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Enzyme-Metabolite Network Analysis of Endometrial Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Through Integrated Proteomics and Metabolomics.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecological malignancy in high-income countries. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators of intercellular communication and metabolic reprogramming, but their molecular cargo in EC remains poorly characterized. EVs were isolated from four EC cell lines representing Type I and Type II subtypes (AN3CA, ISHIKAWA, HEC1A, and KLE). Untargeted metabolomics was performed by HILIC-LC-MS/MS, proteomics by data-independent acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry, and multi-omics integration using MetaboAnalyst and OmicsNet. Metabolomic profiling identified 1463 annotated features and revealed significant differences among EC cell lines (PERMANOVA, p = 0.002). Twenty-eight differentially abundant metabolites, including lactic acid, succinic acid, and uric acid, were identified. Proteomic analysis quantified 8513 proteins with subtype-specific expression patterns. Integrated analysis revealed seven significantly enriched pathways, including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, central carbon metabolism in cancer, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Increased LDHA abundance in metastatic AN3CA-derived EVs was confirmed by Western blot (p = 0.047). EC-derived EVs display subtype- and metastatic-status-specific metabolo-proteomic signatures, with glycolysis, TCA cycle remodeling, and central carbon metabolism as convergent pathway signatures of molecular reprogramming. These findings establish a multi-omics framework for characterizing EV cargo in EC and identify candidate enzyme-metabolite nodes for future biomarker validation in patient-derived specimens.

Female↗

Multi-omics and experimental validation identify RAPGEF2 as a protective prognostic biomarker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) is characterized by marked molecular heterogeneity and metabolic reprogramming, underscoring the need for reliable biomarkers for prognostic assessment and individualized treatment. RAPGEF2, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor has been implicated in cell adhesion and differentiation, but its role in KIRC remains unclear. In this study, we systematically evaluated the expression pattern, prognostic significance, genomic associations, biological function, and therapeutic relevance of RAPGEF2 in KIRC through integrated multi-omics analyses and experimental validation. Pan-cancer single-cell and Spatial transcriptomic analysis revealed heterogeneous RAPGEF2 expression across tumor types, with a relatively prominent signal in KIRC, where RAPGEF2 was mainly enriched in endothelial cells. Survival analyses in the TCGA-KIRC showed that high RAPGEF2 expression was significantly associated with favorable overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval, and these findings were validated in independent ICGC_RECA-EU and E-MTAB-1980 cohorts. Multivariate Cox regression further confirmed RAPGEF2 as an independent protective prognostic factor. Immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray cohort demonstrated that higher RAPGEF2 protein expression was associated with improved overall survival. Genomic analyses showed that low RAPGEF2 expression was related to higher mutational burden. Functional assays demonstrated that RAPGEF2 knockdown promoted KIRC progression. Enrichment analyses indicated that RAPGEF2 may be associated with metabolic pathway remodeling, while immunotherapy cohort analyses suggested its potential association with therapeutic benefit. Collectively, RAPGEF2 is identified as a protective prognostic biomarker and potential functional regulator in KIRC.

Biomarker↗

Integrated single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses reveal malignant epithelial glycolytic heterogeneity and spatial niche remodeling during colorectal cancer progression.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is shaped by metabolic reprogramming and complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment. However, the cellular heterogeneity, spatial organization, and clinical relevance of glycolytic activity in CRC remain incompletely understood. In this study, we integrated single-cell RNA sequencing, bulk transcriptomics, and spatial transcriptomics data to systematically characterize glycolytic heterogeneity in CRC. Glycolytic activity was quantified using five independent scoring methods, consistently showing that epithelial cells exhibited the highest glycolytic activity across the two single-cell cohorts. Stratification of CopyKAT-verified aneuploid malignant epithelial cells into high-glycolysis (HG) and low-glycolysis (LG) subgroups by glycolysis scores revealed that HG cells exhibited higher stemness scores and chromosomal copy number variations. Cell-cell communication analysis revealed that, compared with LG cells, HG cells exhibited increased interaction frequency and strength with immune and stromal populations, indicating enhanced malignant epithelial-microenvironment crosstalk. Spatial transcriptomics analyses further revealed that glycolytic activity varied across normal colorectal tissue, primary CRC, and colorectal liver metastases, accompanied by progressive remodeling of epithelial-associated spatial niches and MIF-mediated intercellular communication. Bulk transcriptomic analysis identified a glycolysis-related prognostic signature with robust predictive performance, which served as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in CRC cohorts. Collectively, these findings indicate that glycolytic heterogeneity is a key feature of CRC malignant epithelial cells and is closely associated with tumor progression, microenvironmental remodeling, and clinical outcomes.

