Mechanism of Qizhu Kang'ai Prescription for Inhibiting Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming via PCK1/Akt/p21 Signal Axis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Qizhu Kang'ai prescription （QZAP） on the gluconeogenesis enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 （PCK1） in the liver of mouse model of liver cancer induced by diethylnitrosamine （DEN） combined with carbon tetrachloride （CCl4） and Huh7 cells of human liver cancer， so as to explore the mechanism on regulating metabolic reprogramming and inhibiting cell proliferation of liver cancer cells. MethodDEN combined with CCl4 was used to construct a mouse model of liver cancer via intraperitoneal injection. A normal group， a model group， and a QZAP group were set up， in which QZAP （3.51 g·kg-1） or an equal volume of normal saline was administered daily by gavage， respectively. Serum and liver samples were collected after eight weeks of intervention. Serum alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， γ-glutamyltransferase （γ-GT）， and alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） in mice were detected to evaluate liver function changes of mice in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe pathological changes in liver tissue. In the cell experiment， Huh7 cells were divided into blank group， QZAP low， medium， and high dose groups and/or PCK1 inhibitor （SKF-34288 hydrochloride） group， and Sorafenib group. The corresponding drug-containing serum and drug treatment were given， respectively. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method， colony formation experiment， Edu fluorescent labeling detection， intracellular adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content detection， and cell cycle flow cytometry detection were used to evaluate the proliferation ability， energy metabolism changes， and change in the cell cycle of Huh7 cells in each group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of PCK1， serine/threonine kinase （Akt）， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， and cell cycle-dependent protein kinase inhibitor 1A （p21）. ResultCompared with the model group， the pathological changes such as cell atypia， necrosis， and collagen fiber deposition in liver cancer tissue of mice in the QZAP group were alleviated， and the number of liver tumors was reduced （P<0.01）. The serum ALT， AST， γ-GT， and AFP levels were reduced （P<0.01）. At the cell level， compared with the blank group， low， medium， and high-dose groups of QZAP-containing serum and the Sorafenib group could significantly reduce the survival rate of Huh7 cells （P<0.01） and the number of positive cells with Edu labeling （P<0.01） and inhibit clonal proliferation ability （P<0.01）. The QZAP groups could also reduce the intracellular ATP content （P<0.05） and increase the distribution ratio of the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle （P<0.05） in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the model group and blank group， PCK1 and p21 protein levels of mouse liver cancer tissue and Huh7 cells in the QZAP groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the p-Akt protein level was significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the ATP content and cell survival rate of Huh7 cells in the SKF-34288 hydrochloride group were significantly increased （P<0.05）， but there was no statistical difference in the ratio of Edu-positive cells and the proportion of G0/G1 phase distribution. Compared with the SKF-34288 hydrochloride group， the QZAP combined with the SKF-34288 hydrochloride group significantly reduced the ATP content， cell survival rate， and Edu-positive cell ratio of Huh7 cells （P<0.05） and significantly increased the G0/G1 phase distribution proportion （P<0.05）. ConclusionQZAP may induce the metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer cells by activating PCK1 to promote Akt/p21-mediated tumor suppression， thereby exerting an anti-hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation mechanism.

Epigenetic drug library screening reveals targeting DOT1L abrogates NAD+synthesis by reprogramming H3K79 methylation in uveal melanoma / 药物分析学报

Uveal melanoma(UM)is the most frequent and life-threatening ocular malignancy in adults.Aberrant histone methylation contributes to the abnormal transcriptome during oncogenesis.However,a comprehensive understanding of histone methylation patterns and their therapeutic potential in UM remains enigmatic.Herein,using a systematic epi-drug screening and a high-throughput transcriptome profiling of histone methylation modifiers,we observed that disruptor of telomeric silencing-1-like(DOT1L),a methyltransferase of histone H3 lysine 79(H3K79),was activated in UM,especially in the high-risk group.Concordantly,a systematic epi-drug library screening revealed that DOT1 L inhibitors exhibited salient tumor-selective inhibitory effects on UM cells,both in vitro and in vivo.Combining Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation(CUT&Tag),RNA sequencing(RNA-seq),and bioinformatics analysis,we identified that DOT1 L facilitated H3K79 methylation of nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase(NAPRT)and epigenetically activated its expression.Importantly,NAPRT served as an oncogenic accel-erator by enhancing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD+)synthesis.Therapeutically,DOT1L inhi-bition epigenetically silenced NAPRT expression through the diminishment of dimethylation of H3K79(H3K79me2)in the NAPRT promoter,thereby inhibiting the malignant behaviors of UM.Conclusively,our findings delineated an integrated picture of the histone methylation landscape in UM and unveiled a novel DOT1L/NAPRT oncogenic mechanism that bridges transcriptional addiction and metabolic reprogramming.

