High Levels Of Glycolysis Research Articles

Krebs cycle derivatives, dimethyl fumarate and itaconate, control metabolic reprogramming in inflammatory human microglia cell line

Metabolic reprogramming drives inflammatory activity in macrophages, including microglia, with Krebs cycle (KC) intermediates playing a crucial role as signaling molecules. Here, we show that the bioenergetic profile of LPS-activated human microglialclone 3 cell line (HMC3) is characterized by high levels of glycolysis and mitochondrial (mt) respiration, and the treatment with KC derivatives, namely dimethyl-fumarate (DMF) and itaconate (ITA), almost restores normal metabolism. However, despite comparable bioenergetic and anti-inflammatory effects, the mt hyper-activity was differentially modulated by DMF and ITA. DMF normalized complex I activity, while ITA dampened both complex I and II hyper-activity counteracting oxidative stress more efficiently.

Hypermetabolic state is associated with circadian rhythm disruption in mouse and human cancer cells

Crosstalk between metabolism and circadian rhythms is a fundamental building block of multicellular life, and disruption of this reciprocal communication could be relevant to disease. Here, we investigated whether maintenance of circadian rhythms depends on specific metabolic pathways, particularly in the context of cancer. We found that in adult mouse fibroblasts, ATP levels were a major contributor to signal from a clock gene luciferase reporter, although not necessarily to the strength of circadian cycling. In contrast, we identified significant metabolic control of circadian function across a series of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Metabolic profiling of congenic tumor cell clones revealed substantial diversity among these lines that we used to identify clones to generate circadian reporter lines. We observed diverse circadian profiles among these lines that varied with their metabolic phenotype: The most hypometabolic line [exhibiting low levels of oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) and glycolysis] had the strongest rhythms, while the most hypermetabolic line had the weakest rhythms. Pharmacological enhancement of OxPhos decreased the amplitude of circadian oscillation in a subset of tumor cell lines. Strikingly, inhibition of OxPhos enhanced circadian rhythms only in the tumor cell line in which glycolysis was also low, thereby establishing a hypometabolic state. We further analyzed metabolic and circadian phenotypes across a panel of human patient-derived melanoma cell lines and observed a significant negative association between metabolic activity and circadian cycling strength. Together, these findings suggest that metabolic heterogeneity in cancer directly contributes to circadian function and that high levels of glycolysis or OxPhos independently disrupt circadian rhythms in these cells.

MYG1 drives glycolysis and colorectal cancer development through nuclear-mitochondrial collaboration

Metabolic remodeling is a strategy for tumor survival under stress. However, the molecular mechanisms during the metabolic remodeling of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. Melanocyte proliferating gene 1 (MYG1) is a 3′−5′ RNA exonuclease and plays a key role in mitochondrial functions. Here, we uncover that MYG1 expression is upregulated in CRC progression and highly expressed MYG1 promotes glycolysis and CRC progression independent of its exonuclease activity. Mechanistically, nuclear MYG1 recruits HSP90/GSK3β complex to promote PKM2 phosphorylation, increasing its stability. PKM2 transcriptionally activates MYC and promotes MYC-medicated glycolysis. Conversely, c-Myc also transcriptionally upregulates MYG1, driving the progression of CRC. Meanwhile, mitochondrial MYG1 on the one hand inhibits oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and on the other hand blocks the release of Cyt c from mitochondria and inhibits cell apoptosis. Clinically, patients with KRAS mutation show high expression of MYG1, indicating a high level of glycolysis and a poor prognosis. Targeting MYG1 may disturb metabolic balance of CRC and serve as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Monocyte bioenergetics: An immunometabolic perspective in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis

Monocytes (Mos) are crucial in the evolution of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and immunometabolism studies have recently suggested targeting leukocyte bioenergetics in inflammatory diseases. Here, we reveal a peculiar bioenergetic phenotype in circulating Mos of patients with MASH, characterized by high levels of glycolysis and mitochondrial (mt) respiration. The enhancement of mt respiratory chain activity, especially complex II (succinate dehydrogenase [SDH]), is unbalanced toward the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and is sustained at the transcriptional level with the involvement of the AMPK-mTOR-PGC-1α axis. The modulation of mt activity with dimethyl malonate (DMM), an SDH inhibitor, restores the metabolic profile and almost abrogates cytokine production. Analysis of a public single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset confirms that in murine models of MASH, liver Mo-derived macrophages exhibit an upregulation of mt and glycolytic energy pathways. Accordingly, the DMM injection in MASH mice contrasts Mo infiltration and macrophagic enrichment, suggesting immunometabolism as a potential target in MASH.

