Metabolic Routes in Inflammation: The Citrate Pathway and its Potential as Therapeutic Target

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (40) ◽  
pp. 7104-7116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittoria Infantino ◽  
Ciro Leonardo Pierri ◽  
Vito Iacobazzi

Significant metabolic changes occur in inflammation to respond to the new energetic needs of cells. Mitochondria are addressed not only to produce ATP, but also to supply substrates, such citrate, to produce pro-inflammatory molecules. In this context, most of the citrate is diverted from Krebs cycle and channeled into the “citrate pathway” leading to the increase in the export of citrate into cytosol by the Mitochondrial Citrate Carrier (CIC) followed by its cleavage into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate by ATP Citrate Lyase (ACLY). Acetyl- CoA is used to produce PGE2 and oxaloacetate to make NADPH needed for NO and ROS production. In addition, cytosolic citrate also provides precursors for itaconate synthesis. Citrate- derived itaconate acts as a negative regulator of inflammation by modulating the synthesis of the inflammatory mediators. Inhibition of CIC or ACLY by different synthetic and natural molecules results in the reduction of NO, ROS and PGE2 levels suggesting that the citrate pathway can be a new target to be addressed in inflammation. Beneficial effects can be obtained also in the oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions observed in Down syndrome.

2018 ◽  
Vol 293 (41) ◽  
pp. 16019-16027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna H. Shares ◽  
Melanie Busch ◽  
Noelle White ◽  
Laura Shum ◽  
Roman A. Eliseev

Bone marrow stromal (a.k.a. mesenchymal stem) cells (BMSCs) can differentiate into osteoblasts (OBs), adipocytes, or chondrocytes. As BMSCs undergo OB differentiation, they up-regulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). Here, we investigated the mechanism(s) connecting mitochondrial OxPhos to OB differentiation. First, we found that treating BMSC-like C3H10T1/2 cells with an OxPhos inhibitor reduces their osteogenic potential. Interestingly, ATP levels were not reduced, as glycolysis compensated for the decreased OxPhos. Thus, mitochondria support OB differentiation not only by supplying ATP, but also by other mechanisms. To uncover these mechanisms, we stimulated OxPhos in C3H10T1/2 cells by replacing media glucose with galactose and observed that this substitution increases both OxPhos and osteogenesis even in the absence of osteoinducers. β-Catenin, an important signaling pathway in osteogenesis, was found to be responsive to OxPhos stimulation. β-Catenin activity is maintained by acetylation, and mitochondria generate the acetyl donor acetyl-CoA, which upon entering the Krebs cycle is converted to citrate capable of exiting mitochondria. Cytosolic citrate is converted back to acetyl-CoA by ATP citrate lyase (ACLY). We found that inhibiting ACLY with SB204990 (SB) reverses the galactose-induced β-catenin activity and OB differentiation. This suggested that acetylation is involved in β-catenin activation after forced OxPhos stimulation, and using immunoprecipitation, we indeed detected SB-sensitive β-catenin acetylation. Both β-catenin acetylation and activity increased during osteoinduction coincident with OxPhos activation. These findings suggest that active mitochondria support OB differentiation by promoting β-catenin acetylation and thus activity.


Author(s):  
Kenneth Verstraete ◽  
Koen H. G. Verschueren ◽  
Ann Dansercoer ◽  
Savvas N. Savvides

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P Lazaropoulos ◽  
Andrew A Gibb ◽  
Anh Huynh ◽  
Kathryn Wellen ◽  
John W Elrod

