Advanced Science (Sep 2023)

MTA1, a Novel ATP Synthase Complex Modulator, Enhances Colon Cancer Liver Metastasis by Driving Mitochondrial Metabolism Reprogramming

  • Ting Wang,
  • Fangzhou Sun,
  • Chunxiao Li,
  • Peng Nan,
  • Yan Song,
  • Xuhao Wan,
  • Hongnan Mo,
  • Jinsong Wang,
  • Yantong Zhou,
  • Yuzheng Guo,
  • Aya Ei Helali,
  • Dongkui Xu,
  • Qimin Zhan,
  • Fei Ma,
  • Haili Qian

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202300756
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 25
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Liver metastasis is the most fatal event of colon cancer patients. Warburg effect has been long challenged by the fact of upregulated oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), while its mechanism remains unclear. Here, metastasis‐associated antigen 1 (MTA1) is identified as a newly identified adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase modulator by interacting with ATP synthase F1 subunit alpha (ATP5A), facilitates colon cancer liver metastasis by driving mitochondrial bioenergetic metabolism reprogramming, enhancing OXPHOS; therefore, modulating ATP synthase activity and downstream mTOR pathways. High‐throughput screening of an anticancer drug shows MTA1 knockout increases the sensitivity of colon cancer to mitochondrial bioenergetic metabolism‐targeted drugs and mTOR inhibitors. Inhibiting ATP5A enhances the sensitivity of liver‐metastasized colon cancer to sirolimus in an MTA1‐dependent manner. The therapeutic effects are verified in xenograft models and clinical cases. This research identifies a new modulator of mitochondrial bioenergetic reprogramming in cancer metastasis and reveals a new mechanism on upregulating mitochondrial OXPHOS as the reversal of Warburg effect in cancer metastasis is orchestrated.

Keywords