Molecular Beacon Imaging System to Discriminate the Differentiation State of Cells from Energy Metabolic Pathways.

Metabolic pathways of energy production play an essential role as a function of cells. It is well recognized that the differentiation state of stem cells is highly associated with their metabolic profile. Therefore, visualization of the energy metabolic pathway makes it possible to discriminate the differentiation state of cells and predict the cell potential for reprogramming and differentiation. However, at present, it is technically difficult to directly assess the metabolic profile of individual living cells. In this study, we developed an imaging system of cationized gelatin nanospheres (cGNS) incorporating molecular beacons (MB) (cGNSMB) to detect intracellular pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) mRNA of key regulators in the energy metabolism. The prepared cGNSMB was readily internalized into mouse embryonic stem cells, while their pluripotency was maintained. The high level of glycolysis in the undifferentiated state, the increased oxidative phosphorylation over the spontaneous early differentiation, and the lineage-specific neural differentiation were visualized based on the MB fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity corresponded well to the change of extracellular acidification rate and the oxygen consumption rate of representative metabolic indicators. These findings indicate that the cGNSMB imaging system is a promising tool to visually discriminate the differentiation state of cells from energy metabolic pathways.

Differential Effects of Hypoxia versus Hyperoxia or Physoxia on Phenotype and Energy Metabolism in Human Chondrocytes from Osteoarthritic Compared to Macroscopically Normal Cartilage.

Chondrocyte phenotype and energy metabolism are altered in osteoarthritis (OA). However, most studies characterising the change in human chondrocyte behaviour in OA have been conducted in supraphysiological oxygen concentrations. The purpose of this study was to compare phenotype and energy metabolism in chondrocytes from macroscopically normal (MN) and OA cartilage maintained in 18.9% (standard tissue culture), 6% (equivalent to superficial zone of cartilage in vivo) or 1% oxygen (equivalent to deep zone of cartilage in vivo). MMP13 production was higher in chondrocytes from OA compared to MN cartilage in hyperoxia and physoxia but not hypoxia. Hypoxia promoted SOX9, COL2A1 and ACAN protein expression in chondrocytes from MN but not OA cartilage. OA chondrocytes used higher levels of glycolysis regardless of oxygen availability. These results show that differences in phenotype and energy metabolism between chondrocytes from OA and MN cartilage differ depending on oxygen availability. OA chondrocytes show elevated synthesis of cartilage-catabolising enzymes and chondrocytes from MN cartilage show reduced cartilage anabolism in oxygenated conditions. This is relevant as a recent study has shown that oxygen levels are elevated in OA cartilage in vivo. Our findings may indicate that this elevated cartilage oxygenation may promote cartilage loss in OA.

Abstract 422: Cell intrinsic determinants of response to mTOR based therapy

Abstract Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death with estimated 135,000 deaths in 2021. Recent developments in the immunotherapy field have expanded treatment options available to lung cancer patients, with most patients now receiving checkpoint inhibitors as part of the first line therapy. However, while durable responses have been achieved in 20-30% of patients, the majority of patients inevitably progress on immunotherapy, chemo-immunotherapy or targeted therapy regiments. With five year survival at ~10% there is an urgent need for novel strategies for the treatment of lung cancer. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is an aggressive subtype of non-small cell lung cancer characterized by poor prognosis. LUSC are highly metabolically active, with uptake of high levels of glucose and glutamine supporting their growth and proliferation. In addition to fueling tumor cell growth, high levels of glycolysis and glutaminolysis help create unfavorable tumor microenvironment, contributing to the poor response to immunotherapy. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that LUSC have a high mutational burden but few mutations in oncogenes that can be targeted with selective inhibitors. This lack of clear genetic drivers in LUSC has resulted in a lack of targeted therapies for these patients. We have demonstrated that catalytic mTOR kinase inhibitor TAK228 inhibits glycolysis in LUSC cell lines, in xenografts, in patient derived xenografts and genetically engineered mouse models. However, despite inhibiting active mTOR pathway and lowering glucose uptake, LUSC tumors were able to maintain high levels of proliferation. Our work showed that tumors were able to adapt to prolonged treatment with TAK228 by relying on glutaminolysis. Inhibiting both mTOR and GLS, a key enzyme in glutaminolysis, resulted in reduced proliferation index and lower tumor volume. However, while combination therapy halted tumor growth, there was a lack of tumor regression. Therefore, tumors are poised to further adapt to combination therapy. Here we show that upregulation of lysosomal function supports adaptation to TAK228 therapy in LUSC by supporting macropinocytosis, a form of endocytosis that allows cancer cells to uptake extracellular fluids and further process solutes and macromolecules in lysosomes, leading to the release of amino acids inside the cytoplasm. This suggests that macropinocytosis might be a mechanism that is utilized by LUSC in order to escape mTORi therapy, where upon treatment with mTOR inhibitors, lysosomal catabolism of macropinocytosed proteins increases, allowing tumor cells to increase their proliferation.Resistance to targeted therapies is a major hurdle to achieving effective therapies in multiple cancer types. Identifying ways to overcome resistance to targeted therapies would allow for longer and more efficient therapeutic response for larger number of patients, ultimately leading to longer survival and better quality of life. Citation Format: Milica Momcilovic, David Shackelford. Cell intrinsic determinants of response to mTOR based therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 422.