Metabolic regulation of macrophage function / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Macrophages have plastic and diverse phenotypes and functions, and they play different roles in host defense, tissue homeostasis and repair, development, and various pathologic processes. Although the classically activated macrophage (M1) and alternatively activated macrophage (M2) phenotypes are widely accepted, most macrophages under physiologic and pathologic conditions are polarized to a continuum of states between the M1 and M2 extreme phenotype poles. In recent years, research on the regulatory mechanisms of M1 and M2 macrophages has made great progress, preliminarily elucidating the role of cellular metabolic reprogramming in macrophage polarization and the role of glycolytic enzymes in controlling inflammatory macrophages. The knowledge lays the foundation for elucidating the mechanisms in the regulation of macrophage functional phenotypes. Tumor-associated macrophages play important roles in the development of tumors. The macrophages in the microenvironment of hematologic malignancies have unique features, and a deep study on them will provide new thoughts and clues for clinical diagnosis and therapeutics.

The regulatory mechanisms and inhibitors of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 in cancer

Reprogramming of energy metabolism is one of the basic characteristics of cancer and has been proved to be an important cancer treatment strategy. Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) are a class of key proteins in energy metabolism, including IDH1, IDH2, and IDH3, which are involved in the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to yield α-ketoglutarate (α-KG). Mutants of IDH1 or IDH2 can produce d-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) with α-KG as the substrate, and then mediate the occurrence and development of cancer. At present, no IDH3 mutation has been reported. The results of pan-cancer research showed that IDH1 has a higher mutation frequency and involves more cancer types than IDH2, implying IDH1 as a promising anti-cancer target. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the regulatory mechanisms of IDH1 on cancer from four aspects: metabolic reprogramming, epigenetics, immune microenvironment, and phenotypic changes, which will provide guidance for the understanding of IDH1 and exploring leading-edge targeted treatment strategies. In addition, we also reviewed available IDH1 inhibitors so far. The detailed clinical trial results and diverse structures of preclinical candidates illustrated here will provide a deep insight into the research for the treatment of IDH1-related cancers.

Cardiomyocyte Energy Metabolism in Mammalian Cardiac Regeneration / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

Cardiovascular disease， such as coronary heart disease and acute myocardial infarction， is a leading cause of death globally. Due to the limited proliferative and regenerative capacity of adult mammalian cardiomyocytes （CMs）， any of the current therapies cannot reverse the massive loss of CMs and subsequent fibrosis resulting from cardiac injury. Mammals mainly rely on glycolysis in the embryonic stage and fatty acid oxidation after birth for energy production. Recent reports have indicated that this metabolic pattern switch is closely related to the loss of CM proliferation. In this review， we summarize the biological characteristics of CMs and advances in heart regeneration， meanwhile shed light on the important role of CMs energy metabolism in cardiac regeneration.

Research advances on the role of epigenetic modifications in the long-term progression of alcoholic liver disease / 药学学报

There are more than 60 million alcoholic liver disease (ALD) patients in China, which has become a public health problem that cannot be ignored. Moreover, the social problem of "alcohol culture" is still hardly to solve, so that safe and effective prevention and treatment for ALD are in urgent need clinically. Previous studies on ALD have focused on the direct damaging effects of alcohol and its toxic metabolites, while recent studies have shown that the pathogenesis of ALD also include alcohol metabolic reprogramming and endogenous metabolites disorder. Although the endogenous metabolites have no direct toxicity, its long-term effect should not be ignored. These endogenous metabolites could change epigenetic modifications, cause widespread and persistent abnormal gene expression and signal pathway activation abnormally to promote metabolic reprogramming and stamp it as "metabolic memory", which manifest pathological changes and promote ALD, especially liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and liver cancer. Based on this, the article reviews the important epigenetic modifications caused by related metabolites in ALD and their associated effects. The role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its active ingredients in regulating epigenetics was also analyzed. The results suggest that regulation of epigenetics and alteration of "metabolic memory" may be a novel mechanism of TCM in the prevention and treatment of ALD.

