scholarly journals TCA Cycle Defects and Cancer: When Metabolism Tunes Redox State

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Cardaci ◽  
Maria Rosa Ciriolo

Inborn defects of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes have been known for more than twenty years. Until recently, only recessive mutations were described which, although resulted in severe multisystem syndromes, did not predispose to cancer onset. In the last ten years, a causal role in carcinogenesis has been documented for inherited and acquired alterations in three TCA cycle enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), fumarate hydratase (FH), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), pointing towards metabolic alterations as the underlying hallmark of cancer. This paper summarizes the neoplastic alterations of the TCA cycle enzymes focusing on the generation of pseudohypoxic phenotype and the alteration of epigenetic homeostasis as the main tumor-promoting effects of the TCA cycle affecting defects. Moreover, we debate on the ability of these mutations to affect cellular redox state and to promote carcinogenesis by impacting on redox biology.

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan Gerard Ryan ◽  
Ming Yang ◽  
Hiran A Prag ◽  
Giovanny Rodriguez Blanco ◽  
Efterpi Nikitopoulou ◽  
...  

The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA) cycle is arguably the most critical metabolic cycle in physiology and exists as an essential interface coordinating cellular metabolism, bioenergetics, and redox homeostasis. Despite decades of research, a comprehensive investigation into the consequences of TCA cycle dysfunction remains elusive. Here, we targeted two TCA cycle enzymes, fumarate hydratase (FH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and combined metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics analyses to fully appraise the consequences of TCA cycle inhibition (TCAi) in murine kidney epithelial cells. Our comparative approach shows that TCAi elicits a convergent rewiring of redox and amino acid metabolism dependent on the activation of ATF4 and the integrated stress response (ISR). Furthermore, we also uncover a divergent metabolic response, whereby acute FHi, but not SDHi, can maintain asparagine levels via reductive carboxylation and maintenance of cytosolic aspartate synthesis. Our work highlights an important interplay between the TCA cycle, redox biology and amino acid homeostasis.


1971 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard I. Tomlins ◽  
Merle D. Pierson ◽  
Z. John Ordal

The heating of S. aureus MF-31 and S. typhimurium 7136 at 52C and 48C respectively, produced a sublethal heat injury. When injured cells were placed in fresh growth medium they recovered. The recovery of S. aureus was not inhibited by chloramphenicol. The metabolic activities of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes, as well as other selected enzymes in crude extracts of normal and heat-injured cells of both microorganisms were assayed. In extracts from S. typhimurium there was some loss of specific activity with fumarate hydratase, glutamate dehydrogenase, fructose diphosphate aldolase, lactate dehydrogenase, and the NAD(P) oxidases as a result of heating. In extracts from S. aureus oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase were severely inactivated after heating. Other enzymes in comparison were only moderately sensitive to heat. No significant increase in enzyme activity was observed in extracts from injured cells of either microorganism. Re-naturation of lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase occurred during the recovery of S. aureus both in the presence and absence of chloramphenicol. No renaturation of oxoglutarate dehydrogenase was found under the same conditions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan Gerard Ryan ◽  
Ming Yang ◽  
Hiran A Prag ◽  
Giovanny Rodriguez Blanco ◽  
Efterpi Nikitopoulou ◽  
...  

The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA) cycle is arguably the most critical metabolic cycle in physiology and exists as an essential interface coordinating cellular metabolism, bioenergetics, and redox homeostasis. Despite decades of research, a comprehensive investigation into the consequences of TCA cycle dysfunction remains elusive. Here, we targeted two TCA cycle enzymes, fumarate hydratase (FH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and combined metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics analyses to fully appraise the consequences of TCA cycle inhibition (TCAi) in kidney epithelial cells. Our comparative approach shows that TCAi elicits a convergent rewiring of redox and amino acid metabolism dependent on the activation of ATF4 and the integrated stress response (ISR). Furthermore, we also uncover a divergent metabolic response, whereby acute FHi, but not SDHi, can maintain asparagine levels via reductive carboxylation and maintenance of cytosolic aspartate synthesis. Our work highlights an important interplay between the TCA cycle, redox biology and amino acid homeostasis.


1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-53
Author(s):  
S. Dhandayuthapani ◽  
K. Nellaiappan

ABSTRACTStudies on the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) enzymes of Penetrocephalus ganapatii reveal that the TCA cycle is only partially operative, as some of the enzymes at the start of the cycle viz. citrate synthase, aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase are found to be low in their activities. The high activities of malate dehydrogenase and fumarase, showing affinity towards a reverse direction, indicate that the TCA cycle operates in the reverse direction resulting in the formation of fumarate. The low succinate dehydrogenase/fumarate reductase ratio suggests that ATP generation may occur at site I of the respiratory chain during the reduction of fumarate into succinate.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 762
Author(s):  
Edward V. Prochownik ◽  
Huabo Wang