Targeting hexokinase 1 alleviates NLRP3-mediated inflammation in apical periodontitis: A laboratory investigation.

The aim of the study was to explore whether hexokinase 1 (HK1) is involved in the inhibition of inflammation mediated by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) signalling pathway in the development of apical periodontitis (AP). Human AP tissues and normal control tissues were collected in the clinic. First, the levels of glucose, pyruvate, lactate and hexokinase activity were examined in human AP tissues. ECAR and OCR were further measured to detect the level of glycolysis in vitro model of inflammation, which established with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cell line. Secondly, the expression of HK1, NLRP3, caspase-1 and interleukin (IL)-1β were measured by Western blot, immunohistochemistry or RT-qPCR. Finally, lentiviral short hairpin RNA (shRNA) silencing technique or the inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) were used to further detect the relationship between HK1-mediated glycolysis and NLRP3-mediated inflammation in the development of AP in vitro. Initially, the level of glycolysis was significantly increased in human AP tissues. Subsequently, the expression of HK1, NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β were upregulated significantly in human AP tissues. Furthermore, in the model of AP in vitro, a high level of glycolysis and the high expression of HK1, NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β was observed. Finally, the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β mediated by LPS stimulation was significantly reduced via HK1 knockdown or 2-DG treatment in vitro. Our data support that HK1-mediated glycolysis plays a crucial role in the development of AP via upregulating the NLRP3 signalling pathway. Moreover, targeting HK1 may contribute to prevent the progression of AP, which has a potential clinical translation.

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Promotes Mesenchymal Stem Cell Migration by Regulating Glycolysis-Dependent β-Catenin Signaling.

Migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the site of injury is crucial in transplantation therapy. Studies have shown that cell migration is regulated by the cellular microenvironment and accompanied by changes in cellular metabolism. However, limited information is available about the relationship between MSC migration and cellular metabolism. Here, we show that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) promotes the migration of MSCs with high levels of glycolysis and high expression of hexokinase 2 (HK2), a rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis. The enhancement of glycolysis via the activation of HK2 expression promoted the migration of MSCs, whereas the inhibition of glycolysis, but not of oxidative phosphorylation, inhibited the bFGF-induced migration of these cells. Furthermore, bFGF enhanced glycolysis by increasing HK2 expression, which consequently promoted β-catenin accumulation, and the inhibition of glycolysis inhibited the bFGF-induced accumulation of β-catenin. When the accumulation of glycolytic intermediates was altered, phosphoenolpyruvate was found to be directly involved in the regulation of β-catenin expression and activation, suggesting that bFGF regulates β-catenin signaling through glycolytic intermediates. Moreover, transplantation with HK2-overexpressing MSCs significantly improved the effect of cell therapy on skull injury in rats. In conclusion, we propose a novel glycolysis-dependent β-catenin signaling regulatory mechanism and provide an experimental and theoretical basis for the clinical application of MSCs.

