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Nature Reviews. Cancer May 2023Metabolic alterations are a key hallmark of cancer cells, and the augmented synthesis and use of nucleotide triphosphates is a critical and universal metabolic... (Review)
Review
Metabolic alterations are a key hallmark of cancer cells, and the augmented synthesis and use of nucleotide triphosphates is a critical and universal metabolic dependency of cancer cells across different cancer types and genetic backgrounds. Many of the aggressive behaviours of cancer cells, including uncontrolled proliferation, chemotherapy resistance, immune evasion and metastasis, rely heavily on augmented nucleotide metabolism. Furthermore, most of the known oncogenic drivers upregulate nucleotide biosynthetic capacity, suggesting that this phenotype is a prerequisite for cancer initiation and progression. Despite the wealth of data demonstrating the efficacy of nucleotide synthesis inhibitors in preclinical cancer models and the well-established clinical use of these drugs in certain cancer settings, the full potential of these agents remains unrealized. In this Review, we discuss recent studies that have generated mechanistic insights into the diverse biological roles of hyperactive cancer cell nucleotide metabolism. We explore opportunities for combination therapies that are highlighted by these recent advances and detail key questions that remain to be answered, with the goal of informing urgently warranted future studies.
Topics: Humans; Neoplasms; Nucleotides; Energy Metabolism
PubMed: 36973407
DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00557-7 -
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta.... Nov 2020In living cells, growth is the result of coupling between substrate catabolism and multiple metabolic processes that take place during net biomass formation and... (Review)
Review
In living cells, growth is the result of coupling between substrate catabolism and multiple metabolic processes that take place during net biomass formation and maintenance processes. During growth, both ATP/ADP and NADH/NAD molecules play a key role. Cell energy metabolism hence refers to metabolic pathways involved in ATP synthesis linked to NADH turnover. Two main pathways are thus involved in cell energy metabolism: glycolysis/fermentation and oxidative phosphorylation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are intertwined through thermodynamic and kinetic constraints that are reviewed herein. Further, our current knowledge of short-term and long term regulation of cell energy metabolism will be reviewed using examples such as the Crabtree and the Warburg effect.
Topics: Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate; Cell Physiological Phenomena; Energy Metabolism; Glycolysis; Kinetics; NAD; Oxidative Phosphorylation
PubMed: 32717222
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148276 -
Cell Metabolism Jun 2021NAD(H) and NADP(H) have traditionally been viewed as co-factors (or co-enzymes) involved in a myriad of oxidation-reduction reactions including the electron transport in... (Review)
Review
NAD(H) and NADP(H) have traditionally been viewed as co-factors (or co-enzymes) involved in a myriad of oxidation-reduction reactions including the electron transport in the mitochondria. However, NAD pathway metabolites have many other important functions, including roles in signaling pathways, post-translational modifications, epigenetic changes, and regulation of RNA stability and function via NAD-capping of RNA. Non-oxidative reactions ultimately lead to the net catabolism of these nucleotides, indicating that NAD metabolism is an extremely dynamic process. In fact, recent studies have clearly demonstrated that NAD has a half-life in the order of minutes in some tissues. Several evolving concepts on the metabolism, transport, and roles of these NAD pathway metabolites in disease states such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging have emerged in just the last few years. In this perspective, we discuss key recent discoveries and changing concepts in NAD metabolism and biology that are reshaping the field. In addition, we will pose some open questions in NAD biology, including why NAD metabolism is so fast and dynamic in some tissues, how NAD and its precursors are transported to cells and organelles, and how NAD metabolism is integrated with inflammation and senescence. Resolving these questions will lead to significant advancements in the field.
Topics: Animals; Energy Metabolism; Humans; Mitochondria; NAD; NADP
PubMed: 33930322
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.04.003 -
Neurochemical Research Oct 2019Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are important regulators of protein function, and integrate metabolism with physiological and pathological processes.... (Review)
Review
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are important regulators of protein function, and integrate metabolism with physiological and pathological processes. Phosphorylation and acetylation are particularly well studied PTMs. A relatively recently discovered novel PTM is succinylation in which metabolically derived succinyl CoA modifies protein lysine groups. Succinylation causes a protein charge flip from positive to negative and a relatively large increase in mass compared to other PTMs. Hundreds of protein succinylation sites are present in proteins of multiple tissues and species, and the significance is being actively investigated. The few completed studies demonstrate that succinylation alters rates of enzymes and pathways, especially mitochondrial metabolic pathways. Thus, succinylation provides an elegant and efficient mechanism to coordinate metabolism and signaling by utilizing metabolic intermediates as sensors to regulate metabolism. Even though the brain is one of the most metabolically active organs, an understanding of the role succinylation in the nervous system is largely unknown. Data from other tissues and other PTMs suggest that succinylation provides a coupling between metabolism and protein function in the nervous system and in neurological diseases. This review provides a new insight into metabolism in neurological diseases and suggests that the drug development for these diseases requires a better understanding of succinylation and de-succinylation in the brain and other tissues.