A feature of heart failure (HF) is excessive extracellular matrix deposition and cardiac remodeling by a differentiated fibroblast population known as myofibroblasts. Identifying mechanisms of myofibroblast differentiation in cardiac fibrosis could yield novel therapeutic targets to delay or reverse HF. Recent evidence suggests that myofibroblast differentiation requires metabolic reprogramming for transcriptional activation of the myofibroblast gene program by chromatin-dependent mechanisms. We previously reported that inhibition of histone demethylation blocks myofibroblast formation, however, whether histone acetylation (e.g., H3K27ac, a prominent mark associated with gene transcription) is involved in fibroblast reprogramming remains unclear. ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) synthesizes acetyl-CoA and therein supplies acetyl-CoA to the nucleus, where it is used as a substrate by histone acetyltransferases (HATs). To define the role of acetyl-CoA metabolism in myofibroblast differentiation, we stimulated differentiation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and adult mouse cardiac fibroblasts (ACFs) with the pro-fibrotic agonist transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and treated cells with a pharmacological inhibitor of ACLY. ACLY inhibition decreased myofibroblast gene expression in ACF and MEFs in TGFβ-stimulated myofibroblast differentiation, in addition to decreasing the population of αSMA positive MEFs. Genetic deletion of ACLY in MEFs recapitulated the results observed with pharmacological inhibition. Encouragingly, the ACLY inhibitor was sufficient to revert fully differentiated myofibroblasts under continuous TGFβ stimulation to a quiescent, non-fibrotic phenotype. Altogether, our data indicate that ACLY activity is necessary for myofibroblast differentiation and persistence. We hypothesize that ACLY-dependent acetyl-CoA synthesis is necessary for histone acetylation and transcriptional activation of the myofibroblast gene program. Currently, we are examining mechanisms of ACLY-dependent chromatin remodeling in fibroblasts and the in vivo relevance of this mechanism in mutant mice. In summary, ACLY is a potential target to reverse cardiac fibrosis and lessen HF.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 778-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Hyeong Kim ◽  
Eun-Ryeong Hahm ◽  
Krishna B Singh ◽  
Sruti Shiva ◽  
Jacob Stewart-Ornstein ◽  
...  

Abstract Withaferin A (WA) is a promising phytochemical exhibiting in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities against prostate and other cancers, but the mechanism of its action is not fully understood. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis using 22Rv1 human prostate cancer cell line to identify mechanistic targets of WA. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed most significant enrichment of genes associated with metabolism. These results were validated using LNCaP and 22Rv1 human prostate cancer cells and Hi-Myc transgenic mice as models. The intracellular levels of acetyl-CoA, total free fatty acids and neutral lipids were decreased significantly following WA treatment in both cells, which was accompanied by downregulation of mRNA (confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and protein levels of key fatty acid synthesis enzymes, including ATP citrate lyase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, fatty acid synthase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A. Ectopic expression of c-Myc, but not constitutively active Akt, conferred a marked protection against WA-mediated suppression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 and fatty acid synthase protein expression, and clonogenic cell survival. WA was a superior inhibitor of cell proliferation and fatty acid synthesis in comparison with known modulators of fatty acid metabolism including cerulenin and etomoxir. Intraperitoneal WA administration to Hi-Myc transgenic mice (0.1 mg/mouse, three times/week for 5 weeks) also resulted in a significant decrease in circulating levels of total free fatty acids and phospholipids, and expression of ATP citrate lyase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, fatty acid synthase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A proteins in the prostate in vivo.


2017 ◽  
Vol 313 (2) ◽  
pp. F423-F429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilip K. Deb ◽  
Yinyin Chen ◽  
Jian Sun ◽  
Youli Wang ◽  
Yan Chun Li

The goal of this study was to address the role of ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), an enzyme that converts citrate to acetyl-CoA, in high glucose (HG)-induced histone acetylation and profibrotic gene expression. Our recent ChIP-Seq studies have demonstrated that HG induces genome-wide histone hyperacetylation in mesangial cells (MCs). Here, we showed that exposure of MCs to HG markedly increased histone acetylation at the H3K9/14 and H3K18 marks and induced the expression of potent profibrotic factors TGF-β1, TGF-β3, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The induction of these profibrotic factors was further enhanced by histone deacetylase inhibitor but suppressed by histone acetyl-transferase inhibitor, confirming the importance of histone acetylation in this regulation. Interestingly, HG not only upregulated ACL expression but also promoted ACL nuclear translocation, evidenced by increased ACL concentration and activity in the nuclear extracts. Consistent with this observation, transfection of MCs with a plasmid-carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP)-ACL fusion protein led to GFP nuclear accumulation when cultured in HG condition. Silencing ACL with siRNAs alleviated HG-induced histone hyperacetylation, as well as upregulation of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, CTGF, and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins fibronectin and collagen type IV, whereas ACL overexpression further enhanced HG induction of histone acetylation, as well as these profibrotic factors and ECM proteins. Collectively, these observations demonstrate that HG promotes ACL expression and translocation into the nucleus, where ACL converts citrate to acetyl-CoA to provide the substrate for histone acetylation, leading to upregulation of fibrogenic genes. Therefore, ACL plays a critical role in epigenetic regulation of diabetic renal fibrosis.