Loss of the Nuclear Receptor Pparγ Primes T Effector (TEFF) Differentiation of Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cells

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors that belong to the nuclear hormone superfamily, with three distinct types identified: PPARalpha (PPARα), PPARgamma (PPARγ), and PPARbeta/delta (PPARβ/δ). PPARs possess a critical role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, and thus dictate the differentiation and fate of immune cells. PPARγ is a lipid-activated transcription factor mainly known to mediate anti-inflammatory effects on both innate and adaptive immune system. Synthetic ligands for activating PPARγ ameliorate disease outcomes in various models of inflammation and autoimmunity. The role of PPARγ in the immune system has been mainly studied in macrophages, where it is known to mediate M2 polarization. In the present study we investigated how PPARγ affects the differentiation and function of antigen-specific effector (TEFF) and memory (TM) CD8+ T cells using OTI TCR transgenic mice and OTI mice with T cell-specific PPARγ deletion (OTI/PPARγf/f-CD4-cre; thereafter named OTI/PPARγ-KO). Antigen-specific TEFF were generated in vitro by stimulation of OTI and OTI/PPARγ-KO T cells with Ova257-264 followed by culture with IL-2, whereas TM were generated by stimulation with Ova257-264 followed by culture with IL-15. Under both TEFF and TM conditions in vitro, antigen-specific stimulation of OTI/PPARγ-KO cells resulted in significantly greater proliferation and expansion relative to OTI control. Additionally, OTI/PPARγ-KO TM cells cultured with IL-15 co-expressed significantly higher CD44+/CD62L+ fractions indicating a greater expansion of central memory cells. Consistent with these, metabolomics analysis showed that under both culture conditions, PPARγ-deficient OTI cells had increased levels of glycolysis intermediates but also TCA metabolites consistent with a program of metabolically active cells with high levels of glycolysis and OXPHOS. RNA-sequencing studies showed that upon TEFF differentiation in vitro, OTI/PPARγ-KO T cells displayed a differential gene expression program compared to OTI controls. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that PPARγ-deficient OTI cells were significantly enriched for genes related to T cell activation and proliferation, integrin activation, cytokine production, ribosomal function and biogenesis, RNA processing and protein translation. During antigen-specific stimulation in vivo performed after adoptive transfer of OTI/PPARγ-KO and OTI cells into syngeneic recipients followed by immunization with Ova-expressing Listeria monocytogenes (Lm-OVA), PPARγ deletion resulted in a rapid and enhanced TEFF cell activation and expansion as determined by the higher mitotic index, higher enrichment of Dextramer-positive antigen-specific T cells, and the higher expression of activation markers including KLRG1, CD44 and CD69, but also CTLA-4, PD-1, Lag-3 and Tim-3. These cells also developed higher numbers of TNF-α and IFN-γ-producing T cells, as well as ROR-γt expressing T cells consistent with Tc17 differentiation. In vivo stimulated antigen-specific PPARγ-deficient and control OTI T cells showed no numerical differences in TM differentiation or expansion. However, upon rechallenge in vitro, PPARγ-deficient TM cells exhibited improved capacity for TEFF differentiation with higher release of inflammatory cytokines and expression of CD69, PD-1 and CTLA-4. Our findings uncover a new role of PPARγ ablation in programming CD8+ T responses by regulating metabolism-mediated cues, which imprint T cell differentiation and long-term effector capacity.

Pimozide inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells by alleviating the Warburg effect through the P53 signaling pathway.

The Warburg effect is a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, referring to the ability of cancer cells to generate energy through high levels of glycolysis even in the presence of oxygen, allowing them to grow and proliferate rapidly. The antipsychotic Pimozide has strong anti-breast cancer effects both in vivo and in vitro, whether Pimozide has an inhibitory effect on aerobic glycolysis has not been elucidated. In this study, Pimozide inhibited the Warburg effect of breast cancer cells by hindering glucose uptake, ATP level and lactate production; reducing the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR); suppressing the expression of PKM2, a rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis. Intriguingly, Pimozide was significantly involved in reprogramming glucose metabolism in breast cancer cells through a p53-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies demonstrated Pimozide increased the expression of p53 through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/MDM2 signaling pathway, which in turn downregulated the expression of PKM2. In sum, our results suggest that Pimozide mediates the p53 signaling pathway through PI3K/AKT/MDM2 to inhibit the Warburg effect and breast cancer growth, and it may be a potential aerobic glycolysis inhibitor for the treatment of breast cancer.