Topics: Acyl Coenzyme A; Animals; Humans; Lysine; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Mitochondria; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Proteome
PubMed: 30903449
DOI: 10.1007/s11064-019-02780-x -
The Safety and Antiaging Effects of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide in Human Clinical Trials: an Update.Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Nov 2023The importance of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in human physiology is well recognized. As the NAD concentration in human skin, blood, liver, muscle, and brain... (Review)
Review
The importance of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in human physiology is well recognized. As the NAD concentration in human skin, blood, liver, muscle, and brain are thought to decrease with age, finding ways to increase NAD status could possibly influence the aging process and associated metabolic sequelae. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a precursor for NAD biosynthesis, and in vitro/in vivo studies have demonstrated that NMN supplementation increases NAD concentration and could mitigate aging-related disorders such as oxidative stress, DNA damage, neurodegeneration, and inflammatory responses. The promotion of NMN as an antiaging health supplement has gained popularity due to such findings; however, since most studies evaluating the effects of NMN have been conducted in cell or animal models, a concern remains regarding the safety and physiological effects of NMN supplementation in the human population. Nonetheless, a dozen human clinical trials with NMN supplementation are currently underway. This review summarizes the current progress of these trials and NMN/NAD biology to clarify the potential effects of NMN supplementation and to shed light on future study directions.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Nicotinamide Mononucleotide; NAD; Oxidative Stress; Models, Animal
PubMed: 37619764
DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.08.008 -
Molecular Metabolism Aug 2020Many metabolites serve as important signalling molecules to adjust cellular activities and functions based on nutrient availability. Links between acetyl-CoA metabolism,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Many metabolites serve as important signalling molecules to adjust cellular activities and functions based on nutrient availability. Links between acetyl-CoA metabolism, histone lysine acetylation, and gene expression have been documented and studied over the past decade. In recent years, several additional acyl modifications to histone lysine residues have been identified, which depend on acyl-coenzyme A thioesters (acyl-CoAs) as acyl donors. Acyl-CoAs are intermediates of multiple distinct metabolic pathways, and substantial evidence has emerged that histone acylation is metabolically sensitive. Nevertheless, the metabolic sources of acyl-CoAs used for chromatin modification in most cases remain poorly understood. Elucidating how these diverse chemical modifications are coupled to and regulated by cellular metabolism is important in deciphering their functional significance.
SCOPE OF REVIEW
In this article, we review the metabolic pathways that produce acyl-CoAs, as well as emerging evidence for functional roles of diverse acyl-CoAs in chromatin regulation. Because acetyl-CoA has been extensively reviewed elsewhere, we will focus on four other acyl-CoA metabolites integral to major metabolic pathways that are also known to modify histones: succinyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, crotonoyl-CoA, and butyryl-CoA. We also briefly mention several other acyl-CoA species, which present opportunities for further research; malonyl-CoA, glutaryl-CoA, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA, and lactyl-CoA. Each acyl-CoA species has distinct roles in metabolism, indicating the potential to report shifts in the metabolic status of the cell. For each metabolite, we consider the metabolic pathways in which it participates and the nutrient sources from which it is derived, the compartmentalisation of its metabolism, and the factors reported to influence its abundance and potential nuclear availability. We also highlight reported biological functions of these metabolically-linked acylation marks. Finally, we aim to illuminate key questions in acyl-CoA metabolism as they relate to the control of chromatin modification.
MAJOR CONCLUSIONS
A majority of acyl-CoA species are annotated to mitochondrial metabolic processes. Since acyl-CoAs are not known to be directly transported across mitochondrial membranes, they must be synthesized outside of mitochondria and potentially within the nucleus to participate in chromatin regulation. Thus, subcellular metabolic compartmentalisation likely plays a key role in the regulation of histone acylation. Metabolite tracing in combination with targeting of relevant enzymes and transporters will help to map the metabolic pathways that connect acyl-CoA metabolism to chromatin modification. The specific function of each acyl-CoA may be determined in part by biochemical properties that affect its propensity for enzymatic versus non-enzymatic protein modification, as well as the various enzymes that can add, remove and bind each modification. Further, competitive and inhibitory effects of different acyl-CoA species on these enzymes make determining the relative abundance of acyl-CoA species in specific contexts important to understand the regulation of chromatin acylation. An improved and more nuanced understanding of metabolic regulation of chromatin and its roles in physiological and disease-related processes will emerge as these questions are answered.