Advances of aerobic glycolysis in renal interstitial fibrosis / 中华肾脏病杂志

Aerobic glycolysis is a metabolic process in which cellular energy production favors the low-efficiency energy-producing glycolytic pathway in the presence of sufficient oxygen, reducing dependence on aerobic respiration, while producing energy rapidly and providing advantages for cell survival and proliferation. In recent years, several studies have shown that aerobic glycolysis is involved in the development of renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) and involves various cell types such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, renal tubular epithelial cells, pericytes, and inflammatory cells. Drugs targeting glycolysis may provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of RIF. This article reviews the research progress of abnormal aerobic glycolysis in different cells and glycolytic intervention drugs in RIF.

Research progress of the roles of metabolic reprogramming in radiation-induced direct- and bystander-effects / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Metabolic reprogramming refers to the phenomenon that tumor cells, in order to meet their own growth and energy needs, regulate their biological functions by changing their metabolic mode, help themselves resist external stresses, and thus enable cells to adapt to hypoxia, acid, nutrient deficiency and other microenvironments and rapidly proliferate. It was found that metabolic reprogramming could contribute to radiation resistance and it also could be induced in bystander cells which may result in radiation resistance and the cancellation. Investigation the mechanism of radiation-induced metabolic reprogramming may provide new ideas and a theoretical framework for radiation protection, radiotherapy, and radio-diagnosis. This article reviewed the research progress on the mechanism of metabolic reprogramming in the direct and bystander effects of radiation.

PRMT6 promotes tumorigenicity and cisplatin response of lung cancer through triggering 6PGD/ENO1 mediated cell metabolism

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, including lung cancer. However, the exact underlying mechanism and therapeutic potential are largely unknown. Here we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) is highly expressed in lung cancer and is required for cell metabolism, tumorigenicity, and cisplatin response of lung cancer. PRMT6 regulated the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) flux and glycolysis pathway in human lung cancer by increasing the activity of 6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) and α-enolase (ENO1). Furthermore, PRMT6 methylated R324 of 6PGD to enhancing its activity; while methylation at R9 and R372 of ENO1 promotes formation of active ENO1 dimers and 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PG) binding to ENO1, respectively. Lastly, targeting PRMT6 blocked the oxidative PPP flux, glycolysis pathway, and tumor growth, as well as enhanced the anti-tumor effects of cisplatin in lung cancer. Together, this study demonstrates that PRMT6 acts as a post-translational modification (PTM) regulator of glucose metabolism, which leads to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. It was proven that the PRMT6-6PGD/ENO1 regulatory axis is an important determinant of carcinogenesis and may become a promising cancer therapeutic strategy.

Aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer is repressed by naringin via the HIF1Α pathway / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Metabolic reprogramming is a common phenomenon in cancer, with aerobic glycolysis being one of its important characteristics. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1Α) is thought to play an important role in aerobic glycolysis. Meanwhile, naringin is a natural flavanone glycoside derived from grapefruits and many other citrus fruits. In this work, we identified glycolytic genes related to HIF1Α by analyzing the colon cancer database. The analysis of extracellular acidification rate and cell function verified the regulatory effects of HIF1Α overexpression on glycolysis, and the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells. Moreover, naringin was used as an inhibitor of colon cancer cells to illustrate its effect on HIF1Α function. The results showed that the HIF1Α and enolase 2 (ENO2) levels in colon cancer tissues were highly correlated, and their high expression indicated a poor prognosis for colon cancer patients. Mechanistically, HIF1Α directly binds to the DNA promoter region and upregulates the transcription of ENO2; ectopic expression of ENO2 increased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Most importantly, we found that the appropriate concentration of naringin inhibited the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α, which in turn decreased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Generally, naringin reduces glycolysis in colon cancer cells by reducing the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α and the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells. This study helps to elucidate the relationship between colon cancer progression and glucose metabolism, and demonstrates the efficacy of naringin in the treatment of colon cancer.