Interactive effects of water salinity and dietary methionine levels on growth performance, whole-body composition, plasma parameters, and expression of major nutrient metabolism genes in juvenile genetically improved farmed Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Salinity is an important factor in the water environment, and salinity can cause changes in fish metabolism, which may be further reflected by changes in feed nutrient requirements. Methionine is one of the key components of feed nutrition. However, the methionine nutritional requirements and metabolism of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus) at different salinities are still unknown. The GIFT is a euryhaline fish, and a 60-day experimental trial was conducted to examine the interactive effects of salinity and dietary methionine levels (DMLs) on the growth performance and physiological responses of GIFT. A 6 × 2 factorial design was used to formulate six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets with six DMLs (0.38%, 0.53%, 0.76%, 0.92%, 1.12%, 1.30%) and two salinity levels (freshwater, 0 ppt; brackish water, 8 ppt). The results showed that DML significantly affected the growth performance and feed utilization of GIFT (4.25 ± 0.01 g), and the optimum growth performance and feed utilization efficiency were observed in freshwater and brackish water group at 0.76% and 0.92% DMLs, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in growth performance and feed utilization between the freshwater and brackish water cultures. In addition, there was a significant interaction between salinity and DMLs. Based on the SGR and FCR, the quadratic regression analysis showed that the optimal methionine requirements of juvenile GIFT were 0.75%, 0.77% (freshwater) and 0.79%, 0.82% (brackish water), respectively. In brackish water culture, GIFT showed higher levels of protein and lipid anabolism metabolism-related genes, while in freshwater culture, it showed higher mRNA levels of glucose metabolism and fatty β-oxidation genes. At both salinities, the appropriate level of methionine promoted protein synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway of GIFT. Interestingly, in brackish water culture, high levels of glycolysis-, glycogen synthesis- and lipid synthesis metabolism-related genes were observed under excessive DML, while in freshwater culture, similar phenomena were observed when DML was relatively deficient. In conclusion, protein metabolism may be closely related to the adaptation of GIFT to salinity and the methionine requirement of juvenile GIFT cultured in brackish water (0.79–0.82%) was higher than that cultured in freshwater (0.75–0.77%), which may provide a theoretical foundation for the exploitation of formulated feed for GIFT cultured in brackish water.

Increased glycolysis in skeletal muscle coordinates with adipose tissue in systemic metabolic homeostasis.

Insulin‐independent glucose metabolism, including anaerobic glycolysis that is promoted in resistance training, plays critical roles in glucose disposal and systemic metabolic regulation. However, the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. In this study, through genetically manipulating the glycolytic process by overexpressing human glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), hexokinase 2 (HK2) and 6‐phosphofructo‐2‐kinase‐fructose‐2,6‐biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) in mouse skeletal muscle, we examined the impact of enhanced glycolysis in metabolic homeostasis. Enhanced glycolysis in skeletal muscle promoted accelerated glucose disposal, a lean phenotype and a high metabolic rate in mice despite attenuated lipid metabolism in muscle, even under High‐Fat diet (HFD). Further study revealed that the glucose metabolite sensor carbohydrate‐response element‐binding protein (ChREBP) was activated in the highly glycolytic muscle and stimulated the elevation of plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), possibly mediating enhanced lipid oxidation in adipose tissue and contributing to a systemic effect. PFKFB3 was critically involved in promoting the glucose‐sensing mechanism in myocytes. Thus, a high level of glycolysis in skeletal muscle may be intrinsically coupled to distal lipid metabolism through intracellular glucose sensing. This study provides novel insights for the benefit of resistance training and for manipulating insulin‐independent glucose metabolism.

PET-CT Invisible Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Features a Silent B-Cell Receptor Signaling