Humans↗

Targeting the Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5-Specificity Protein 1 Axis Restores Enzalutamide Sensitivity by Suppressing Androgen Receptor/Androgen Receptor Splice Variant 7 Signaling: Implications for Prostate Cancer Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains a major clinical challenge driven by persistent androgen receptor (AR) signaling and constitutively active splice variants such as androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7), which confer resistance to therapies including enzalutamide. Although metabolic reprogramming contributes to disease progression, the integration of metabolic and transcriptional regulators sustaining therapeutic resistance remains incompletely understood. METHODS: We integrated clinical transcriptomic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Prostate Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-PRAD) cohort with mechanistic and functional validation in 22RV1 CRPC cells to investigate the role of the fatty acid binding protein 5-specificity protein 1 (FABP5-Sp1) regulatory axis. RESULTS: Transcriptomic analysis revealed that FABP5 is significantly upregulated in prostate tumors compared with normal tissue and increases with higher Gleason score. In contrast, AR and Sp1 exhibited heterogeneous expression patterns. Mechanistically, genetic ablation of FABP5 markedly reduced AR-V7 expression and restored sensitivity to enzalutamide, leading to suppression of AR signaling. Conversely, FABP5 overexpression increased Sp1 protein levels. Pharmacological inhibition of Sp1 using mithramycin A resulted in coordinated downregulation of FABP5, AR, and AR-V7, along with suppression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) signaling and downstream vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression. Functionally, Sp1 inhibition significantly reduced anchorage-independent growth and invasion. CONCLUSION: These findings define a FABP5-Sp1-AR/AR-V7 transcriptional-metabolic axis driving enzalutamide resistance in CRPC. Targeting FABP5 restores therapeutic sensitivity and represents a promising biomarker and therapeutic strategy in advanced prostate cancer.

AR-V7↗

Molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance in protozoan parasites: emerging mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives.

Protozoan parasitic infections, including malaria, leishmaniasis, and human African trypanosomiasis, remain major global public health challenges. In the absence of highly effective vaccines, disease control relies primarily on chemotherapy; however, the emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasite populations increasingly threaten treatment efficacy. This review synthesizes current evidence on the molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance in Plasmodium, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma species through a systematic analysis of literature. The review identifies four interconnected mechanisms that drive the evolution of drug resistance. First, altered drug transport enables parasites to regulate intracellular drug concentrations through mutations, loss, or amplification of membrane transporters, including PfCRT in Plasmodium and AQP2 in Trypanosoma brucei. Second, target modification and genomic plasticity promote resistance through point mutations in drug targets, such as dhfr and dhps in Plasmodium, while kinetoplastids, particularly Leishmania, exploit extensive genomic plasticity, including aneuploidy, gene amplification, and translational reprogramming, to facilitate rapid adaptation under drug pressure. Third, metabolic reprogramming enhances parasite survival by increasing intracellular thiol production, strengthening antioxidant defense systems, and reshaping central carbon and lipid metabolism to mitigate drug-induced stress. Finally, stress response and persistence mechanisms enable subpopulations of parasites to enter dormant, persister-like states characterized by reduced metabolic activity and slowed proliferation, thereby evading both host immune responses and chemotherapeutic agents. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that drug resistance is a dynamic, multifactorial evolutionary process rather than a single molecular event. Addressing this growing challenge requires integrating genomic surveillance, molecular diagnostics, mathematical modeling of resistance transmission, and mechanistic insights into parasite persistence into future drug discovery and disease control strategies. Such an integrated approach is essential for improving the durability of antiprotozoal therapies and advancing global efforts to control neglected protozoan diseases.

antiprotozoal therapy↗

Phytoplasma-plant interactions: effector-mediated host reprogramming, hormonal crosstalk, metabolic alterations and plant-mediated vector manipulation.