Research status of abnormal lipid metabolism associated with pancreatic cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

In recent years, with the continuous studies on tumor metabonomics, more and more results have shown that changes of metabolism play important roles in the occurrence and development of malignant tumor. Carcinogenic factors can destroy the metabolic balance of human body, induce metabolic reprogramming, and then mediate a variety of biological behaviors to partici-pate in the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. Lipids provide the body with the necessary energy and essential fatty acids, and a variety of lipid molecules and metabolites are involved in cell signal transduction. Lipid metabolism is an important link in the metabolic system of the body, and the relationship between the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer and lipid metabo-lism is not clear. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the changes of lipid metabolism in pancreatic cancer, summarize some preclinical studies and clinical trials, and deeply explain the research status of abnormal lipid metabolism associated with pancreatic cancer, so as to provide new ideas for the study of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and accurate treatment.

Metabolic reprogramming and tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease and highly resistant to all forms of therapy. Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism extensively to promote their survival and growth, reflecting the vital role of altered metabolism. In this review, we summarize the vital role of metabolic reprogramming and microenvironmental crosstalk.

Research Progress of Lipid Metabolism Reprogramming in Prostate Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Metabolism reprogramming plays an important role in the process of tumor occurrence and development, and provides the necessary material basis for tumor cells. It can change the metabolic patterns of amino acids, glucose and fatty acids in tumor cells, which is one of the hallmark features of tumors. At present, it is shown that most tumors tend to take advantage of glycolysis for energy resource. In contrast, studies have shown that prostate cancer cells dependent more on the fatty acid oxidation pathway for metabolic reprogramming to obtain energy substances. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the relation between key enzymes of lipid metabolism and regulatory genes for early diagnosis, targeted treatment and better prognosis of prostate cancer.

Danzhi Xiaoyaosan-containing Serum Reverses Energy Metabolic Reprogramming of MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Danzhi Xiaoyaosan-containing serum on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells， and to find out whether the action mechanism is related to its intervention in energy metabolism. MethodThirty six-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group， Danzhi Xiaoyaosan （8.99 g·kg-1） group， and Xihuangwan （0.55 g·kg-1） group. The serum was isolated after drug intervention for seven days. The cell viability was detected by methyl thiazolyl-tetrazolium （MTT） assay， the cell cycle by flow cytometry， and the apoptosis by Annenxin V/propidium iodide （PI） double staining. Following the determination of intracellular glucose content using the glucose testing kit， the expression of glucose transporter 1 （GLUT1） was measured by immunofluorescence staining. Seahorse XFe cell energy metabolism analyzer was used to detect the extracellular acidification rate （ECAR） and oxygen consumption rate （OCR）. The expression levels of hexokinase 2 （HK2）， pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， and lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA） were assayed by Western blot. ResultCompared with the blank group， Danzhi Xiaoyaosan-containing serum inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells， with the best effect observed after intervention with 15% Danzhi Xiaoyaosan-containing serum for 48 h （P<0.01）， blocked the MDA-MB-231 cells in G0/G1 phase（P<0.01）， and down-regulated the GLUT1 expression， basal glycolysis， glycolysis capacity， glycolytic reserve， basal respiration， adenosine triphosphate （ATP） production， spare respiratory capacity（P<0.01）， as well as the protein expression of HK2， PKM2， and LDHA in MDA-MB-231 cells（P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionDanzhi Xiaoyaosan-containing serum inhibits MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation， promotes apoptosis， and induces cell cycle arrest， which may be related to its reversal of energy metabolic reprogramming in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Integrated metabolism and epigenetic modifications in the macrophages of mice in responses to cold stress / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The negative effects of low temperature can readily induce a variety of diseases. We sought to understand the reasons why cold stress induces disease by studying the mechanisms of fine-tuning in macrophages following cold exposure. We found that cold stress triggers increased macrophage activation accompanied by metabolic reprogramming of aerobic glycolysis. The discovery, by genome-wide RNA sequencing, of defective mitochondria in mice macrophages following cold exposure indicated that mitochondrial defects may contribute to this process. In addition, changes in metabolism drive the differentiation of macrophages by affecting histone modifications. Finally, we showed that histone acetylation and lactylation are modulators of macrophage differentiation following cold exposure. Collectively, metabolism-related epigenetic modifications are essential for the differentiation of macrophages in cold-stressed mice, and the regulation of metabolism may be crucial for alleviating the harm induced by cold stress.

