Embracing cancer complexity: Hallmarks of systemic disease.

The last 50 years have witnessed extraordinary developments in understanding mechanisms of carcinogenesis, synthesized as the hallmarks of cancer. Despite this logical framework, our understanding of the molecular basis of systemic manifestations and the underlying causes of cancer-related death remains incomplete. Looking forward, elucidating how tumors interact with distant organs and how multifaceted environmental and physiological parameters impinge on tumors and their hosts will be crucial for advances in preventing and more effectively treating human cancers. In this perspective, we discuss complexities of cancer as a systemic disease, including tumor initiation and promotion, tumor micro- and immune macro-environments, aging, metabolism and obesity, cancer cachexia, circadian rhythms, nervous system interactions, tumor-related thrombosis, and the microbiome. Model systems incorporating human genetic variation will be essential to decipher the mechanistic basis of these phenomena and unravel gene-environment interactions, providing a modern synthesis of molecular oncology that is primed to prevent cancers and improve patient quality of life and cancer outcomes.

Two Conserved Histone Demethylases Regulate Mitochondrial Stress-Induced Longevity.

Across eukaryotic species, mild mitochondrial stress can have beneficial effects on the lifespan of organisms. Mitochondrial dysfunction activates an unfolded protein response (UPR(mt)), a stress signaling mechanism designed to ensure mitochondrial homeostasis. Perturbation of mitochondria during larval development in C. elegans not only delays aging but also maintains UPR(mt) signaling, suggesting an epigenetic mechanism that modulates both longevity and mitochondrial proteostasis throughout life. We identify the conserved histone lysine demethylases jmjd-1.2/PHF8 and jmjd-3.1/JMJD3 as positive regulators of lifespan in response to mitochondrial dysfunction across species. Reduction of function of the demethylases potently suppresses longevity and UPR(mt) induction, while gain of function is sufficient to extend lifespan in a UPR(mt)-dependent manner. A systems genetics approach in the BXD mouse reference population further indicates conserved roles of the mammalian orthologs in longevity and UPR(mt) signaling. These findings illustrate an evolutionary conserved epigenetic mechanism that determines the rate of aging downstream of mitochondrial perturbations.

Mitochondria: A "pacemaker" for species-specific development.

We highlight papers by Diaz-Cuadros et al.1 and Iwata et al.2 that demonstrate the role of mitochondrial metabolism in setting developmental pace through their control over cellular bioenergetics and redox homeostasis in mice and humans.

The Convergence of Systems and Reductionist Approaches in Complex Trait Analysis.

Research into the genetic and environmental factors behind complex trait variation has traditionally been segregated into distinct scientific camps. The reductionist approach aims to decrypt phenotypic variability bit by bit, founded on the underlying hypothesis that genome-to-phenome relations are largely constructed from the additive effects of their molecular players. In contrast, the systems approach aims to examine large-scale interactions of many components simultaneously, on the premise that interactions in gene networks can be both linear and non-linear. Both approaches are complementary, and they are becoming increasingly intertwined due to developments in gene editing tools, omics technologies, and population resources. Together, these strategies are beginning to drive the next era in complex trait research, paving the way to improve agriculture and toward more personalized medicine.

Multilayered genetic and omics dissection of mitochondrial activity in a mouse reference population.

The manner by which genotype and environment affect complex phenotypes is one of the fundamental questions in biology. In this study, we quantified the transcriptome--a subset of the metabolome--and, using targeted proteomics, quantified a subset of the liver proteome from 40 strains of the BXD mouse genetic reference population on two diverse diets. We discovered dozens of transcript, protein, and metabolite QTLs, several of which linked to metabolic phenotypes. Most prominently, Dhtkd1 was identified as a primary regulator of 2-aminoadipate, explaining variance in fasted glucose and diabetes status in both mice and humans. These integrated molecular profiles also allowed further characterization of complex pathways, particularly the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR(mt)). UPR(mt) shows strikingly variant responses at the transcript and protein level that are remarkably conserved among C. elegans, mice, and humans. Overall, these examples demonstrate the value of an integrated multilayered omics approach to characterize complex metabolic phenotypes.

Mitonuclear communication in homeostasis and stress.