Pyruvate occupies a central metabolic node by virtue of its position at the crossroads of glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and its production and fate being governed by numerous cell-intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The former includes the cell’s type, redox state, ATP content, metabolic requirements and the activities of other metabolic pathways. The latter include the extracellular oxygen concentration, pH and nutrient levels, which are in turn governed by the vascular supply. Within this context, we discuss the six pathways that influence pyruvate content and utilization: 1. The lactate dehydrogenase pathway that either converts excess pyruvate to lactate or that regenerates pyruvate from lactate for use as a fuel or biosynthetic substrate; 2. The alanine pathway that generates alanine and other amino acids; 3. The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex pathway that provides acetyl-CoA, the TCA cycle’s initial substrate; 4. The pyruvate carboxylase reaction that anaplerotically supplies oxaloacetate; 5. The malic enzyme pathway that also links glycolysis and the TCA cycle and generates NADPH to support lipid bio-synthesis; and 6. The acetate bio-synthetic pathway that converts pyruvate directly to acetate. The review discusses the mechanisms controlling these pathways, how they cross-talk and how they cooperate and are regulated to maximize growth and achieve metabolic and energetic harmony.


1973 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. G. W. Kurz ◽  
T. A. G. LaRue

When Azotobacter chroococcum grows on glycolic acid as sole C source, it cannot utilize N2 and must be provided with reduced nitrogen. Glycolic acid is metabolized via Kornberg's dicarboxylic acid cycle. The TCA cycle enzymes are low in activity, and isocitric dehydrogenase is absent. It is likely that isocitric dehydrogenase is the source of reductant for nitrogen fixation by Azotobacter nitrogenase.


1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (3) ◽  
pp. E296-E305 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Kelleher

To estimate the rate of gluconeogenesis from steady-state incorporation of labeled 3-carbon precursors into glucose, isotope dilution must be considered so that the rate of labeling of glucose can be quantitatively converted to the rate of gluconeogenesis. An expression for the value of this isotope dilution can be derived using mathematical techniques and a model of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The present investigation employs a more complex model than that used in previous studies. This model includes the following pathways that may affect the correction for isotope dilution: 1) flux of 3-carbon precursor to the oxaloacetate pool via acetyl-CoA and the TCA cycle; 2) flux of 4- or 5-carbon compounds into the TCA cycle; 3) reversible flux between oxaloacetate (OAA) and pyruvate and between OAA and fumarate; 4) incomplete equilibrium between OAA pools; and 5) isotope dilution of 3-carbon tracers between the experimentally measured pool and the precursor for the TCA-cycle OAA pool. Experimental tests are outlined which investigators can use to determine whether these pathways are significant in a specific steady-state system. The study indicated that flux through these five pathways can significantly affect the correction for isotope dilution. To correct for the effects of these pathways an alternative method for calculating isotope dilution is proposed using citrate to relate the specific activities of acetyl-CoA and OAA.


2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (9) ◽  
pp. 2967-2973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cuong Vuong ◽  
Joshua B. Kidder ◽  
Erik R. Jacobson ◽  
Michael Otto ◽  
Richard A. Proctor ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Staphylococcal polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) is important for the development of a mature biofilm. PIA production is increased during growth in a nutrient-replete or iron-limited medium and under conditions of low oxygen availability. Additionally, stress-inducing stimuli such as heat, ethanol, and high concentrations of salt increase the production of PIA. These same environmental conditions are known to repress tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, leading us to hypothesize that altering TCA cycle activity would affect PIA production. Culturing Staphylococcus epidermidis with a low concentration of the TCA cycle inhibitor fluorocitrate dramatically increased PIA production without impairing glucose catabolism, the growth rate, or the growth yields. These data lead us to speculate that one mechanism by which staphylococci perceive external environmental change is through alterations in TCA cycle activity leading to changes in the intracellular levels of biosynthetic intermediates, ATP, or the redox status of the cell. These changes in the metabolic status of the bacteria result in the attenuation or augmentation of PIA production.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liying Ruan ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Dian Zou ◽  
Cong Jiang ◽  
Zhiyou Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a critical cofactor involved in many biochemical reactions. However, the low fermentation titer of SAM in methionine-free medium hampers commercial-scale production. The SAM synthesis pathway is specially related to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Therefore, the SAM synthesis pathway was engineered and coupled with the TCA cycle in B. amyloliquefaciens to improve SAM production in methionine-free medium. Results Four genes were found to significantly affect SAM production, including SAM2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, metA and metB from Escherichia coli, and native mccA. These four genes were combined to engineer the SAM pathway, resulting in a 1.42-fold increase in SAM titer using recombinant strain HSAM1. The engineered SAM pathway was subsequently coupled with the TCA cycle through deletion of succinyl-CoA synthetase gene sucC, and the resulted HSAM2 mutant produced a maximum SAM titer of 107.47 mg/L, representing a 0.59-fold increase over HSAM1. Expression of SAM2 in this strain via a recombinant plasmid resulted in strain HSAM3 that produced 648.99 mg/L SAM following semi-continuous flask batch fermentation, a much higher yield than previously reported for methionine-free medium. Conclusions This study reports an efficient strategy for improving SAM production that can also be applied for generation of SAM cofactors supporting group transfer reactions, which could benefit metabolic engineering, chemical biology and synthetic biology.


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