Metabolic reprogramming mediates tumor immune microenvironment remodeling: current achievements and prospects / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Metabolic reprogramming is one of the characteristics of tumors and an important potential target for tumor therapy. The effect of the interaction between tumor and immune cells on metabolic reprogramming is one of the key factors determining the anti-tumor immune response. Tumor metabolism not only plays a key role in maintaining tumor genesis and survival, but also affects immune cells by releasing metabolites such as arginine and PGE2, thereby affecting the tumor immune microenvironment. The interaction between tumor cells and immune cells leads to metabolic competition in the tumor immune microenvironment, which limits the normal metabolism of nutrients and forms an acidic environment, and ultimately leads to a weakened anti-tumor immune response and the formation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Moreover, there are alterations in metabolism of immune cells during the process of immune responses, that is metabolic reprogramming occurs in immune cells during their proliferation, differentiation and performance of cellular functions. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells and immune cells in tumor immune microenvironment will enable researchers to find therapeutic means of targeting metabolic pathways in anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Progress in differentiation regulation and subpopulation typing of exhausted CD8 + T cells / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Exhausted CD8 + T cells (CD8 + Tex) are a distinct subpopulation formed from naive CD8 + T cells under conditions of sustained high antigen stimulation. Initially, naive CD8 + T cells can differentiate into functional cytotoxic cells and exert anti-infective and anti-tumor effects upon short-term antigen stimulation. However, sustained high antigen stimulation will make effector CD8 + T cells progressively differentiate into terminally CD8 + Tex cells and irreversibly lose effector function. Unlike memory and effector T cells, CD8 + Tex cells have a unique transcriptional program. Numerous studies are attempting to map a detailed differentiation landscape of CD8 + Tex cell subsets, aiming to maximize the number of effector T cells in the future by targeting individual subsets or individual differentiation stages in CD8 + Tex cells without damaging the effector cells. This article reviewed the progress in CD8 + Tex cells from the aspects of transcriptional dysregulation, metabolic reprogramming, subpopulation typing and clinical application, aiming to provide more CD8 + T cell-based therapeutic strategies for tumor.

Applications of stable isotope metabolic flux analysis in tumor metabolic reprogramming / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of tumors. Tumors own unique metabolic patterns in different stages of their occurrence and development. The stable isotope metabolic flux analysis technology uses stable isotope to trace the metabolites in tumors and crystallize tumor metabolism network. Stable isotope metabolic flux analysis is a useful tool for studying tumor metabolism, which can determine the nutritional sources, find the metabolic liabilities, confirm the metabolic pattern of tumors, and discover new mechanisms of tumor metabolic reprogramming, thus providing theoretical bases for imaging, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of tumor. This article reviews the applications of stable isotope flux analysis in tumor metabolic reprogramming.

Targeting PFKL with penfluridol inhibits glycolysis and suppresses esophageal cancer tumorigenesis in an AMPK/FOXO3a/BIM-dependent manner

As one of the hallmarks of cancer, metabolic reprogramming leads to cancer progression, and targeting glycolytic enzymes could be useful strategies for cancer therapy. By screening a small molecule library consisting of 1320 FDA-approved drugs, we found that penfluridol, an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia, could inhibit glycolysis and induce apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Gene profiling and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis suggested the important role of AMPK in action mechanism of penfluridol. By using drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) technology and proteomics, we identified phosphofructokinase, liver type (PFKL), a key enzyme in glycolysis, as a direct target of penfluridol. Penfluridol could not exhibit its anticancer property in PFKL-deficient cancer cells, illustrating that PFKL is essential for the bioactivity of penfluridol. High PFKL expression is correlated with advanced stages and poor survival of ESCC patients, and silencing of PFKL significantly suppressed tumor growth. Mechanistically, direct binding of penfluridol and PFKL inhibits glucose consumption, lactate and ATP production, leads to nuclear translocation of FOXO3a and subsequent transcriptional activation of BIM in an AMPK-dependent manner. Taken together, PFKL is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC, and penfluridol may be a new therapeutic option for management of this lethal disease.

Research progress on AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway involved in immunometabolic regulation in sepsis / 中国小儿急救医学

The occurrence, development and prognosis of sepsis are closely related to immune regulation.Immunometabolism has been the research hotspot of immune intervention in sepsis in recent years.AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)are star molecules involved in metabolic regulation.As an important way of immunometabolic regulation in sepsis, AMPK-mTOR is involved in the process of chemotaxis of neutrophils, the polarization of macrophages, the development and differentiation of natural killer cells and dendritic cells, and the development and functional regulation of T cells.This article reviewed the research progress of AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway on regulating metabolic reprogramming in immune cells, which contributes to immunoregulation in sepsis.