Phytoplasmas are wall-less, phloem-restricted bacterial pathogens that infect over 1,000 plant species, causing substantial losses in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry worldwide. Despite their reduced genomes and limited metabolic autonomy, these obligate parasites colonize diverse hosts through secreted effector proteins that extensively reprogram plant development, metabolism, immune signalling, and vector interactions. Advances in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and functional studies have substantially clarified the molecular basis of phytoplasma pathogenicity and symptom development. This review synthesizes current understanding of phytoplasma-plant interactions, covering phytoplasma biology, genome evolution, and the infection cycle across plant and insect vector hosts. We examine the molecular functions of key effectors, SAP11, SAP54/PHYL1, SAP05, TENGU, SWP1, and recently identified virulence factors, focusing on how they target host transcription factors, phytohormone networks, protein degradation pathways, and immune responses to promote colonization and disease progression. We further discuss how phytoplasma infection disrupts phytohormone signalling, primary and secondary metabolism, and developmental programs to produce characteristic disease symptoms, with particular attention to pathogen-induced changes in host volatiles and nutritional quality that alter vector behaviour and enhance transmission. Finally, we summarize insights from multi-omics studies and emerging management strategies, including CRISPR-based genome editing, RNAi, rapid molecular diagnostics, resistant cultivars, microbiome-based approaches, and sustainable vector control, and highlight key knowledge gaps and priorities for developing effective, environmentally sustainable phytoplasma disease management.

Phytoplasma↗

Development and internal validation of a six-gene prognostic model based on galactose metabolism for overall survival in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality globally. Metabolic reprogramming promotes tumor progression and shapes an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Galactose metabolism is involved in multiple malignancies, but its prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. This study aimed to develop and internally validate a galactose metabolism-related multigene prognostic model for LUAD. METHODS: A retrospective prognostic model development and internal validation study was performed using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and clinical data from 585 LUAD patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differential expression, functional enrichment, univariate and multivariate Cox regression were applied to construct a prognostic gene signature. Internal validation was performed using bootstrap resampling. Model performance was evaluated by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC), C-index, calibration, and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Associations between the model and immune infiltration, immunotherapy responsiveness, and tumor stemness were also analyzed. RESULTS: A six-gene prognostic model (GALT, GANC, PGM1, GALM, B4GALT1, PGM2) was developed. The model showed good discrimination with 1-, 3-, and 5-year area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.719, 0.693, and 0.684, respectively. The low-risk group exhibited significantly longer survival, increased antitumor immune infiltration (CD8+ T cells, M1 macrophages, activated CD4+ memory T cells), higher expression of T cell proliferation-related genes, lower immune checkpoint expression, better predicted immunotherapy response, and lower tumor stemness compared with the high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and internally validated a six-gene prognostic model for LUAD based on galactose metabolism. The model shows moderate prognostic performance and is associated with antitumor immunity and tumor stemness. It may be used for prognostic risk stratification and to guide personalized immunotherapy in LUAD.

Galactose metabolism↗

Sweet changes: glucose homeostasis can be altered by manipulating genes controlling hepatic glucose metabolism.

