UBTD1 is a mechano-regulator controlling cancer aggressiveness.

Ubiquitin domain-containing protein 1 (UBTD1) is highly evolutionary conserved and has been described to interact with E2 enzymes of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. However, its biological role and the functional significance of this interaction remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that depletion of UBTD1 drastically affects the mechanical properties of epithelial cancer cells via RhoA activation and strongly promotes their aggressiveness. On a stiff matrix, UBTD1 expression is regulated by cell-cell contacts, and the protein is associated with ß-catenin at cell junctions. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a major cell mechano-transducer, and we show that UBTD1 is associated with components of the YAP degradation complex. Interestingly, UBTD1 promotes the interaction of YAP with its E3 ubiquitin ligase ß-TrCP Consequently, in cancer cells, UBTD1 depletion decreases YAP ubiquitylation and triggers robust ROCK2-dependent YAP activation and downstream signaling. Data from lung and prostate cancer patients further corroborate the in cellulo results, confirming that low levels of UBTD1 are associated with poor patient survival, suggesting that biological functions of UBTD1 could be beneficial in limiting cancer progression.

PGC1α Inhibits Polyamine Synthesis to Suppress Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness.

Although tumorigenesis is dependent on the reprogramming of cellular metabolism, the metabolic pathways engaged in the formation of metastases remain largely unknown. The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α) plays a pleiotropic role in the control of cancer cell metabolism and has been associated with a good prognosis in prostate cancer. Here, we show that PGC1α represses the metastatic properties of prostate cancer cells via modulation of the polyamine biosynthesis pathway. Mechanistically, PGC1α inhibits the expression of c-MYC and ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1), the rate-limiting enzyme for polyamine synthesis. Analysis of in vivo metastases and clinical data from patients with prostate cancer support the proposition that the PGC1α/c-MYC/ODC1 axis regulates polyamine biosynthesis and prostate cancer aggressiveness. In conclusion, downregulation of PGC1α renders prostate cancer cells dependent on polyamine to promote metastasis. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that a major regulator of mitochondrial metabolism controls polyamine synthesis and prostate cancer aggressiveness, with potential applications in therapy and identification of new biomarkers.

Inhibition of p38MAPK increases adipogenesis from embryonic to adult stages.

Formation of new adipocytes from precursor cells contributes to adipose tissue expansion and obesity. In this study, we asked whether p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates normal and pathological adipogenesis. In both dietary and genetically (ob/ob) obese mice, adipose tissues displayed a marked decrease in p38MAPK activity compared with the same tissues from lean mice. Furthermore, p38MAPK activity was significantly higher in preadipocytes than in adipocytes, suggesting that p38MAPK activity decreases during adipocyte differentiation. In agreement with an inhibitory role of p38MAPK in this process, we found that in vitro inhibition of p38MAPK, with the specific inhibitor PD169316, increased the expression of adipocyte markers in several cellular models, from embryonic to adult stages. Importantly, the expression of adipocyte markers was higher in p38MAPKalpha knockout cells than in their wild-type counterparts. Phosphorylation of C/EBPbeta, which enhances its transcriptional activity, is increased after p38MAPK inhibition. Finally, either inhibition or disruption of p38MAPK increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma expression and transactivation. Rescue of p38MAPK in knockout cells reduced PPARgamma activity to the low basal level of wild-type cells. We demonstrate here, by using multipronged approaches involving p38 chemical inhibitor and p38MAPKalpha knockout cells, that p38MAPK plays a negative role in adipogenesis via inhibition of C/EBPbeta and PPARgamma transcriptional activities.

Sirtuin 7: a new marker of aggressiveness in prostate cancer.

Predictive biomarkers for advanced prostate cancer (PCa) are still missing. The sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) has been linked to tumorogenesis but its role in prostate cancer is poorly documented. To determine if SIRT7 can be a biomarker for aggressive prostate cancer and plays a role in PCa aggressiveness. We analyzed the expression of SIRT7 by immunohistochemistry in 57 patients comparing healthy with adjacent cancer tissue. SIRT7 levels were significantly elevated in tumors and its expression was positively associated with the grade. We also demonstrated that the knock down of SIRT7 decreased the migration of DU145 and PC3 cells (two androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines) whereas the overexpression of the native protein but not the mutated form increased the cell migration and the invasion of the poorly aggressive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. Finally, we also showed that SIRT7 overexpression induced the resistance to docetaxel. Our results demonstrate that SIRT7 promotes prostate cancer cell aggressiveness and chemoresistance and suggest that SIRT7 is a good predictive biomarker of PCa aggressiveness.

The energy disruptor metformin targets mitochondrial integrity via modification of calcium flux in cancer cells.

Mitochondrial integrity is critical for the regulation of cellular energy and apoptosis. Metformin is an energy disruptor targeting complex I of the respiratory chain. We demonstrate that metformin induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, calcium release from the ER and subsequent uptake of calcium into the mitochondria, thus leading to mitochondrial swelling. Metformin triggers the disorganization of the cristae and inner mitochondrial membrane in several cancer cells and tumors. Mechanistically, these alterations were found to be due to calcium entry into the mitochondria, because the swelling induced by metformin was reversed by the inhibition of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). We also demonstrated that metformin inhibits the opening of mPTP and induces mitochondrial biogenesis. Altogether, the inhibition of mPTP and the increase in mitochondrial biogenesis may account for the poor pro-apoptotic effect of metformin in cancer cells.

Metformin-induced energy deficiency leads to the inhibition of lipogenesis in prostate cancer cells.

