Compensatory metabolic networks in pancreatic cancers upon perturbation of glutamine metabolism

DE Biancur, JA Paulo, B Małachowska… - Nature …, 2017 - nature.com
DE Biancur, JA Paulo, B Małachowska, M Quiles Del Rey, CM Sousa, X Wang, ASW Sohn…
Nature communications, 2017nature.com
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a notoriously difficult-to-treat cancer and patients are
in need of novel therapies. We have shown previously that these tumours have altered
metabolic requirements, making them highly reliant on a number of adaptations including a
non-canonical glutamine (Gln) metabolic pathway and that inhibition of downstream
components of Gln metabolism leads to a decrease in tumour growth. Here we test whether
recently developed inhibitors of glutaminase (GLS), which mediates an early step in Gln …
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a notoriously difficult-to-treat cancer and patients are in need of novel therapies. We have shown previously that these tumours have altered metabolic requirements, making them highly reliant on a number of adaptations including a non-canonical glutamine (Gln) metabolic pathway and that inhibition of downstream components of Gln metabolism leads to a decrease in tumour growth. Here we test whether recently developed inhibitors of glutaminase (GLS), which mediates an early step in Gln metabolism, represent a viable therapeutic strategy. We show that despite marked early effects on in vitro proliferation caused by GLS inhibition, pancreatic cancer cells have adaptive metabolic networks that sustain proliferation in vitro and in vivo. We use an integrated metabolomic and proteomic platform to understand this adaptive response and thereby design rational combinatorial approaches. We demonstrate that pancreatic cancer metabolism is adaptive and that targeting Gln metabolism in combination with these adaptive responses may yield clinical benefits for patients.
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