1972 ◽  
Vol 128 (5) ◽  
pp. 1293-1301 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. K. Joseph ◽  
K. Subrahmanyam

1. The activities of gluconeogenic and glycolytic enzymes and the concentrations of citrate, ammonia, amino acids, glycogen, glucose 6-phosphate, acetyl-CoA, lactate and pyruvate were measured in kidney cortex of normal, diabetic, cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats. 2. In kidney cortex of diabetic, cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats the activities of glucose 6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9), fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) and phosphopyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.32) were increased. 3. The activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.10) and pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) were increased in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats. In growth hormone-treated rats the activity of aspartate aminotransferase was depressed but those of the other three enzymes were unchanged. 4. The activity of hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1) was not altered in any of these conditions. Phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11) activity was depressed only in growth hormone-treated rats. Pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) activity was depressed in cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats but unchanged in diabetic rats. 5. Amino acids, acetyl-CoA and glucose 6-phosphate contents were increased in rat kidneys in all these three conditions. Ammonia content was increased in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats but was markedly diminished in growth hormone-treated rats. 6. The [lactate]/[pyruvate] ratio was elevated in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats but unchanged in growth hormone-treated rats. Citrate content was increased in the kidney cortex of diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats but was unchanged in cortisone-treated rats. The activity of ATP citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8) was depressed in diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats but was increased in cortisone-treated rats. 7. Glycogen content was moderately elevated in growth hormone-treated rats and markedly elevated in diabetic rats, whereas no change in glycogen content was observed in cortisone-treated rats. Glycogen synthetase (EC 2.4.1.11) activity was unchanged in all these three conditions. Phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) activity was not affected in cortisone-treated rats but was depressed in diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats.


1984 ◽  
Vol 218 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
R W Brownsey ◽  
N J Edgell ◽  
T J Hopkirk ◽  
R M Denton

Protein kinase activity in high-speed supernatant fractions prepared from rat epididymal adipose tissue previously incubated in the absence or presence of insulin was investigated by following the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphoproteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electro-phoresis. Incorporation of 32P into several endogenous proteins in the supernatant fractions from insulin-treated tissue was significantly increased. These included acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP citrate lyase (which exhibit increased phosphorylation within fat-cells exposed to insulin), together with two unknown proteins of subunit Mr 78000 and 43000. The protein kinase activity increased by insulin was distinct from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, was not dependent on Ca2+ and was not appreciably affected by dialysis or gel filtration. The rate of phosphorylation of added purified fat-cell acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP citrate lyase was also increased by 60-90% in high-speed-supernatant fractions prepared from insulin-treated tissue. No evidence for any persistent changes in phosphoprotein phosphatase activity was found. It is concluded that insulin action on acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ATP citrate lyase and other intracellular proteins exhibiting increased phosphorylation involves an increase in cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activity in the cytoplasm. The possibility that the increase reflects translocation from the plasma membrane, perhaps after phosphorylation by the protein tyrosine kinase associated with insulin receptors, is discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 591-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Nikolau ◽  
D. J. Oliver ◽  
P. S. Schnable ◽  
E. S. Wurtele

We have characterized the expression of potential acetyl-CoA-generating genes (acetyl-CoA synthetase, pyruvate decarboxylase, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, plastidic pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and ATP-citrate lyase), and compared these with the expression of acetyl-CoA-metabolizing genes (heteromeric and homomeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase). These comparisons have led to the development of testable hypotheses as to how distinct pools of acetyl-CoA are generated and metabolized. These hypotheses are being tested by combined biochemical, genetic and molecular biological experiments, which is providing insights into how acetyl-CoA metabolism is regulated.


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