The liver is responsible for glucose synthesis in the fasting state, and glucose uptake, storage, and utilization in the fed state. A phenotypic switch, normally initiated by insulin or glucagon, controls the transition between the two states, which includes transcriptional alterations that regulate metabolic enzyme abundance for multiple metabolic pathways in a coordinated manner. A network of transcription factors, coactivators, and corepressors direct these changes, thus acting as transcriptional sensors of the nutritional status of an organism. The inability of the hepatocyte to undergo this metabolic reprogramming is characteristic of diabetes mellitus. Modulations that control the amount of individual metabolic enzymes or transcription factors can initiate the fasting-to-fed transition of the hepatocyte in an insulin-independent manner. Alternatively, overexpression of key regulators of metabolism can lock hepatocytes in the fasted state. These manipulations alter hepatic glucose flux, leading to either amelioration or induction of diabetes mellitus. These maneuvers reveal the complexity of the coordinated mechanisms used by the liver to alter its phenotype and provide evidence for the control strength of metabolic signaling.

Animals↗

Mechanism, origin, and evolution of anoxia tolerance in animals.

Organisms vary widely in their tolerance to conditions of limiting oxygen supply to their cells and tissues. A unifying framework of hypoxia tolerance is now available that is based on information from cell-level models from highly anoxia-tolerant species, such as the aquatic turtle, and from other more hypoxia-sensitive systems. The response of hypoxia-tolerant systems to oxygen lack occurs in two (defense and rescue) phases. The first lines of defense against hypoxia include a drastic, if balanced, suppression of ATP demand and supply pathways; this regulation allows ATP levels to remain constant, even while ATP turnover rates greatly decline. The ATP requirements of ion pumping are down-regulated by generalized 'channel' arrest in hepatocytes and by the arrest of specific ion channels in neurons. In hepatocytes, the ATP demands of protein synthesis are down-regulated on exposure to hypoxia by an immediate global blockade of the process (probably through translational arrest caused by complexing between polysomes and elongation factors). In hypoxia-sensitive cells, this translational arrest seems irreversible, but hypoxia-tolerant systems activate 'rescue' mechanisms if the period of oxygen lack is extended by preferentially regulating the expression of several proteins. In these cells, a cascade of processes underpinning hypoxia rescue and defense begins with an oxygen sensor (a heme protein) and a signal transduction pathway that leads to the specific activation of some genes (increased expression of several proteins) and to specific down-regulation of other genes (decreased expression of several other proteins). The functional roles of the oxygen-sensing and signal-transduction system include significant gene-based metabolic reprogramming - the rescue process - with maintained down-regulation of energy demand and supply pathways in metabolism throughout the hypoxic period. We consider that, through this recent work, it is becoming evident how normoxic-maintenance ATP turnover rates can be down-regulated by an order of magnitude or more - to a new hypometabolic steady state, which is prerequisite for surviving prolonged hypoxia or anoxia. Because the phylogenies of the turtles and of fishes are well known, we are now in an excellent position to assess conservative vs. adaptable features in the evolution of the above hypoxia-response physiology in these two specific animal lineages.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A minimal three-arm oral regimen for healthspan: mechanistic alignment with transcriptomic signals from a large parental-lifespan GWAS.

A large genome-wide association study of parental lifespan was reported in 2019. A later transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) based on those summary statistics identified a set of transcriptional programs associated with longer genetically predicted survival, including increased brain NAD + salvage, especially NMNAT2, reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, a shift toward synaptic pruning with less broad plasticity, and a glial pattern characterized by relatively greater microglial and lower astrocytic signatures, with only weak pan-tissue senescence signals. Building on those directional findings, this short communication proposes a minimal three-arm oral regimen with unequal evidentiary weight: first, the Cheung Glutamatergic Regimen, consisting of low-dose dextromethorphan potentiated by a CYP2D6 inhibitor together with piracetam and L-glutamine, as an exploratory adjunct aimed at preserving residual functional connectivity; second, daily nicotinamide mononucleotide and N-acetylcysteine with pulsed senolytics for NAD + salvage and senescence modulation; and third, GLP-1 receptor agonism for metabolic reprogramming. The NAD+/senescence arm is the primary mechanistic anchor, GLP-1 receptor agonism provides secondary metabolic support, and the glutamatergic arm is exploratory. Each arm targets a separate node within the pruning-plasticity-metabolic triad. The regimen is fully oral, uses conservative dosing, and draws on prior therapeutic or human-exposure data, although the proposed combination has no established safety profile. Although direct combination data are lacking and the foundational TWAS remains a preprint, the components show plausible but uneven mechanistic alignment with the TWAS signals and may justify carefully designed, safety-focused pilot evaluation.

