Folate enzyme MTHFD2 links one-carbon metabolism to unfolded protein response in glioblastoma. (28th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Zhiyuan; Kiang, Karrie Mei-Yee; Li, Ning; Liu, Jiaxin; Zhang, Pingde; Jin, Lei; He, Xiaozheng; Zhang, Shizhong; Leung, Gilberto Ka-Kit
• Is Part Of: Cancer letters. Volume 549(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11-28
• Subjects: Metabolic reprogramming -- Metabolomics -- Non-metabolic -- RNA interference -- ER stress; Cancer -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215903
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-3835

Abstract

Abstract: The mitochondrial folate enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/cyclohydrolase (MTHFD2) has shown oncogenic roles in various cancers and may have non-metabolic functions. This study investigated the role of MTHFD2 in glioblastoma pathogenesis. We find that MTHFD2 expression is enriched in gliomas by analysing public databases and clinical specimens. RNA interference (RNAi) and inhibitor of MTHFD2 hamper the proliferation of glioblastoma and induce apoptosis in cell lines, glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) and patient-derived xenografts (PDX). Metabolomic analyses show that MTHFD2 depletion suppresses the central carbon metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. GSEA reveals a novel non-metabolic function of MTHFD2 in association with the unfolded protein response (UPR). MTHFD2 depletion activates the PERK/eIF2α axis which contributes to translation inhibition and apoptosis; these effects are attenuated by a PERK inhibitor. Mechanistically, MTHFD2 may be linked to UPR via the post-transcriptionally regulation of chaperone protein GRP78. In conclusion, MTHFD2 could be a promising therapeutic target for glioblastoma. Besides its canonical role, MTHFD2 may contribute to glioblastoma pathogenesis via UPR, highlighting a newly identified functional link between one-carbon metabolism and cell stress response. Highlights: Inhibiting folate enzyme MTHFD2 shows potent anti-glioblastoma effects. MTHFD2 depletion causes universal downregulation of central carbon metabolism. MTHFD2 has a non-metabolic role in association with UPR and protein translation.