Mitochondria participate in crucial cellular processes such as energy harvesting and intermediate metabolism. Although mitochondria possess their own genome--a vestige of their bacterial origins and endosymbiotic evolution--most mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus. The expression of the mitochondrial proteome hence requires tight coordination between the two genomes to adapt mitochondrial function to the ever-changing cellular milieu. In this Review, we focus on the pathways that coordinate the communication between mitochondria and the nucleus during homeostasis and mitochondrial stress. These pathways include nucleus-to-mitochondria (anterograde) and mitochondria-to-nucleus (retrograde) communication, mitonuclear feedback signalling and proteostasis regulation, the integrated stress response and non-cell-autonomous communication. We discuss how mitonuclear communication safeguards cellular and organismal fitness and regulates lifespan.

The NAD(+)/Sirtuin Pathway Modulates Longevity through Activation of Mitochondrial UPR and FOXO Signaling.

NAD(+) is an important cofactor regulating metabolic homeostasis and a rate-limiting substrate for sirtuin deacylases. We show that NAD(+) levels are reduced in aged mice and Caenorhabditis elegans and that decreasing NAD(+) levels results in a further reduction in worm lifespan. Conversely, genetic or pharmacological restoration of NAD(+) prevents age-associated metabolic decline and promotes longevity in worms. These effects are dependent upon the protein deacetylase sir-2.1 and involve the induction of mitonuclear protein imbalance as well as activation of stress signaling via the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR(mt)) and the nuclear translocation and activation of FOXO transcription factor DAF-16. Our data suggest that augmenting mitochondrial stress signaling through the modulation of NAD(+) levels may be a target to improve mitochondrial function and prevent or treat age-associated decline.

NCoR repression of LXRs restricts macrophage biosynthesis of insulin-sensitizing omega 3 fatty acids.

Macrophage-mediated inflammation is a major contributor to obesity-associated insulin resistance. The corepressor NCoR interacts with inflammatory pathway genes in macrophages, suggesting that its removal would result in increased activity of inflammatory responses. Surprisingly, we find that macrophage-specific deletion of NCoR instead results in an anti-inflammatory phenotype along with robust systemic insulin sensitization in obese mice. We present evidence that derepression of LXRs contributes to this paradoxical anti-inflammatory phenotype by causing increased expression of genes that direct biosynthesis of palmitoleic acid and ω3 fatty acids. Remarkably, the increased ω3 fatty acid levels primarily inhibit NF-κB-dependent inflammatory responses by uncoupling NF-κB binding and enhancer/promoter histone acetylation from subsequent steps required for proinflammatory gene activation. This provides a mechanism for the in vivo anti-inflammatory insulin-sensitive phenotype observed in mice with macrophage-specific deletion of NCoR. Therapeutic methods to harness this mechanism could lead to a new approach to insulin-sensitizing therapies.

Systems genetics of metabolism: the use of the BXD murine reference panel for multiscalar integration of traits.

Metabolic homeostasis is achieved by complex molecular and cellular networks that differ significantly among individuals and are difficult to model with genetically engineered lines of mice optimized to study single gene function. Here, we systematically acquired metabolic phenotypes by using the EUMODIC EMPReSS protocols across a large panel of isogenic but diverse strains of mice (BXD type) to study the genetic control of metabolism. We generated and analyzed 140 classical phenotypes and deposited these in an open-access web service for systems genetics (www.genenetwork.org). Heritability, influence of sex, and genetic modifiers of traits were examined singly and jointly by using quantitative-trait locus (QTL) and expression QTL-mapping methods. Traits and networks were linked to loci encompassing both known variants and novel candidate genes, including alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), here linked to hypophosphatasia. The assembled and curated phenotypes provide key resources and exemplars that can be used to dissect complex metabolic traits and disorders.

The RNA-Binding Protein PUM2 Impairs Mitochondrial Dynamics and Mitophagy During Aging.

Little information is available about how post-transcriptional mechanisms regulate the aging process. Here, we show that the RNA-binding protein Pumilio2 (PUM2), which is a translation repressor, is induced upon aging and acts as a negative regulator of lifespan and mitochondrial homeostasis. Multi-omics and cross-species analyses of PUM2 function show that it inhibits the translation of the mRNA encoding for the mitochondrial fission factor (Mff), thereby impairing mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. This mechanism is conserved in C. elegans by the PUM2 ortholog PUF-8. puf-8 knock-down in old nematodes and Pum2 CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout in the muscles of elderly mice enhances mitochondrial fission and mitophagy in both models, hence improving mitochondrial quality control and tissue homeostasis. Our data reveal how a PUM2-mediated layer of post-transcriptional regulation links altered Mff translation to mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy, thereby mediating age-related mitochondrial dysfunctions.