Background:18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET-CT) has been widely used in lymphoma patients for diagnosis, staging, assessment of response and surveillance. And the standardized uptake value (SUV), a commonly used indicator in PET-CT scan, can quantitatively reflect the glucose uptake and glycolysis of the tumor. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), one of the most common subtypes of aggressive lymphomas, is supposed to exhibit high standardized uptake value (SUV) in 18F-FDG PET-CT due to high rate of glucose (18F-FDG) uptake and high level of glycolysis. Nevertheless, PET-CT “invisible” DLBCL cases have also been described, which featuring a relatively low 18F-FDG uptake denoted by low SUV. Herein, we analyzed this subgroup of under-estimated disease.Methods: Nineteen cases each with PET-CT “invisible” (PET-CTi) and PET-CT “visible” (PET-CTv) de novo DLBCL were submitted for an immunohistochemical detection for the expression level of B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling-related molecules. Nine xenografts derived from BCR-dependent and BCR-independent DLBCL cell lines were further submitted for a small animal 18F-FDG PET-CT scanning and the following immunohistochemical detection for BCR signaling-related molecules.Results: The immunohistochemical expression level of pSYK (pY525/526), a key effector molecule for BCR signaling, was significantly lower in PET-CTi DLBCL tumor tissues compared with that in PET-CTv DLBCL cases (P <0.01). With regard to in vivo PET-CT experiment, the xenografts derived from BCR-independent DLBCL cell lines exhibited remarkable lower SUV level than those derived from BCR-dependent cell lines (P < 0.01). And BCR-independent DLBCL xenografts featured relatively lower expression level of pSYK compared with those BCR-dependent ones (P <0.01).Conclusions:18F-FDG PET-CT negative DLBCL features a silent BCR signaling and 18F-FDG PET-CT may be of use in evaluating BCR signaling status. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Comprehensive Profiling Reveals Distinct Microenvironment and Metabolism Characterization of Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma has entered into an era of immunotherapy with the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The identification of immune subtype is crucial to prolonging survival in patients. The tumor microenvironment (TME) and metabolism have a profound impact on prognosis and therapy. The majority of previous studies focused on only one aspect, while both of them are essential to the understanding of tumorigenesis and development. We hypothesized that lung adenocarcinoma can be stratified into immune subgroups with alterations in the TME infiltration. We aimed to explore the “TME-Metabolism-Risk” patterns in each subtypes and the mechanism behind. Glycolysis and cholesterol were selected for the analysis of metabolic states based on the first half of the study. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to investigate the transcriptomic and clinical data integrated by three lung adenocarcinoma cohorts (GSE30219, GSE31210, GSE37745, N = 415). The results were validated in an independent cohort (GSE50081, N = 127). In total, 415 lung adenocarcinoma samples were integrated and analyzed. Four major immune subtypes were indentified using bioinformatic analysis. Subtype NC1, characterized by a high level of glycolysis, with extremely low microenvironment cell infiltration. Subtype NC2, characterized by the “Silence” and “Cholesterol biosynthesis Predominant” metabolic states, with a middle degree infiltration of microenvironment cell. Subtype NC3, characterized by the lack of “Cholesterol biosynthesis Predominant” metabolic state, with abundant microenvironment cell infiltration. Subtype NC4, characterized by “Mixed” metabolic state, with a relatively low microenvironment cell infiltration. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate analyses were performed to calculate the risk of each sample, and we attempted to find out the potential immune escape mechanism in different subtypes. The result revealed that the lack of immune cells infiltration might contribute to the immune escape in subtypes NC1 and NC4. NC3 was characterized by the high expression of immune checkpoint molecules and fibroblasts. NC2 had defects in activation of innate immune cells. There existed an obviously survival advantage in subtype NC2. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Gene Ontology analysis indicated that the PI3K-AKT-mTOR, TGF-β, MYC-related pathways might be correlated with this phenomenon. In addition, some differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were indentified in subtype NC3, which might be potential targets for survival phenotype transformation.

Hyperglycemia-Induced Metabolic Reprogramming Mediates a Proatherogenic Phenotype in Healthy Human Monocytes

