSSG and NADPH/NADP ratios (P < 0.01). The differential metabolites-genes network revealed a regulatory relationship between the metabolic molecules and genes.@*CONCLUSION@#RUNX3 reverses trastuzumab resistance in gastric cancer cells by regulating energy metabolism and oxidation-reduction homeostasis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for trastuzumab-resistant gastric cancer.

Advances in the research on mechanism of tumor metabolism regulated by c-Myc / 中国药科大学学报

@#The transcription factor c-Myc regulates the proliferation, differentiation, metabolism and other key processes of normal cells extensively.The unleashed MYC oncogene frequently produces abundant c-Myc protein, which directly regulates the gene expression of key metabolic enzymes, or tumor-related metabolic pathways by inhibiting microRNA, leading to abnormal metabolism characterized by heightened nutrients uptake, enhanced glycolysis and glutaminolysis, and elevated fatty acid and nucleotide synthesis.This paper briefly summarizes how c-Myc regulated metabolism on glycolysis, glutamine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid metabolism and nucleotide synthesis in cancer cell,which provides some theoretical reference for the development of antitumor targets and drugs involving c-Myc.

Mechanisms of Proton Pump Inhibitor Inhibiting Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation and Inducing Apoptosis by Inhibiting Glycolysis and Glutamine Metabolism / 胃肠病学

Background: Studies have showed that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) can inhibit the expression of V-ATPases and influence the glycolysis of gastric cancer cells. V-ATPases have important significance on malignant biological behavior of tumor. Aims: To explore the mechanisms of PPI on gastric cancer via inhibiting glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. Methods: In the cell experiment, gastric cancer cell lines were cultured with PPI and knockdown of related molecules, cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay, cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. mRNA and protein expressions of related molecules were detected by quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. In the animal experiment, nude mice were divided into blank control group, 0.9% NaCl solution group, pantoprazole sodium group, and PKM2 group, body weight, feeding behavior, tumor size and expressions of related pathway molecule in tumor tissue were compared. Results: PPI could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. PPI could suppress the expression of related molecules of glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. Knocking down PKM2 or PI3K could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Silencing V-ATPases inhibited the expression of related molecules of glycolysis and glutamine metabolism in gastric cancer cells. PPI therapy delayed tumor growth and reduced cachexia in tumor-bearing mice. Conclusions: PPI may inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis by influencing glycolysis and glutamine metabolism of gastric cancer cells via suppressing V-ATPases and PI3K pathway, thus to play an anti-tumor role.

Advances in antitumor drugs based on glutamine metabolism / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Glutamine, as a conditionally essential amino acid of many kinds of tumors, has a great influence on the occurrence and development of tumors. In recent years, the research on glutamine metabolism has made rapid progress, and many related drugs have been in preclinical and clinical research. Glutamine is involved in energy generation, redox balance, macromolecular synthesis and signal transmission in tumor cells. Transporters and metabolic enzymes of glutamine are potential targets for tumor treatment. This paper reviews the anti-tumor drugs based on glutamine metabolism and provides guidance for the development of new drugs.

Advances of relationship between protein O-GlcNAcylation and glucose metabolism in tumors / 中国药科大学学报

@#O-GlcNAcylation is the addition of a single N-acetylglucosamine(GlcNAc)moiety to the hydroxyl groups of serine or threonine residues of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. The transcription factors, kinases of the metabolic pathways and some cytoplasmic enzymes can be O-GlcNAcylated to affect cell transcription, signal transduction, cell metabolism and other biological functions. Abnormal glucose metabolism of tumors has been a hotspot in the research field of tumor pathogenesis and therapeutic targets recently. O-GlcNAclation regulates the glucose metabolism of tumor by affecting the activity of kinases in the metabolic pathway, which is closely associated with the abnormal glucose metabolism of tumor. The abnormal O-GlcNAcylation is one of the potential reasons of cancer. In this review, in order to provide a theoretical reference for developing anti-tumor targets and drugs targeting O-GlcNAc modification, we briefly summarized how O-GlcNAcylation regulated glucose metabolism on glucose metabolism, glucose uptake, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle in cancer cell.

Research progress on the novel glutaminase inhibitor and its antitumor activity / 中国肿瘤临床

Tumor cells use several metabolic pathways to support bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of proliferation. In addition to glucose, glutamine is an important source of precursor substances and energy for cancer cell growth. Glutaminase (GSL) activity is associated with Ras, c-Myc, and other oncogenes, as well as Rho GTP enzyme. Many preclinical studies have confirmed that glutamin-ase inhibitors not only exhibit anti-tumor activity, but can also remarkably enhance the sensitivity of resistant cancer cells to targeted drugs. At present, the novel GSL inhibitor CB-839 has entered phase I clinical trials and is expected to become a new drug for cancer treatment. This paper reviews the research progress on this novel glutaminase inhibitor and its antitumor activity.

mTORC1 inhibitor inhibit human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors cell proliferation by influence glutamine metabolism / 重庆医学

Objective To evaluatethe effect of mTORC1 inhibitor on the proliferation in human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(pNET)cell line BON,to explore the function of glutamine metabolism in it.Methods In vitro cultured human pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(pNET)cell line BON,BON cells were treated with different concentrations of rapamycin(1,5,10,25,50, 100 nM)for 12,24 h.Then CCK-8 assay are used to calculate the growth inhibitory rate.Rapamycin treated with BON 12 h,test the glutamine uptake level compared with control.Then deprive of glucose and/or glutamine,CCK-8 assay were used in observation of cell proliferation,cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytomety.Results Rapamycin significantly inhibited the growth of BON cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner(P <0.05).Meanwhile,rapamycin can reduce the glutamine uptake level compared with control.BON obviously depends on glutamine for growth,without glucose and glutamine group have obvious difference in growth rate(P <0.05).Conclusion mTORC1 inhibitor can inhibit BON cells proliferation and influence the glutamine uptake lev-el.suggesting that mTORC1 inhibitor might inhibit BON cells proliferation by influenced the glutamine metabolic pathway.