Study of amino acids metabolism reprogramming during pancreatic cancer progression

La progression maligne de l’adénocarcinome canalaire pancréatique (ADKP) s'accompagne d'une profonde réaction desmoplasique, limitant la vascularisation de la tumeur et de fait privant les cellules tumorales en nutriments, forçant les cellules tumorales à adapter leur métabolisme. L’objectif de thèse était de définir les changements métaboliques relatifs à l’ADKP. Par une analyse transcriptomique des tumeurs pancréatiques développées de manière spontanée chez les souris, nous avons établi le profil métabolique des ADKPs lié aux acides aminés au cours de leur progression. Ainsi, nous avons montré que les voies métaboliques de la proline et des acides aminés à chaînes branchées, en particulier le catabolisme de la leucine, sont celles étant les plus dérégulées dans l’ADKP. Concernant le métabolisme de la proline, nous avons montré que les cellules tumorales privées en nutriments capturent et utilisent le collagène, produit par les fibroblastes du stroma tumoral grâce à la macropinocytose, de façon le dégrader en proline. Aussi, l’inhibition de la dégradation de la proline entraine une diminution de la prolifération tumorale in vitro et in vivo. Concernant la leucine, nous montrons que l’élément clé de ce métabolisme est un de ces produits de dégradation finaux à savoir le β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB) dont la production repose sur une enzyme cruciale : HMGCL. Dans nos travaux, nous démontrons que la suppression d’HMGCL dans les cellules d’ADKP humains entrave leurs capacités oncogéniques et métastatiques in vitro et in vivo. De plus, nous montrons in vivo que le βOHB augmente la croissance tumorale ainsi que la formation de métastases.The malignant progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is accompanied by a profound desmoplasia, depriving tumor cells from oxygen and nutrients, which forces tumor cells to adapt their metabolism to proliferate. The thesis purpose is to define the metabolic changes related to ADKP. Using a transcriptomic analysis of PDAC from mice model, we established the PDAC metabolic profile. Focusing on amino acid metabolic pathways, we identified the metabolic pathways of proline and the branched-chain amino acid, especially the leucine catabolism, as the most deregulated in ADKP compared to the normal pancreas. We demonstrated that tumor cells take up collagen-derived fibroblasts, thanks macropinocytosis, when they are nutrient deprived. Once collagen is internalized, its subsequent digestion supplies TCA with proline. Also, inhibition of proline degradation leads to a decrease in tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo. We have shown leucine catabolism is specific to tumor cells and the final degradation products: the β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB) appears as a key element of this metabolism. To produce βOHB, tumor cells use HMGCL, a crucial enzyme involved in leucine degradation. In our work we demonstrated that HMGCL suppression in PDAC cells decreases their oncogenic and metastatic capacities in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we have demonstrated in vivo that βOHB increases tumor growth and metastasis formation. Thus, our works show 1/ the metabolic plasticity of cells, 2/the influence of microenvironment on tumor cell metabolism, 3/ the importance to study tumor metabolism for the finding of new therapeutic targets

Influence of the Tumor Microenvironment on Cancer Cells Metabolic Reprogramming

As with castles, tumor cells are fortified by surrounding non-malignant cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, but also nerve fibers and extracellular matrix. In most cancers, this fortification creates a considerable solid pressure which limits oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tumor cells and causes a hypoxic and nutritional stress. Consequently, tumor cells have to adapt their metabolism to survive and proliferate in this harsh microenvironment. To satisfy their need in energy and biomass, tumor cells develop new capacities to benefit from metabolites of the microenvironment, either by their uptake through the macropinocytosis process or through metabolite transporters, or by a cross-talk with stromal cells and capture of extracellular vesicles that are released by the neighboring cells. However, the microenvironments of primary tumor and metastatic niches differ tremendously in their cellular/acellular components and available nutrients. Therefore, cancer cells must develop a metabolic flexibility conferring on them the ability to satisfy their biomass and energetic demands at both primary and metastasis sites. In this review, we propose a brief overview of how proliferating cancer cells take advantage of their surrounding microenvironment to satisfy their high metabolic demand at both primary and metastasis sites

Influence of the Tumor Microenvironment on Cancer Cells Metabolic Reprogramming

International audienceAs with castles, tumor cells are fortified by surrounding non-malignant cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, but also nerve fibers and extracellular matrix. In most cancers, this fortification creates a considerable solid pressure which limits oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tumor cells and causes a hypoxic and nutritional stress. Consequently, tumor cells have to adapt their metabolism to survive and proliferate in this harsh microenvironment. To satisfy their need in energy and biomass, tumor cells develop new capacities to benefit from metabolites of the microenvironment, either by their uptake through the macropinocytosis process or through metabolite transporters, or by a cross-talk with stromal cells and capture of extracellular vesicles that are released by the neighboring cells. However, the microenvironments of primary tumor and metastatic niches differ tremendously in their cellular/acellular components and available nutrients. Therefore, cancer cells must develop a metabolic flexibility conferring on them the ability to satisfy their biomass and energetic demands at both primary and metastasis sites. In this review, we propose a brief overview of how proliferating cancer cells take advantage of their surrounding microenvironment to satisfy their high metabolic demand at both primary and metastasis sites

T-Cell Adhesion in Healthy and Inflamed Skin.