GLP-1↗

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α promotes the malignant progression of cervical cancer cells by regulating lactate dehydrogenase A-mediated glycolysis.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced glycolysis is a hallmark of metabolic reprogramming in cervical cancer and plays a key role in tumor progression. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a core regulator of glycolytic metabolism, remains incompletely characterized in cervical cancer. This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern and clinical significance of HIF-1α in cervical cancer, and to explore its association with malignant biological behavior and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)-related glycolytic metabolism in cervical cancer cells. METHODS: The expression level, clinicopathological features, immune infiltration correlation, and prognostic value of HIF-1α in cervical cancer were analyzed based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. HIF-1α overexpression and knockdown models were established in HeLa and Caski cells. Cell viability and invasive ability were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell assays, respectively. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect changes in LDHA expression. Lactate production was measured using a lactate assay kit, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis showed that HIF-1α was highly expressed in cervical cancer and was closely associated with patient age, menopausal status, immune cell infiltration, and poor prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that patients with high HIF-1α expression had significantly worse overall survival (OS) than those with low expression. In vitro functional experiments further confirmed that HIF-1α overexpression significantly enhanced the viability and invasive ability of HeLa and Caski cells, whereas HIF-1α knockdown produced the opposite effects. HIF-1α overexpression was associated with increased messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels of LDHA, a key glycolytic molecule, along with increased lactate production and elevated intracellular ROS levels. CONCLUSIONS: HIF-1α is aberrantly highly expressed in cervical cancer and may enhance glycolytic activity by upregulating LDHA expression, thereby promoting the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells. These findings suggest that HIF-1α could serve as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic target biomarker for cervical cancer.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)↗

Single-cell capture of on-ART SIV transcription reveals TGF-β-mediated metabolic control of viral latency.

We previously demonstrated that blocking TGF-β with galunisertib, a safe, orally available small drug, reactivated latent SIV in vivo by shifting T cells toward a transitional effector phenotype. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying this effect using single-cell RNA sequencing, metabolic profiling, and high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry of samples from SIV-infected, antiretroviral therapy-treated (ART-treated) macaques before and after galunisertib. To characterize virus-transcribing, infected cells during ART, we developed a novel, sensitive SIV Transcripts Capture Assay (SCAP) that detected 127 SIV-expressing cells within lymph node single-cell transcriptome libraries. Galunisertib drove broad metabolic reprogramming in CD4+ T cells, with transcriptional upregulation of inflammatory and mitochondrial biosynthesis pathways, confirmed by Seahorse profiling. Metabolomics revealed increased energy metabolites and amino acids and enhanced metabolic flux without proliferation. SIV transcript-positive cells before galunisertib were metabolically quiescent compared with cells without detectable viral transcripts. After galunisertib, virus-expressing cells showed a dramatic metabolic activation, with upregulation of glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, and TNF-α signaling. High-dimensional flow cytometry demonstrated effects beyond CD4+ T cells, including fewer tissue-resident memory T cells, but more inflammatory macrophages. In conclusion, SCAP represents a specific tool for characterizing rare SIV-infected cells transcribing virus during ART, and it reveals TGF-β as a key mediator of viral latency in vivo through metabolic suppression.

Virus Latency↗

De novo pyrimidine synthesis is a collateral metabolic vulnerability in NF2-deficient mesothelioma.

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is one of the deadliest cancers, with limited therapeutic options due to its therapeutically intractable genome, which is characterized by the functional inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) and high tumor heterogeneity, including diverse metabolic adaptations. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these metabolic alterations remain poorly understood, particularly how TSG inactivation rewires tumor metabolism to drive tumorigenesis and create metabolic dependencies. Through integrated multi-omics analysis, we identify for the first time that NF2 loss of function defines a distinct PM subtype characterized by enhanced de novo pyrimidine synthesis, which NF2-deficient PM cells are critically dependent on for sustained proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NF2 loss activates YAP, a downstream proto-oncogenic transcriptional coactivator in the Hippo signalling pathway, which in turn upregulates CAD and DHODH, key enzymes in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. Our findings provide novel insights into metabolic reprogramming in PM, revealing de novo pyrimidine synthesis as a synthetic lethal vulnerability in NF2-deficient tumors. This work highlights a potential therapeutic strategy for targeting NF2-deficient mesothelioma through metabolic intervention.