Introduction: Poor glycemic control is considered an important contributor to cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes. Episodic hyperglycemia as a surrogate for glycemic variability promotes monocyte adhesion and increases the prevalence of proinflammatory monocytes within atherosclerotic plaques of patients with diabetes. We previously found that acute hyperglycemia-induced a pro-inflammatory phenotype and promoted the development of foamy monocytes by increasing total cholesterol deposition, cholesterol ester, and free cholesterol content by enhancing oxidized LDL uptake. However, the mechanism by which acute hyperglycemia induces monocyte cholesterol deposition and inflammation remains unknown. Methods: Monocytes isolated from healthy individuals (age range 20–40; n=5) were cultured in low (5mM) or high (16.7mM) glucose conditions with or without a glycolysis inhibitor (2-deoxyglucose, 2DG, 5 mM) or an endoplasmic reticulum stress inhibitor (4-phenylbutyric acid, PBA; 20mM) for 6 hrs. After treatment, cytokine release, oxidized LDL uptake, and metabolic assays using Seahorse Technology were performed. Results: Healthy human monocytes exposed under high glucose conditions showed a pro-atherosclerotic phenotype with higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNFα(median of differences 6.34 pg/ml, p=0.002) and IL1β(12.04 pg/ml, p=0.003), and increased oxidized LDL uptake (5062ug Dil-Ox LDL/mg, p=0.001). Furthermore, hyperglycemia resulted in higher levels of glycolysis (basal glycolysis 12.94 pmol/min, p=0.01; basal proton efflux rate 15.5 pmol/min, p=0.03) and mitochondrial respiration (percentage of respiratory capacity 16pmol/min p=0.04), suggesting a significant alteration in the metabolic programming of these monocytes. Treatment with 2-DG or PBA attenuated the pro-atherosclerotic phenotype induced by hyperglycemia, promoting a reduction of cytokine release, a reduction of oxidized LDL uptake, and near normalization of the glycolic rate and mitochondrial respiration, stabilizing cellular bioenergetics. Conclusions: Altogether, our results suggest that monocyte ER stress in response to acute hyperglycemia promotes a hypermetabolic state characterized by a proinflammatory and proatherogenic monocyte phenotype. Therefore, acute hyperglycemia is a potential mechanism promoting atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Energy substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle and liver when consuming diets of different energy levels: comparison between Tibetan and Small-tailed Han sheep

The energy intake of Tibetan sheep on the harsh Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) varies greatly with seasonal forage fluctuations and is often below maintenance requirements, especially during the long, cold winter. The liver plays a crucial role in gluconeogenesis and skeletal muscle is the primary tissue of energy expenditure in mammals. Both play important roles in energy substrate metabolism and regulating energy metabolism homeostasis of the body. This study aimed to gain insight into how skeletal muscle and liver of Tibetan sheep regulate energy substrate metabolism to cope with low energy intake under the harsh environment of the QTP. Tibetan sheep (n = 24; 48.5 ± 1.89 kg BW) were compared with Small-tailed Han sheep (n = 24; 49.2 ± 2.21 kg BW), which were allocated randomly into one of four groups that differed in dietary digestible energy densities: 8.21, 9.33, 10.45 and 11.57 MJ /kg DM. The sheep were slaughtered after a 49-d feeding period, skeletal muscle and liver tissues were collected and measurements were made of the activities of the key enzymes of energy substrate metabolism and the expressions of genes related to energy homeostasis regulation. Compared with Small-tailed Han sheep, Tibetan sheep exhibited higher capacities of propionate to glucose conversion and fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis in the liver, higher glucose utilization efficiency in both skeletal muscle and liver, but lower activities of fatty acid oxidation and protein mobilization in skeletal muscle, especially when in negative energy balance. However, the Small-tailed Han sheep exhibited higher capacities to convert amino acids and lactate to glucose and higher levels of glycolysis and lipogenesis in the liver than Tibetan sheep. These differences in gluconeogenesis and energy substrate metabolism conferred the Tibetan sheep an advantage over Small-tailed Han sheep to cope with low energy intake and regulate whole-body energy homeostasis under the harsh environment of the QTP.

Glycolysis-Related Genes Serve as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Metabolic rearrangement is a marker of cancer that has been widely studied in recent years. One of the major metabolic characteristics of tumor cells is the high levels of glycolysis, even under aerobic conditions, a phenomenon that is called the “Warburg effect.” We investigated the expression and copy number variation (CNV) frequency of all glycolysis-related genes in multiple cancer types and found many differentially expressed genes, particularly in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) showed that the overall average mutation frequency for all genes was low. The purpose of this study was to establish a predictive model by studying glycolysis-related genes in ccRCC. We compared the expression of glycolysis-related genes in 539 ccRCC tissues and 72 normal renal tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and identified 17 upregulated and 26 downregulated genes. Pathway analysis revealed that PSAT1 and SDHB could activate the cell cycle, RPIA could activate the DNA damage response, and HK3 could activate apoptosis and EMT signaling, while PDK2 could inhibit apoptosis. The results of the drug sensitivity analysis suggested that some of these differentially expressed genes were positively correlated with drug sensitivity. Thirteen genes were selected from the gene coexpression network and the LASSO regression analysis. The Kaplan-Meier overall survival curves showed that the expression of upregulated genes in ccRCC patients was associated with lower overall survival. We established a predictive model consisting of 13 genes (RPIA, G6PD, PSAT1, ENO2, HK3, IDH1, PDK4, PGM2, PGK1, FBP1, OGDH, SUCLA2, and SUCLG2). This predictive model correlated well with the development and progression of ccRCC. Thus, it is of great value in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of ccRCC and may aid the identification of potential prognostic biomarkers and drug targets.