The deregulation of lipid metabolism is a hallmark of tumor cells, and elevated lipogenesis has been reported in prostate cancer. Metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for type II diabetes, displays antitumor properties. Here, we show that metformin inhibits lipogenesis in several prostate cancer cell lines. In LNCaP cells, this effect parallels the decrease of key lipogenic proteins: ACC (acetyl-CoA carboxylase), FASN (fatty acid synthase) and SREBP1c (sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c), whereas there is no modification in DU145 and PC3 cells. Despite the relatively high level of lipogenic proteins induced by the overexpression of a constitutively active form of SREBP1c or treatment with androgens, metformin is still able to inhibit lipogenesis. Metformin does not alter the concentration of malonyl-CoA (the fatty acid precursor), and it only slightly decreases the NADPH levels, which is a co-factor required for lipogenesis, in LNCaP. Finally, we show that the inhibitory effect of metformin on lipogenesis is primarily due to a cellular energy deficit. Metformin decreases ATP in a dose-dependent manner, and this diminution is significantly correlated with the inhibition of lipogenesis in LNCaP and DU145. Indeed, the effect of metformin is linked to changes in the ATP content rather than the regulation of protein expression. Our results describe a new mechanism of action for metformin on prostate cancer metabolism.

Inhibition of the GTPase Rac1 mediates the antimigratory effects of metformin in prostate cancer cells.

Cell migration is a critical step in the progression of prostate cancer to the metastatic state, the lethal form of the disease. The antidiabetic drug metformin has been shown to display antitumoral properties in prostate cancer cell and animal models; however, its role in the formation of metastases remains poorly documented. Here, we show that metformin reduces the formation of metastases to fewer solid organs in an orthotopic metastatic prostate cancer cell model established in nude mice. As predicted, metformin hampers cell motility in PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells and triggers a radical reorganization of the cell cytoskeleton. The small GTPase Rac1 is a master regulator of cytoskeleton organization and cell migration. We report that metformin leads to a major inhibition of Rac1 GTPase activity by interfering with some of its multiple upstream signaling pathways, namely P-Rex1 (a Guanine nucleotide exchange factor and activator of Rac1), cAMP, and CXCL12/CXCR4, resulting in decreased migration of prostate cancer cells. Importantly, overexpression of a constitutively active form of Rac1, or P-Rex, as well as the inhibition of the adenylate cyclase, was able to reverse the antimigratory effects of metformin. These results establish a novel mechanism of action for metformin and highlight its potential antimetastatic properties in prostate cancer.

Metformin, independent of AMPK, induces mTOR inhibition and cell-cycle arrest through REDD1.

Metformin is a widely prescribed antidiabetic drug associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Many studies show that metformin inhibits cancer cell viability through the inhibition of mTOR. We recently showed that antiproliferative action of metformin in prostate cancer cell lines is not mediated by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). We identified REDD1 (also known as DDIT4 and RTP801), a negative regulator of mTOR, as a new molecular target of metformin. We show that metformin increases REDD1 expression in a p53-dependent manner. REDD1 invalidation, using siRNA or REDD1(-/-) cells, abrogates metformin inhibition of mTOR. Importantly, inhibition of REDD1 reverses metformin-induced cell-cycle arrest and significantly protects from the deleterious effects of metformin on cell transformation. Finally, we show the contribution of p53 in mediating metformin action in prostate cancer cells. These results highlight the p53/REDD1 axis as a new molecular target in anticancer therapy in response to metformin treatment.

Targeting cancer cell metabolism: the combination of metformin and 2-deoxyglucose induces p53-dependent apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Targeting cancer cell metabolism is a new promising strategy to fight cancer. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic agent, exerts antitumoral and antiproliferative action. In this study, the addition of metformin to 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) inhibited mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis in prostate cancer cells leading to a severe depletion in ATP. The combination of the two drugs was much more harmful for cancer cells than the treatment with metformin or 2DG alone, leading to 96% inhibition of cell viability in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. In contrast, a moderate effect on cell viability was observed in normal prostate epithelial cells. At the cellular level, the combination of metformin and 2DG induced p53-dependent apoptosis via the energy sensor pathway AMP kinase, and the reexpression of a functional p53 in p53-deficient prostate cancer cells restored caspase-3 activity. In addition to apoptosis, the combination of metformin and 2DG arrested prostate cancer cells in G(2)-M. This G(2)-M arrest was independent of p53 and correlated with a stronger decrease in cell viability than obtained with either drug. Finally, metformin inhibited 2DG-induced autophagy, decreased beclin 1 expression, and triggered a switch from a survival process to cell death. Our study reinforces the growing interest of metabolic perturbators in cancer therapy and highlights the potential use of the combination of metformin and 2DG as an anticancerous treatment.

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity commits embryonic stem cells to either neurogenesis or cardiomyogenesis.

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be differentiated, in vitro into a variety of cell types including cardiac cells and neurons. This process is strictly controlled by the potent morphogen retinoic acid (RA). At a concentration of 10(-7) M, RA induces ES cell differentiation into neurons and, conversely, inhibits cardiomyogenesis. We found that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) activity peaked spontaneously, between day 3 and day 5, during ES cell differentiation and that RA completely inhibited this peak of activity. In contrast to wild-type cells, which required RA treatment, p38alpha(-/-) ES cells differentiated spontaneously into neurons and did not form cardiomyocytes. Moreover, inhibition of the peak of p38MAPK activity by a specific inhibitor, PD169316, committed ES cells into the neuronal lineage and blocked cardiomyogenesis. By genetic and biochemical approaches, we demonstrate that, in two different ES cell lines, the control of p38MAPK activity constitutes an early switch, committing ES cells into either neurogenesis (p38 off) or cardiomyogenesis (p38 on).