Adipocyte NCoR knockout decreases PPARγ phosphorylation and enhances PPARγ activity and insulin sensitivity.

Insulin resistance, tissue inflammation, and adipose tissue dysfunction are features of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. We generated adipocyte-specific Nuclear Receptor Corepressor (NCoR) knockout (AKO) mice to investigate the function of NCoR in adipocyte biology, glucose and insulin homeostasis. Despite increased obesity, glucose tolerance was improved in AKO mice, and clamp studies demonstrated enhanced insulin sensitivity in liver, muscle, and fat. Adipose tissue macrophage infiltration and inflammation were also decreased. PPARγ response genes were upregulated in adipose tissue from AKO mice and CDK5-mediated PPARγ ser-273 phosphorylation was reduced, creating a constitutively active PPARγ state. This identifies NCoR as an adaptor protein that enhances the ability of CDK5 to associate with and phosphorylate PPARγ. The dominant function of adipocyte NCoR is to transrepress PPARγ and promote PPARγ ser-273 phosphorylation, such that NCoR deletion leads to adipogenesis, reduced inflammation, and enhanced systemic insulin sensitivity, phenocopying the TZD-treated state.

NCoR1 is a conserved physiological modulator of muscle mass and oxidative function.

Transcriptional coregulators control the activity of many transcription factors and are thought to have wide-ranging effects on gene expression patterns. We show here that muscle-specific loss of nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) in mice leads to enhanced exercise endurance due to an increase of both muscle mass and of mitochondrial number and activity. The activation of selected transcription factors that control muscle function, such as MEF2, PPARß/δ, and ERRs, underpins these phenotypic alterations. NCoR1 levels are decreased in conditions that require fat oxidation, resetting transcriptional programs to boost oxidative metabolism. Knockdown of gei-8, the sole C. elegans NCoR homolog, also robustly increased muscle mitochondria and respiration, suggesting conservation of NCoR1 function. Collectively, our data suggest that NCoR1 plays an adaptive role in muscle physiology and that interference with NCoR1 action could be used to improve muscle function.

Upregulation of the ERRγ-VDAC1 axis underlies the molecular pathogenesis of pancreatitis.

Emerging evidence suggest that transcription factors play multiple roles in the development of pancreatitis, a necroinflammatory condition lacking specific therapy. Estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ), a pleiotropic transcription factor, has been reported to play a vital role in pancreatic acinar cell (PAC) homeostasis. However, the role of ERRγ in PAC dysfunction remains hitherto unknown. Here, we demonstrated in both mice models and human cohorts that pancreatitis is associated with an increase in ERRγ gene expression via activation of STAT3. Acinar-specific ERRγ haploinsufficiency or pharmacological inhibition of ERRγ significantly impaired the progression of pancreatitis both in vitro and in vivo. Using systematic transcriptomic analysis, we identified that voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) acts as a molecular mediator of ERRγ. Mechanistically, we showed that induction of ERRγ in cultured acinar cells and mouse pancreata enhanced VDAC1 expression by directly binding to specific site of the Vdac1 gene promoter and resulted in VDAC1 oligomerization. Notably, VDAC1, whose expression and oligomerization were dependent on ERRγ, modulates mitochondrial Ca2+ and ROS levels. Inhibition of the ERRγ-VDAC1 axis could alleviate mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation, ROS formation and inhibit progression of pancreatitis. Using two different mouse models of pancreatitis, we showed that pharmacological blockade of ERRγ-VDAC1 pathway has therapeutic benefits in mitigating progression of pancreatitis. Likewise, using PRSS1R122H-Tg mice to mimic human hereditary pancreatitis, we demonstrated that ERRγ inhibitor also alleviated pancreatitis. Our findings highlight the importance of ERRγ in pancreatitis progression and suggests its therapeutic intervention for prevention and treatment of pancreatitis.

