TGF-β-dependent reprogramming of amino acid metabolism induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancers

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)—a fundamental process in embryogenesis and wound healing—promotes tumor metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. While studies have identified signaling components and transcriptional factors responsible in the TGF-β-dependent EMT, whether and how intracellular metabolism is integrated with EMT remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we showed that TGF-β induces reprogramming of intracellular amino acid metabolism, which is necessary to promote EMT in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Combined metabolome and transcriptome analysis identified prolyl 4-hydroxylase α3 (P4HA3), an enzyme implicated in cancer metabolism, to be upregulated during TGF-β stimulation. Further, knockdown of P4HA3 diminished TGF-β-dependent changes in amino acids, EMT, and tumor metastasis. Conversely, manipulation of extracellular amino acids induced EMT-like responses without TGF-β stimulation. These results suggest a previously unappreciated requirement for the reprogramming of amino acid metabolism via P4HA3 for TGF-β-dependent EMT and implicate a P4HA3 inhibitor as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer

Post-translational Modification of the NKG2D Ligand RAET1G Leads to Cell Surface Expression of a Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked Isoform

NKG2D is an important activating receptor on lymphocytes. In human, it interacts with two groups of ligands: the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related A/B (MICA/B) family and the UL-16 binding protein (ULBP) family, also known as retinoic acid early transcript (RAET1). MIC proteins are membrane-anchored, but all of the ULBP/RAET1 proteins, except for RAET1E and RAET1G, are glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored. To address the reason for these differences we studied the association of RAET1G with the membrane. Using epitope-tagged RAET1G protein in conjunction with antibodies to different parts of the molecule and in pulse-chase experiments, we showed that the C terminus of the protein was cleaved soon after protein synthesis. Endoglycosidase H and peptide N-glycosidase treatment and cell surface immunoprecipitation indicated that most of the protein stayed in the endoplasmic reticulum, but some of the cleaved form was modified in the Golgi and transported to the cell surface. We examined the possibility of GPI anchoring of the protein in three ways: (i) Phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific phospholipase C released the PI-linked form of the protein. (ii) The surface expression pattern of RAET1G decreased in cells defective in GPI anchoring through mutant GPI-amidase. (iii) Site-directed mutagenesis, to disrupt residues predicted to facilitate GPI-anchoring, resulted in diminished surface expression of RAET1G. Thus, a form of RAET1G is GPI-anchored, in line with most other ULBP/RAET1 family proteins. The cytoplasmic tail and transmembrane domains appear to result from gene duplication and frameshift mutation. Together with our previous results, our data suggest that RAET1G is regulated post-translationally to produce a GPI-anchored isoform

Thymidine Catabolism as a Metabolic Strategy for Cancer Survival

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), a rate-limiting enzyme in thymidine catabolism, plays a pivotal role in tumor progression; however, the mechanisms underlying this role are not fully understood. Here, we found that TP-mediated thymidine catabolism could supply the carbon source in the glycolytic pathway and thus contribute to cell survival under conditions of nutrient deprivation. In TP-expressing cells, thymidine was converted to metabolites, including glucose 6-phosphate, lactate, 5-phospho-α-D-ribose 1-diphosphate, and serine, via the glycolytic pathway both in vitro and in vivo. These thymidine-derived metabolites were required for the survival of cells under low-glucose conditions. Furthermore, activation of thymidine catabolism was observed in human gastric cancer. These findings demonstrate that thymidine can serve as a glycolytic pathway substrate in human cancer cells

Thymidine catabolism promotes NADPH oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling in KB and yumoto cells

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the thymidine catabolic pathway. TP is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor and contributes to tumour angiogenesis. TP induces the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhances the expression of oxidative stress-responsive genes, such as interleukin (IL)-8. However, the mechanism underlying ROS induction by TP remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that TP promotes NADPH oxidase-derived ROS signalling in cancer cells. NADPH oxidase inhibition using apocynin or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) abrogated the induction of IL-8 and ROS in TP-expressing cancer cells. Meanwhile, thymidine catabolism induced by TP increased the levels of NADPH and intermediates of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Both siRNA knockdown of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a rate-limiting enzyme in PPP, and a G6PD inhibitor, dihydroepiandrosterone, reduced TP-induced ROS production. siRNA downregulation of 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5-phosphate (DR5P) aldolase, which is needed for DR5P to enter glycolysis, also suppressed the induction of NADPH and IL-8 in TP-expressing cells. These results suggested that TP-mediated thymidine catabolism increases the intracellular NADPH level via the PPP, which enhances the production of ROS by NADPH oxidase and activates its downstream signalling

BCAA catabolism in brown fat controls energy homeostasis through SLC25A44.

Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA; valine, leucine and isoleucine) supplementation is often beneficial to energy expenditure; however, increased circulating levels of BCAA are linked to obesity and diabetes. The mechanisms of this paradox remain unclear. Here we report that, on cold exposure, brown adipose tissue (BAT) actively utilizes BCAA in the mitochondria for thermogenesis and promotes systemic BCAA clearance in mice and humans. In turn, a BAT-specific defect in BCAA catabolism attenuates systemic BCAA clearance, BAT fuel oxidation and thermogenesis, leading to diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance. Mechanistically, active BCAA catabolism in BAT is mediated by SLC25A44, which transports BCAAs into mitochondria. Our results suggest that BAT serves as a key metabolic filter that controls BCAA clearance via SLC25A44, thereby contributing to the improvement of metabolic health

Superconducting phases of f-electron compounds

Intermetallic compounds containing f-electron elements display a wealth of superconducting phases, that are prime candidates for unconventional pairing with complex order parameter symmetries. For instance, superconductivity has been found at the border of magnetic order as well as deep within ferro- and antiferromagnetically ordered states, suggesting that magnetism may promote rather than destroy superconductivity. Superconductivity near valence transitions, or in the vicinity of magneto-polar order are candidates for new superconductive pairing interactions such as fluctuations of the conduction electron density or the crystal electric field, respectively. The experimental status of the study of the superconducting phases of f-electron compounds is reviewed.Comment: Rev. Mod. Phys. in print; 75 pages, 23 figures; comments welcom