The diverse populations of tissue-resident and transitory T cells present in the skin share a common functional need to enter, traverse, and interact with their environment. These processes are largely dependent on the regulated expression of adhesion molecules, such as selectins and integrins, which mediate bidirectional interactions between immune cells and skin stroma. Dysregulation and engagement of adhesion pathways contribute to ectopic T-cell activity in tissues, leading to the initiation and/or exacerbation of chronic inflammation. In this paper, we review how the molecular interactions supported by adhesion pathways contribute to T-cell dynamics and function in the skin. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning T-cell adhesion in inflammatory skin disorders will facilitate the development of novel tissue-specific therapeutic strategies

Membrane Cholesterol Efflux Drives Tumor-Associated Macrophage Reprogramming and Tumor Progression

International audienceMacrophages possess intrinsic tumoricidal activity, yet tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) rapidly adopt an alternative phenotype within the tumor microenvironment that is marked by tumor-promoting immunosuppressive and trophic functions. The mechanisms that promote such TAM polarization remain poorly understood, but once identified, they may represent important therapeutic targets to block the tumor-promoting functions of TAMs and restore their anti-tumor potential. Here, we have characterized TAMs in a mouse model of metastatic ovarian cancer. We show that ovarian cancer cells promote membrane cholesterol efflux and depletion of lipid rafts from macrophages. Increased cholesterol efflux promoted IL-4-mediated reprogramming, including inhibition of IFN gamma-induced gene expression. Genetic deletion of ABC transporters, which mediate cholesterol efflux, reverts the tumor-promoting functions of TAMs and reduces tumor progression. These studies reveal an unexpected role for membrane-cholesterol efflux in driving TAM-mediated tumor progression while pointing to a potentially novel anti-tumor therapeutic strategy

Regulatory T cells promote innate inflammation after skin barrier breach via TGF-β activation

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) use multiple mechanisms to attenuate inflammation and prevent autoimmunity. Tregs residing in peripheral (i.e., nonlymphoid) tissues have specialized functions; specifically, skin Tregs promote wound healing, suppress dermal fibrosis, facilitate epidermal regeneration, and augment hair follicle cycling. Here, we demonstrated that skin Tregs were transcriptionally attuned to interact with their tissue environment through increased expression of integrin and TGF-β pathway genes that influence epithelial cell biology. We identified a molecular pathway where skin Tregs license keratinocytes to promote innate inflammation after skin barrier breach. Using a single-cell discovery approach, we identified preferential expression of the integrin αvβ8 on skin Tregs Upon skin injury, Tregs used this integrin to activate latent TGF-β, which acted directly on epithelial cells to promote CXCL5 production and neutrophil recruitment. Induction of this circuit delayed epidermal regeneration but provided protection from Staphylococcus aureus infection across a compromised barrier. Thus, αvβ8-expressing Tregs in the skin, somewhat paradoxical to their canonical immunosuppressive functions, facilitated inflammation acutely after loss of barrier integrity to promote host defense against infection

Regulatory T cells in skin mediate immune privilege of the hair follicle stem cell niche

Immune tolerance is maintained in lymphoid organs (LOs). Despite the presence of complex immune cell networks in non-LOs, it is unknown whether self-tolerance is maintained in these tissues. We developed a technique to restrict genetic recombination to regulatory T cells (Tregs) only in skin. Selective depletion of skin Tregs resulted in T cell-mediated inflammation of hair follicles (HFs). Suppression did not rely on CTLA-4, but instead on high-affinity interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression by skin Tregs, functioning exclusively in a cell-extrinsic manner. In a novel model of HF stem cell (HFSC)-driven autoimmunity, we reveal that skin Tregs immunologically protect the HFSC niche. Finally, we used spatial transcriptomics to identify aberrant IL-2 signaling at stromal-HF interfaces in a rare form of human alopecia characterized by HFSC destruction and alopecia areata. Collectively, these results reveal the fundamental biology of Tregs in skin uncoupled from the systemic pool and elucidate a mechanism of self-tolerance

Collagen-derived proline promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell survival under nutrient limited conditions

International audienceTissue architecture contributes to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) phenotypes. Cancer cells within PDAC form gland-like structures embedded in a collagen-rich meshwork where nutrients and oxygen are scarce. Altered metabolism is needed for tumour cells to survive in this environment, but the metabolic modifications that allow PDAC cells to endure these conditions are incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that collagen serves as a proline reservoir for PDAC cells to use as a nutrient source when other fuels are limited. We show PDAC cells are able to take up collagen fragments, which can promote PDAC cell survival under nutrient limited conditions, and that collagen-derived proline contributes to PDAC cell metabolism. Finally, we show that proline oxidase (PRODH1) is required for PDAC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our results indicate that PDAC extracellular matrix represents a nutrient reservoir for tumour cells highlighting the metabolic flexibility of this cancer