Skeletal Muscle SIRT3 Deficiency Contributes to Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a major complication linked to adverse outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), yet no specific therapies exist for PH associated with HFpEF (PH-HFpEF). We have recently reported on the role of skeletal muscle SIRT3 (sirtuin-3) in modulation of PH-HFpEF, suggesting a novel endocrine signaling pathway for skeletal muscle modulation of pulmonary vascular remodeling. METHODS: Using skeletal muscle-specific Sirt3 knockout mice (Sirt3skm-/-) and mass spectrometry-based comparative secretome analysis, we attempted to define the processes by which skeletal muscle SIRT3 defects affect pulmonary vascular health in PH-HFpEF. RESULTS: Sirt3skm-/- mice exhibited reduced pulmonary vascular density accompanied by pulmonary vascular proliferative remodeling and elevated pulmonary pressures. Comparative analysis of secretome by mass spectrometry revealed elevated secretion levels of LOXL2 (lysyl oxidase homolog 2) in SIRT3-deficient skeletal muscle cells. Elevated circulation and protein expression levels of LOXL2 were also observed in plasma and skeletal muscle of Sirt3skm-/- mice, a rat model of PH-HFpEF, and humans with PH-HFpEF. In addition, expression levels of CNPY2 (canopy fibroblast growth factor signaling regulator 2), a known proliferative and angiogenic factor, were increased in pulmonary artery endothelial cells and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of Sirt3skm-/- mice and animal models of PH-HFpEF. CNPY2 levels were also higher in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of subjects with obesity compared with nonobese subjects. Moreover, treatment with recombinant LOXL2 protein promoted pulmonary artery endothelial cell migration/proliferation and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation through regulation of CNPY2-p53 signaling. Last, skeletal muscle-specific Loxl2 deletion decreased pulmonary artery endothelial cell and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell expression of CNPY2 and improved pulmonary pressures in mice with high-fat diet-induced PH-HFpEF. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a systemic pathogenic impact of skeletal muscle SIRT3 deficiency in remote pulmonary vascular remodeling and PH-HFpEF. This study suggests a new endocrine signaling axis that links skeletal muscle health and SIRT3 deficiency to remote CNPY2 regulation in the pulmonary vasculature through myokine LOXL2. Our data also identify skeletal muscle SIRT3, myokine LOXL2, and CNPY2 as potential targets for the treatment of PH-HFpEF.

Metabolic networks of longevity.

Molecular and cellular networks implicated in aging depend on a multitude of proteins that collectively mount adaptive and contingent metabolic responses to environmental challenges. Here, we discuss the intimate links between metabolic regulation and longevity and outline new approaches for analyzing and manipulating such links to promote human health span.

Systems Phytohormone Responses to Mitochondrial Proteotoxic Stress.

Mitochondrial function is controlled by two separate genomes. This feature makes mitochondria prone to proteotoxic stress when a stoichiometric imbalance occurs in the protein complexes that perform oxidative phosphorylation, which consist of both nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded proteins. Such a proteotoxic stress is known to induce the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in animals. It is unknown whether UPRmt occurs in plants. Here, we induced a mitonuclear protein imbalance in Arabidopsis through chemical or genetic interference. Mitochondrial proteotoxic stress activated a plant-specific UPRmt and impaired plant growth and development. The plant UPRmt pathway is triggered by a transient oxidative burst, activating MAPK and hormonal (involving ethylene and auxin) signaling, which are all geared to repair proteostasis. This also establishes phytohormones as bona fide plant mitokines. Our data ascertain that mitochondrial protein quality control pathways, such as the UPRmt, are conserved in plants and that hormone signaling is an essential mediator that regulates mitochondrial proteostasis.

Inhibition of SIRT7 overcomes sorafenib acquired resistance by suppressing ERK1/2 phosphorylation via the DDX3X-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome in hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIMS: Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) plays an important role in tumor development, and has been characterized as a potent regulator of cellular stress. However, the effect of SIRT7 on sorafenib acquired resistance remains unclear and a possible anti-tumor mechanism beyond this process in HCC has not been clarified. We examined the therapeutic potential of SIRT7 and determined whether it functions synergistically with sorafenib to overcome chemoresistance. METHODS: Cancer Genome Atlas-liver HCC data and unbiased gene set enrichment analyses were used to identify SIRT7 as a potential effector molecule in sorafenib acquired resistance. Two types of SIRT7 chemical inhibitors were developed to evaluate its therapeutic properties when synergized with sorafenib. Mass spectrometry was performed to discover a direct target of SIRT7, DDX3X, and DDX3X deacetylation levels and protein stability were explored. Moreover, an in vivo xenograft model was used to confirm anti-tumor effect of SIRT7 and DDX3X chemical inhibitors combined with sorafenib. RESULTS: SIRT7 inhibition mediated DDX3X depletion can re-sensitize acquired sorafenib resistance by disrupting NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, finally suppressing hyperactive ERK1/2 signaling in response to NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated IL-1ß inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: SIRT7 is responsible for sorafenib acquired resistance, and its inhibition would be beneficial when combined with sorafenib by suppressing hyperactive pro-cell survival ERK1/2 signaling.

