In Vivo Detection by31P NMR of Pentose Phosphate Pathway Block Secondary to Biochemical Modulation

Abstract The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) generates NADPH and ribose 5-phosphate, which are involved in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species and the synthesis of nucleotides. As such, the PPP is typically upregulated in cancer cells to address the metabolic needs of rapid cell proliferation. Imaging PPP upregulation could therefore be useful in tumor assessment. One intermediate of the pathway is 6-phospho-δ-gluconolactone (6P-δ-GL), which is produced by phosphorylation of δ-gluconolactone. 6P-δ-GL is further metabolized to 6-phospho-gluconate (6PG). The goal of our study was to evaluate, for the first time, whether hyperpolarized (HP) δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone can be used to assess PPP flux and detect the presence of tumor in an orthotopic glioma rat model. Athymic nude rats bearing orthotropic U87 tumors or age-matched tumor-free controls were investigated. HP studies were performed following intravenous injection of HP δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone and metabolic images using a flyback spectral-spatial echo-planar spectroscopic imaging pulse were acquired. The data were processed using in-house Matlab code. 6P-δ-GL and 6-phospho-γ-[1-13C]gluconolactone were observed in all rats ~10 seconds after HP δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone injection, followed ~5 seconds later by production of 6PG observed at 179.3ppm. These data indicate that HP δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone likely crosses the blood-brain barrier, consistent with its transport via glucose transporters, and is rapidly metabolized. Importantly, 6PG was significantly higher in tumor voxels. The ratio of 6PG-to-6P-δ-GL was comparable in normal brain and in normal-appearing contralateral brain of tumor-bearing rats at 0.43±0.09 and 0.45±0.06 respectively (p=0.85), but significant higher in the tumor regions at 0.70±0.11 (p=0.04 and p=0.02 respectively), consistent with the elevated PPP flux that typically occurs in tumor cells. Our results indicate, to our knowledge for the first time, that metabolism of HP δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone can be assessed in the brain and that elevated 6PG production in glioma provides a potential metabolic imaging approach to probe tumor development, recurrence and response to therapy.

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Beneficial effects of acute inhibition of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in the failing heart

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00783.2013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 306 (5) ◽

pp. H709-H717 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Claudio Vimercati ◽

Khaled Qanud ◽

Gianfranco Mitacchione ◽

Danuta Sosnowska ◽

Zoltan Ungvari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Tissue Concentration ◽

Glucose Consumption ◽

Pentose Phosphate ◽

Oxidative Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Stroke Work ◽

Failing Heart

In vitro studies suggested that glucose metabolism through the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (oxPPP) can paradoxically feed superoxide-generating enzymes in failing hearts. We therefore tested the hypothesis that acute inhibition of the oxPPP reduces oxidative stress and enhances function and metabolism of the failing heart, in vivo. In 10 chronically instrumented dogs, congestive heart failure (HF) was induced by high-frequency cardiac pacing. Myocardial glucose consumption was enhanced by raising arterial glycemia to levels mimicking postprandial peaks, before and after intravenous administration of the oxPPP inhibitor 6-aminonicotinamide (80 mg/kg). Myocardial energy substrate metabolism was measured with radiolabeled glucose and oleic acid, and cardiac 8-isoprostane output was used as an index of oxidative stress. A group of five chronically instrumented, normal dogs served as control. In HF, raising glycemic levels from ∼80 to ∼170 mg/dL increased cardiac isoprostane output by approximately twofold, whereas oxPPP inhibition normalized oxidative stress and enhanced cardiac oxygen consumption, glucose oxidation, and stroke work. In normal hearts glucose infusion did not induce significant changes in cardiac oxidative stress. Myocardial tissue concentration of 6P-gluconate, an intermediate metabolite of the oxPPP, was significantly reduced by ∼50% in treated versus nontreated failing hearts, supporting the inhibitory effect of 6-aminonicotinamide. Our study indicates an important contribution of the oxPPP activity to cardiac oxidative stress in HF, which is particularly pronounced during common physiological changes such as postprandial glycemic peaks.

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Listeria monocytogenes 6-Phosphogluconolactonase Mutants Induce Increased Activation of a Host Cytosolic Surveillance Pathway

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.01511-08 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 77 (7) ◽

pp. 3014-3022 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Gregory T. Crimmins ◽

Michael W. Schelle ◽

Anat A. Herskovits ◽

Peggy P. Ni ◽

Benjamin C. Kline ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Deletion Mutant ◽

Minimal Medium ◽

Pentose Phosphate ◽

Wild Type ◽

Transposon Insertion ◽

Excess Glucose ◽

Insertion Mutants

ABSTRACT Infection with wild-type Listeria monocytogenes activates a host cytosolic surveillance response characterized by the expression of beta interferon (IFN-β). We performed a genetic screen to identify L. monocytogenes transposon insertion mutants that induced altered levels of host IFN-β expression. One mutant from this screen induced elevated levels of IFN-β and harbored a Tn917 insertion upstream of lmo0558. This study identified lmo0558 as the 6-phosphogluconolactonase gene (pgl), which encodes the second enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway. pgl mutant L. monocytogenes accumulated and secreted large amounts of gluconate, likely derived from labile 6-phosphogluconolactone, the substrate of Pgl. The pgl deletion mutant had decreased growth in glucose-limiting minimal medium but grew normally when excess glucose was added. Microarray analysis revealed that the pgl deletion mutant had increased expression of several β-glucosidases, consistent with known inhibition of β-glucosidases by 6-phosphogluconolactone. While growth in macrophages was indistinguishable from that of wild-type bacteria, pgl mutant L. monocytogenes exhibited a 15- to 30-fold defect in growth in vivo. In addition, L. monocytogenes harboring an in-frame deletion of pgl was more sensitive to oxidative stress. This study identified L. monocytogenes pgl and provided the first link between the bacterial pentose phosphate pathway and activation of host IFN-β expression.