Topics: Acetyl Coenzyme A; Acetylation; Acyl Coenzyme A; Animals; Chromatin; Gene Expression; Histones; Humans; Lysine
PubMed: 32199817
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2020.01.005 -
Nature Cell Biology Aug 2022Nucleotide metabolism supports RNA synthesis and DNA replication to enable cell growth and division. Nucleotide depletion can inhibit cell growth and proliferation, but...
Nucleotide metabolism supports RNA synthesis and DNA replication to enable cell growth and division. Nucleotide depletion can inhibit cell growth and proliferation, but how cells sense and respond to changes in the relative levels of individual nucleotides is unclear. Moreover, the nucleotide requirement for biomass production changes over the course of the cell cycle, and how cells coordinate differential nucleotide demands with cell cycle progression is not well understood. Here we find that excess levels of individual nucleotides can inhibit proliferation by disrupting the relative levels of nucleotide bases needed for DNA replication and impeding DNA replication. The resulting purine and pyrimidine imbalances are not sensed by canonical growth regulatory pathways like mTORC1, Akt and AMPK signalling cascades, causing excessive cell growth despite inhibited proliferation. Instead, cells rely on replication stress signalling to survive during, and recover from, nucleotide imbalance during S phase. We find that ATR-dependent replication stress signalling is activated during unperturbed S phases and promotes nucleotide availability to support DNA replication. Together, these data reveal that imbalanced nucleotide levels are not detected until S phase, rendering cells reliant on replication stress signalling to cope with this metabolic problem and disrupting the coordination of cell growth and division.
Topics: Cell Cycle; Cell Division; DNA Replication; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1; Nucleotides; S Phase
PubMed: 35927450
DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00965-1 -
Nature Cell Biology Dec 2023The intricate orchestration of enzymatic activities involving nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and preserving...
The intricate orchestration of enzymatic activities involving nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and preserving genomic integrity. As a co-enzyme, NAD plays a key role in regulating metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis and Kreb's cycle. ADP-ribosyltransferases (PARPs) and sirtuins rely on NAD to mediate post-translational modifications of target proteins. The activation of PARP1 in response to DNA breaks leads to rapid depletion of cellular NAD compromising cell viability. Therefore, the levels of NAD must be tightly regulated. Here we show that exogenous NAD, but not its precursors, has a direct effect on mitochondrial activity. Short-term incubation with NAD boosts Kreb's cycle and the electron transport chain and enhances pyrimidine biosynthesis. Extended incubation with NAD results in depletion of pyrimidines, accumulation of purines, activation of the replication stress response and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, a combination of NAD and 5-fluorouridine selectively kills cancer cells that rely on de novo pyrimidine synthesis. We propose an integrated model of how NAD regulates nucleotide metabolism, with relevance to healthspan, ageing and cancer therapy.
Topics: NAD; Glycolysis; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Genomics; DNA Replication
PubMed: 37957325
DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01280-z -
Aging Cell Jan 2024The geroscience hypothesis proposes that addressing the biology of aging could directly prevent the onset or mitigate the severity of multiple chronic diseases.... (Review)
Review
The geroscience hypothesis proposes that addressing the biology of aging could directly prevent the onset or mitigate the severity of multiple chronic diseases. Understanding the interplay between key aspects of the biological hallmarks of aging is essential in delivering the promises of the geroscience hypothesis. Notably, the nucleotide nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) interfaces with several biological hallmarks of aging, including cellular senescence, and changes in NAD metabolism have been shown to be involved in the aging process. The relationship between NAD metabolism and cellular senescence appears to be complex. On the one hand, the accumulation of DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by low NAD can promote the development of senescence. On the other hand, the low NAD state that occurs during aging may inhibit SASP development as this secretory phenotype and the development of cellular senescence are both highly metabolically demanding. However, to date, the impact of NAD metabolism on the progression of the cellular senescence phenotype has not been fully characterized. Therefore, to explore the implications of NAD metabolism and NAD replacement therapies, it is essential to consider their interactions with other hallmarks of aging, including cellular senescence. We propose that a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between NAD boosting strategies and senolytic agents is necessary to advance the field.
Topics: NAD; Nucleotides; Cellular Senescence
PubMed: 37424179
DOI: 10.1111/acel.13920 -
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in... Jul 2021
Review
Topics: Animals; Humans; Nucleosides; Purine Nucleotides; Pyrimidine Nucleotides; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 34210662
DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a040592