Abstract 13575: Lack of Both Mitochondrial Proteins Sirt3 and Ucp2 in Mice Recapitulates Many Critical Features of Human Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), Including Inflammatory Plexogenic Lesions, Supporting the Metabolic Theory of PAH

Loss-of function SNPs for Sirt3 (a mitochondrial deacetylase) and Ucp2 (an atypical uncoupling protein enabling mitochondrial calcium entry) have been associated with insulin resistance and obesity in humans; and patients with PAH have insulin resistance without being obese. In a cohort of PAH patients (n=60) we found these SNPs often both in the same patient in a homozygous or heterozygous manner and their presence correlated positively with the degree of PAH upon referral, the presence of type II diabetes and outcomes (death, transplantation). We generated and studied double KO mice for Sirt3 and Ucp2 using closed-chest right heart catheterization and echocardiography and found increasing severity of pulmonary hypertension (PHT) in Sirt3 +/- -Ucp2 +/ - , Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 +/ - , Sirt3 +/- -Ucp2 -/- and Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 -/- , associated with decreasing cardiac output and increasing right ventricular hypertrophy, dilatation and dysfunction (TAPSE), compared to wild-type (WT) mice. The LVEDP in all mice was normal. There was increasing severity of vascular remodeling with increasing levels of CD4 + cell infiltration, while Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 +/- , Sirt3 +/- -Ucp2 -/- and Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 -/- mice also developed frequent plexogenic lesions. In vivo and in vitro pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) expressed higher levels of Ki67, compared to WT mice. In vitro, the Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 +/- , Sirt3 +/- -Ucp2 -/- and Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 -/- PASMC exhibited more apoptosis-resistance, expressed higher nuclear levels of proliferative transcription factors (HIF1, NFATc2), exhibited decreased respiration and higher levels of glycolysis, similarly to previous reports of animal and human PAH PASMC. The Sirt3 -/- -Ucp2 -/- , but not the WT mice, also developed in vivo evidence of insulin resistance. Our work supports the metabolic theory of PAH and shows that these mice exhibit spontaneous severe PHT (without environmental or chemical triggers) in a gene dose-response dependent manner that mimics human PAH. No other mouse model of PHT has shown frequent and predictable plexogenic lesions. Our study is relevant to the PAH patients that carry loss-of-function SNPs of mitochondrial proteins and offers a new mouse model of PAH, with more features of human PAH than previous mice models.

Sirtuin 3 governs autophagy-dependent glycolysis during Angiotensin II-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

The impairment of autophagy can cause cellular metabolic perturbations involved in endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT). However, the interplay between the cellular autophagy machinery and endothelial metabolism remains elusive. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), an NAD-dependent deacetylase, is a major cellular sensor of energy metabolism. The aim of this work was to determine the role of SIRT3-mediated autophagy in cellular metabolism and the process of EndoMT. We demonstrated that Angiotensin II (Ang II) led to defective autophagic flux and high levels of glycolysis in endothelial cells (ECs) accompanied by a loss of mitochondrial SIRT3 during EndoMT. The loss of SIRT3 further induced the hyperacetylation of endogenous autophagy-regulated gene 5 (ATG5), which in turn inhibited autophagosome maturation and increased pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) dimer expression. The M2 dimer is the less active form of PKM2, which drives glucose through aerobic glycolysis. Additionally, TEPP-46, a selective PKM2 tetramer activator, produced lower concentrations of lactate and led to the reduction of EndoMT both in vitro and in vivo. In parallel, the blockade of lactate influx from ECs into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) downregulated synthetic VSMC markers. EC-specific SIRT3 transgenic mice exhibited reduced endothelial cell transition but partial rescue of vascular fibrosis and collagen accumulation. Taken together, these findings reveal that SIRT3 regulates EndoMT by improving the autophagic degradation of PKM2. Pharmacological targeting of glycolysis metabolism may, therefore, represent an effective therapeutic strategy for hypertensive vascular remodeling.