ACMSD inhibition corrects fibrosis, inflammation, and DNA damage in MASLD/MASH.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Recent findings reveal the importance of tryptophan-initiated de novo nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthesis in the liver, a process previously considered secondary to biosynthesis from nicotinamide. The enzyme α-amino-ß-carboxymuconate-ε-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD), primarily expressed in liver and kidney, acts as a modulator of de novo NAD+ synthesis. Boosting NAD+ levels has previously demonstrated remarkable metabolic benefits in mouse models. In this study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic implications of ACMSD inhibition in the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease/steatohepatitis (MASLD/MASH). METHODS: In vitro experiments were conducted in primary rodent hepatocytes, Huh7 human liver carcinoma cells and iPSC-derived human liver organoids (HLOs). C57BL/6J male mice were fed a western-style diet and housed at thermoneutrality to recapitulate key aspects of MASLD/MASH. Pharmacological ACMSD inhibition was given therapeutically, following disease onset. Steatohepatitis HLO models were used to assess the DNA damage responses by ACMSD inhibition in human contexts. RESULTS: Inhibiting ACMSD with a novel specific pharmacological inhibitor promotes de novo NAD+ synthesis and reduces DNA damage ex vivo, in vivo, and in HLO models. In mouse models of MASLD/MASH, de novo NAD+ biosynthesis is suppressed, and transcriptomic DNA damage signatures correlate with disease severity; in humans, Mendelian randomization-based genetic analysis suggests a notable impact of genomic stress on liver disease susceptibility. Therapeutic inhibition of ACMSD in mice increases liver NAD+ and reverses MASLD/MASH, mitigating fibrosis, inflammation, and DNA damage, as were observed in HLO models of steatohepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the benefits of ACMSD inhibition to enhance hepatic NAD+ levels and enable genomic protection, underscoring its therapeutic potential in MASLD/MASH. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Enhancing NAD+ levels has shown remarkable health benefits in mouse models of MASLD/MASH, yet liver-specific NAD+ boosting strategies remain underexplored. Here, we present a novel pharmacological approach to enhance liver NAD+de novo synthesis by inhibiting ACMSD, an enzyme highly expressed in the liver. Inhibiting ACMSD increases NAD+ levels, enhances mitochondrial respiration, and maintains genomic stability in hepatocytes ex vivo and in vivo. These molecular benefits prevent disease progression in both mouse and human liver organoid models of steatohepatitis. Our preclinical study identifies ACMSD as a promising target for MASLD/MASH management and lays the groundwork for developing ACMSD inhibitors as a clinical treatment.

TBK1 phosphorylates mutant Huntingtin and suppresses its aggregation and toxicity in Huntington's disease models.

Phosphorylation of the N-terminal domain of the huntingtin (HTT) protein has emerged as an important regulator of its localization, structure, aggregation, clearance and toxicity. However, validation of the effect of bona fide phosphorylation in vivo and assessing the therapeutic potential of targeting phosphorylation for the treatment of Huntington's disease (HD) require the identification of the enzymes that regulate HTT phosphorylation. Herein, we report the discovery and validation of a kinase, TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), that efficiently phosphorylates full-length and N-terminal HTT fragments in vitro (at S13/S16), in cells (at S13) and in vivo. TBK1 expression in HD models (cells, primary neurons, and Caenorhabditis elegans) increases mutant HTT exon 1 phosphorylation and reduces its aggregation and cytotoxicity. We demonstrate that the TBK1-mediated neuroprotective effects are due to phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of mutant HTT exon 1 aggregation and an increase in autophagic clearance of mutant HTT. These findings suggest that upregulation and/or activation of TBK1 represents a viable strategy for the treatment of HD by simultaneously lowering mutant HTT levels and blocking its aggregation.

Sirtuins as regulators of metabolism and healthspan.

Since the beginning of the century, the mammalian sirtuin protein family (comprising SIRT1-SIRT7) has received much attention for its regulatory role, mainly in metabolism and ageing. Sirtuins act in different cellular compartments: they deacetylate histones and several transcriptional regulators in the nucleus, but also specific proteins in other cellular compartments, such as in the cytoplasm and in mitochondria. As a consequence, sirtuins regulate fat and glucose metabolism in response to physiological changes in energy levels, thereby acting as crucial regulators of the network that controls energy homeostasis and as such determines healthspan.