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In vivo operation of the pentose phosphate pathway in frog oocytes is limited by NADP+ availability

FEBS Letters ◽

10.1016/s0014-5793(99)00192-1 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 446 (1) ◽

pp. 149-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ana Preller ◽

Victoria Guixé ◽

Tito Ureta

Keyword(s):

Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Pentose Phosphate

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The pentose phosphate pathway regulates chronic neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration

Journal of Neuroinflammation ◽

10.1186/s12974-019-1659-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dezhen Tu ◽

Yun Gao ◽

Ru Yang ◽

Tian Guan ◽

Jau-Shyong Hong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substantia Nigra ◽

Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Microglial Activation ◽

Redox Homeostasis ◽

Pentose Phosphate ◽

Transgenic Expression ◽

Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration ◽

Locomotor Impairment

Abstract Background Metabolic dysfunction and neuroinflammation are increasingly implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP, a metabolic pathway parallel to glycolysis) converts glucose-6-phosphate into pentoses and generates ribose-5-phosphate and NADPH thereby governing anabolic biosynthesis and redox homeostasis. Brains and immune cells display high activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme of the PPP. A postmortem study reveals dysregulation of G6PD enzyme in brains of PD patients. However, spatial and temporal changes in activity/expression of G6PD in PD remain undetermined. More importantly, it is unclear how dysfunction of G6PD and the PPP affects neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in PD. Methods We examined expression/activity of G6PD and its association with microglial activation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in multiple chronic PD models generated by an intranigral/intraperitoneal injection of LPS, daily subcutaneous injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) for 6 days, or transgenic expression of A53T α-synuclein. Primary microglia were transfected with G6PD siRNAs and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to examine effects of G6PD knockdown on microglial activation and death of co-cultured neurons. LPS alone or with G6PD inhibitor(s) was administrated to mouse substantia nigra or midbrain neuron-glia cultures. While histological and biochemical analyses were conducted to examine microglial activation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in vitro and in vivo, rotarod behavior test was performed to evaluate locomotor impairment in mice. Results Expression and activity of G6PD were elevated in LPS-treated midbrain neuron-glia cultures (an in vitro PD model) and the substantia nigra of four in vivo PD models. Such elevation was positively associated with microglial activation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Furthermore, inhibition of G6PD by 6-aminonicotinamide and dehydroepiandrosterone and knockdown of microglial G6PD attenuated LPS-elicited chronic dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, microglia with elevated G6PD activity/expression produced excessive NADPH and provided abundant substrate to over-activated NADPH oxidase (NOX2) leading to production of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS). Knockdown and inhibition of G6PD ameliorated LPS-triggered production of ROS and activation of NF-кB thereby dampening microglial activation. Conclusions Our findings indicated that G6PD-mediated PPP dysfunction and neuroinflammation exacerbated each other mediating chronic dopaminergic neurodegeneration and locomotor impairment. Insight into metabolic-inflammatory interface suggests that G6PD and NOX2 are potential therapeutic targets for PD.

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Amplified Expression of Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphatase in Corynebacterium glutamicum Increases In Vivo Flux through the Pentose Phosphate Pathway and Lysine Production on Different Carbon Sources

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.71.12.8587-8596.2005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 71 (12) ◽

pp. 8587-8596 ◽

Cited By ~ 140

Author(s):

Judith Becker ◽

Corinna Klopprogge ◽

Oskar Zelder ◽

Elmar Heinzle ◽

Christoph Wittmann

Keyword(s):

Corynebacterium Glutamicum ◽

Pentose Phosphate Pathway ◽

Metabolic Flux ◽

Carbon Sources ◽

Pentose Phosphate ◽

Metabolic Effects ◽

Flux Analysis ◽

Lysine Production ◽

Fructose 1,6 Bisphosphatase

ABSTRACT The overexpression of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) in Corynebacterium glutamicum leads to significant improvement of lysine production on different sugars. Amplified expression of FBPase via the promoter of the gene encoding elongation factor TU (EFTU) increased the lysine yield in the feedback-deregulated lysine-producing strain C. glutamicum lysCfbr by 40% on glucose and 30% on fructose or sucrose. Additionally formation of the by-products glycerol and dihydroxyacetone was significantly reduced in the PEFTUfbp mutant. As revealed by 13C metabolic flux analysis on glucose the overexpression of FBPase causes a redirection of carbon flux from glycolysis toward the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and thus leads to increased NADPH supply. Normalized to an uptake flux of glucose of 100%, the relative flux into the PPP was 56% for C. glutamicum lysCfbr PEFTUfbp and 46% for C. glutamicum lysCfb r . The flux for NADPH supply was 180% in the PEFTUfbp strain and only 146% in the parent strain. Amplification of FBPase increases the production of lysine via an increased supply of NADPH. Comparative studies with another mutant containing the sod promoter upstream of the fbp gene indicate that the expression level of FBPase relates to the extent of the metabolic effects. The overexpression of FBPase seems useful for starch- and molasses-based industrial lysine production with C. glutamicum. The redirection of flux toward the PPP should also be interesting for the production of other NADPH-demanding compounds as well as for products directly stemming from the PPP.

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