Pyrimidines↗

Multi-omics reveals an ecdysone-activated Eip75B-FABP signaling axis coordinating nutrient metabolism for development in Hermetia illucens.

INTRODUCTION: Efficient nutrient storage is essential for insect development and energy homeostasis; however, the mechanisms coordinating nutrient allocation during ontogeny are not well understood. Elucidating these systems may yield valuable insights to insect metabolic adaptation. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify regulatory modules governing nutrient metabolism in insects, focusing on hormonal and metabolic interplay. METHODS: Multi-omics profiling (proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and transcriptomics) was conducted throughout the life cycle, from egg to adult, to identify metabolic regulators. RNAi was utilized for gene knockdown, followed by qRT-PCR and mitochondrial DNA quantification to evaluate knockdown efficiency and its metabolic implications. Assessments of nutrient metabolism were performed using assays for triglycerides, crude protein, and fatty acid synthase. EMSA and BODIPY staining examined transcriptional regulation and lipid droplet dynamics. RESULTS: Utilizing an integrative multi-omics approach, this study elucidates the temporal metabolic regulators in insects. A conserved regulatory module was identified in which the PPAR homolog, ecdysone-induced protein 75B (Eip75B), functions as a transcriptional activator of fatty acid binding protein (FABP), sustaining lipid metabolic homeostasis during the larval stage. PPARγ modulators (rosiglitazone and GW9662) alter lipid accumulation, along with the expression of Eip75B and FABP, which was measured by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, the deficiency of FABP may reprogram metabolic pathways by inhibiting lipid storage and promoting mitochondrial β-oxidation, as supported by increased mitochondrial DNA copy number, as well as enhancing protein synthesis. This metabolic change could be modulated by ecdysone signaling, as hormonal supplementation effectively rescued the lipid loss phenotype. Our results establish the ecdysone-Eip75B-FABP signaling axis as a central regulatory module that integrates hormonal and nutrient-sensing signals to control insect nutritional metabolism. CONCLUSION: The ecdysone-Eip75B-FABP axis integrates hormonal and nutrient signals to regulate metabolic plasticity, underscoring a universal strategy for developmental energy allocation. The data also offer potential implications for research on metabolic disorders and bioenergy applications.

Animals↗

Cardiac metabolism in ischemic heart disease.

Myocardial ischemia is the metabolic consequence of an inadequate blood supply to the myocardium. How does the myocardium survive a severe insult? Ischemia, perhaps acting through hypoxia, is able to induce a series of cellular signals that lead to protective genetic reprogramming. Metabolic self-protection includes the new ischemic syndromes: stunning, hibernation and preconditioning. In every case it should be considered that ischemia is basically a metabolic problem, usually caused by coronary artery disease, stemming from lack of oxygen and blood flow. In principle, besides revascularization, metabolic therapy should be considered. In the past, metabolic therapies for effort angina have often been ignored. A current hypothesis is that the ischemic myocardium benefits from a switch from fatty acid to glucose metabolism. Two examples are (1) the hemodynamically neutral antianginal agent, trimetazidine, and (2) intravenous glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK). In acute myocardial infarction, GIK is undergoing a resurgence of interest due to the promising results of the large recent Argentinian trial. GIK acts in several ways, including the beneficial effects of insulin itself upon reperfusion, promotion of glycolysis, and inhibition of circulating fatty acids and hence of fatty acid oxidation. Metabolic therapy acting to protect the ischemic cell deserves more attention.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

13C Stable Isotope Tracing-Based MFA Reveals the Contribution of Glucose to Glycolytic and TCA Fluxes and Its Application in Depression Research.

