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Cells Jul 2019Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common and life-threatening leukemias. A highly diverse and flexible metabolism contributes to the aggressiveness of the... (Review)
Review
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common and life-threatening leukemias. A highly diverse and flexible metabolism contributes to the aggressiveness of the disease that is still difficult to treat. By using different sources of nutrients for energy and biomass supply, AML cells gain metabolic plasticity and rapidly outcompete normal hematopoietic cells. This review aims to decipher the diverse metabolic strategies and the underlying oncogenic and environmental changes that sustain continuous growth, mediate redox homeostasis and induce drug resistance in AML. We revisit Warburg's hypothesis and illustrate the role of glucose as a provider of cellular building blocks rather than as a supplier of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle for energy production. We discuss how the diversity of fuels for the TCA cycle, including glutamine and fatty acids, contributes to the metabolic plasticity of the disease and highlight the roles of amino acids and lipids in AML metabolism. Furthermore, we point out the potential of the different metabolic effectors to be used as novel therapeutic targets.
Topics: Carbohydrate Metabolism; Citric Acid Cycle; Energy Metabolism; Glycolysis; Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 31370337
DOI: 10.3390/cells8080805 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... May 2023Cancer cells are usually featured by metabolic adaptations that facilitate their growth, invasion, and metastasis. Thus, reprogramming of intracellular energy metabolism... (Review)
Review
Cancer cells are usually featured by metabolic adaptations that facilitate their growth, invasion, and metastasis. Thus, reprogramming of intracellular energy metabolism is currently one of the hotspots in the field of cancer research. Whereas aerobic glycolysis (known as the Warburg effect) has long been considered a dominant form of energy metabolism in cancer cells, emerging evidence indicates that other metabolic forms, especially oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), may play a critical role at least in some types of cancer. Of note, women with metabolic syndromes (MetS), including obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, have an increased risk of developing endometrial carcinoma (EC), suggesting a close link between metabolism and EC. Interestingly, the metabolic preferences vary among EC cell types, particularly cancer stem cells and chemotherapy-resistant cells. Currently, it is commonly accepted that glycolysis is the main energy provider in EC cells, while OXPHOS is reduced or impaired. Moreover, agents specifically targeting the glycolysis and/or OXPHOS pathways can inhibit tumor cell growth and promote chemosensitization. For example, metformin and weight control not only reduce the incidence of EC but also improve the prognosis of EC patients. In this review, we comprehensively overview the current in-depth understanding of the relationship between metabolism and EC and provide up-to-date insights into the development of novel therapies targeting energy metabolism for auxiliary treatment in combination with chemotherapy for EC, especially those resistant to conventional chemotherapy.
Topics: Humans; Female; Energy Metabolism; Glycolysis; Oxidative Phosphorylation; Citric Acid Cycle; Endometrial Neoplasms
PubMed: 36933381
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114526 -
Critical Reviews in Oncology/hematology Jul 2023Metabolic reprogramming is one of the important characteristics of cancer and is a key process leading to malignant proliferation, tumor development and treatment... (Review)
Review
Metabolic reprogramming is one of the important characteristics of cancer and is a key process leading to malignant proliferation, tumor development and treatment resistance. A variety of therapeutic drugs targeting metabolic reaction enzymes, transport receptors, and special metabolic processes have been developed. In this review, we investigate the characteristics of multiple metabolic changes in cancer cells, including glycolytic pathways, lipid metabolism, and glutamine metabolism changes, describe how these changes promote tumor development and tumor resistance, and summarize the progress and challenges of therapeutic strategies targeting various links of tumor metabolism in combination with current study data.
Topics: Humans; Glycolysis; Neoplasms; Energy Metabolism; Lipid Metabolism
PubMed: 37236409
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104037 -
Genes Feb 2022Pharmacogenomics is based on the understanding of the individual differences in drug use, the response to drug therapy (efficacy and toxicity), and the mechanisms... (Review)
Review
Pharmacogenomics is based on the understanding of the individual differences in drug use, the response to drug therapy (efficacy and toxicity), and the mechanisms underlying variable drug responses. The identification of DNA variants which markedly contribute to inter-individual variations in drug responses would improve the efficacy of treatments and decrease the rate of the adverse side effects of drugs. This review focuses only on the impact of polymorphisms within drug-metabolizing enzymes on drug responses. Anticancer drugs usually have a very narrow therapeutic index; therefore, it is very important to use appropriate doses in order to achieve the maximum benefits without putting the patient at risk of life-threatening toxicities. However, the adjustment of the appropriate dose is not so easy, due to the inheritance of specific polymorphisms in the genes encoding the target proteins and drug-metabolizing enzymes. This review presents just a few examples of such polymorphisms and their impact on the response to therapy.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Humans; Neoplasms; Pharmacogenetics; Polymorphism, Genetic
PubMed: 35205356
DOI: 10.3390/genes13020311 -
The Journal of Clinical Investigation Oct 2023Melanomas reprogram their metabolism to rapidly adapt to therapy-induced stress conditions, allowing them to persist and ultimately develop resistance. We report that a...
Melanomas reprogram their metabolism to rapidly adapt to therapy-induced stress conditions, allowing them to persist and ultimately develop resistance. We report that a subpopulation of melanoma cells tolerate MAPK pathway inhibitors (MAPKis) through a concerted metabolic reprogramming mediated by peroxisomes and UDP-glucose ceramide glycosyltransferase (UGCG). Compromising peroxisome biogenesis, by repressing PEX3 expression, potentiated the proapoptotic effects of MAPKis via an induction of ceramides, an effect limited by UGCG-mediated ceramide metabolism. Cotargeting PEX3 and UGCG selectively eliminated a subset of metabolically active, drug-tolerant CD36+ melanoma persister cells, thereby sensitizing melanoma to MAPKis and delaying resistance. Increased levels of peroxisomal genes and UGCG were found in patient-derived MAPKi-relapsed melanomas, and simultaneously inhibiting PEX3 and UGCG restored MAPKi sensitivity in multiple models of therapy resistance. Finally, combination therapy consisting of a newly identified inhibitor of the PEX3-PEX19 interaction, a UGCG inhibitor, and MAPKis demonstrated potent antitumor activity in preclinical melanoma models, thus representing a promising approach for melanoma treatment.
Topics: Humans; Peroxisomes; Lipid Metabolism; Melanoma; Ceramides
PubMed: 37616051
DOI: 10.1172/JCI166644 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2020Nucleotide sugars have essential roles in every living creature. They are the building blocks of the biosynthesis of carbohydrates and their conjugates. They are... (Review)
Review
Nucleotide sugars have essential roles in every living creature. They are the building blocks of the biosynthesis of carbohydrates and their conjugates. They are involved in processes that are targets for drug development, and their analogs are potential inhibitors of these processes. Drug development requires efficient methods for the synthesis of oligosaccharides and nucleotide sugar building blocks as well as of modified structures as potential inhibitors. It requires also understanding the details of biological and chemical processes as well as the reactivity and reactions under different conditions. This article addresses all these issues by giving a broad overview on nucleotide sugars in biological and chemical reactions. As the background for the topic, glycosylation reactions in mammalian and bacterial cells are briefly discussed. In the following sections, structures and biosynthetic routes for nucleotide sugars, as well as the mechanisms of action of nucleotide sugar-utilizing enzymes, are discussed. Chemical topics include the reactivity and chemical synthesis methods. Finally, the enzymatic in vitro synthesis of nucleotide sugars and the utilization of enzyme cascades in the synthesis of nucleotide sugars and oligosaccharides are briefly discussed.
Topics: Animals; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Glycosylation; Glycosyltransferases; Humans; Hydrolysis; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Nucleotides; Plants; Sugars
PubMed: 33291296
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25235755 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2022Despite the remarkable progress in cancer treatment up to now, we are still far from conquering the disease. The most substantial change after the malignant... (Review)
Review
Despite the remarkable progress in cancer treatment up to now, we are still far from conquering the disease. The most substantial change after the malignant transformation of normal cells into cancer cells is the alteration in their metabolism. Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to support the elevated energy demand as well as the acquisition and maintenance of their malignancy, even in nutrient-poor environments. The metabolic alterations, even under aerobic conditions, such as the upregulation of the glucose uptake and glycolysis (the Warburg effect), increase the ROS (reactive oxygen species) and glutamine dependence, which are the prominent features of cancer metabolism. Among these metabolic alterations, high glutamine dependency has attracted serious attention in the cancer research community. In addition, the oncogenic signaling pathways of the well-known important genetic mutations play important regulatory roles, either directly or indirectly, in the central carbon metabolism. The identification of the convergent metabolic phenotypes is crucial to the targeting of cancer cells. In this review, we investigate the relationship between cancer metabolism and the signal transduction pathways, and we highlight the recent developments in anti-cancer therapy that target metabolism.
Topics: Humans; Glutamine; Glycolysis; Neoplasms; Energy Metabolism; Signal Transduction; Glucose
PubMed: 36613455
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010012 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2023RNA-mediated drugs are a rapidly growing class of therapeutics. Over the last five years, the list of FDA-approved RNA therapeutics has expanded owing to their unique... (Review)
Review
RNA-mediated drugs are a rapidly growing class of therapeutics. Over the last five years, the list of FDA-approved RNA therapeutics has expanded owing to their unique targets and prolonged pharmacological effects. Their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) have important clinical im-plications, but their pharmacokinetic properties have not been fully understood. Most RNA therapeutics have structural modifications to prevent rapid elimination from the plasma and are administered intravenously or subcutaneously, with some exceptions, for effective distribution to target organs. Distribution of drugs into tissues depends on the addition of a moiety that can be transported to the target and RNA therapeutics show a low volume of distribution because of their molecular size and negatively-charged backbone. Nucleases metabolize RNA therapeutics to a shortened chain, but their metabolic ratio is relatively low. Therefore, most RNA therapeutics are excreted in their intact form. This review covers not only ADME features but also clinical pharmacology data of the RNA therapeutics such as drug-drug interaction or population pharmacokinetic analyses. As the market of RNA therapeutics is expected to rapidly expand, comprehensive knowledge will contribute to interpreting and evaluating the pharmacological properties.
Topics: Drug Interactions; Chemical Phenomena; Biological Transport; Pharmacokinetics
PubMed: 36614189
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010746