Metabolomics is widely applied to dissect metabolic pathways and their correlations with biological phenotypes. Unlike genomics and proteomics, metabolites exhibit substantial heterogeneity in chemical structure, physicochemical properties, and biological origin. Accordingly, pathway enrichment and annotation relying merely on alterations in metabolite abundance are prone to incomplete coverage, ionization bias, and ambiguous annotation, which inevitably impair the accuracy of pathway interpretation. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) coupled with stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) offers a powerful quantitative framework for tracing in vivo carbon flow and estimating reaction fluxes across key metabolic nodes. Glucose metabolism lies at the core of systemic energy homeostasis; however, most current investigations are confined to cell lines or in vitro systems, and a simple, easy-to-implement computational pipeline for in vivo glucose flux analysis in animal models is still lacking. Herein, we established an in vivo 13C-labeling-based MFA workflow to trace and resolve the systemic metabolic fate of glucose in rats. The pipeline covers tracer administration, sample preparation, LC-MS detection, isotopologue data acquisition and correction, construction of a glucose-metabolism-related metabolite database, MFA model establishment, and metabolic flux quantification. By infusing rats with [U-13C6]-glucose and [U-13C3]-sodium L-lactate, we precisely characterized the in vivo metabolic fates of circulating glucose and lactate and quantified their respective contributions to glycolytic flux and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux. We further applied this workflow to profile energy metabolic reprogramming in depression. The results revealed a systemic shift toward aerobic glycolysis in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Overall, the expanded application of this MFA strategy can provide mechanistic and quantitative insights into the regulation of metabolic pathways.

Animals↗

Glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) enhances renal malignancy risk via modulating glutarylcarnitine levels.

BACKGROUND: Crotonylation, a recently identified lysine acylation, plays a critical role in post-translational modifications [1]. It has been implicated in tumorigenesis by modulating metabolic reprogramming [2], DNA repair, immune evasion [3], and oncogenic signaling pathways, including PKA-FAK-AKT and androgen receptor signaling [4]. The specific role of crotonylation in renal malignancy (RM) remains poorly understood, especially in interaction with gene expression and metabolic pathway interactions. METHODS: This study integrates genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for RM from the FinnGen database, data on crotonylation-associated gene expression obtained from the eQTLGen consortium, and metabolite GWAS data obtained from the GWAS Catalog. A combined two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR), and mediation analyses were performed to investigate the causal link between Glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) and RM, with a specific focus on glutarylcarnitine metabolism. RESULTS: MR analysis demonstrated a significant association; increased expression of GCDH is likely to increase the risk of RM (OR = 1.25, P = 0.0045). Mediation analysis revealed that elevated GCDH expression significantly reduced glutarylcarnitine (C5-DC) levels, which in turn was inversely associated with RM risk. A three-step MR-based mediation confirmed a significant mediating effect of glutarylcarnitine (β₁₂ = 0.0680, P = 0.002), with 30.25% of the total effect attributable to it. The robustness of these findings was further demonstrated by sensitivity analyses and SMR results. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first evidence that GCDH might exert an indirect pro-RM effect via the downregulation of glutarylcarnitine, thus providing new insights into tumor metabolic pathways and positioning glutarylcarnitine as a potentially diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for RM.

GCDH↗

Short on phosphate: plant surveillance and countermeasures.

Metabolism depends on inorganic phosphate (P(i)) as reactant, allosteric effector and regulatory moiety in covalent protein modification. To cope with P(i) shortage (a common situation in many ecosystems), plants activate a set of adaptive responses to enhance P(i) recycling and acquisition by reprogramming metabolism and restructuring root system architecture. The physiology of P(i) starvation responses has become well understood, and so current research focuses on the initial molecular events that sense, transmit and integrate information about external and internal P(i) status. Recent studies have provided evidence for P(i) as a signaling molecule and initial insight into the coordination of P(i) deficiency responses at the cellular and molecular level.

Adaptation, Physiological↗