Frontiers in Oncology (Jan 2021)

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase-Like Protein Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Cell Progression and Is Associated With Glutamine-Mediated Redox Balance

  • Xianglai Ye,
  • Xianglai Ye,
  • Xianglai Ye,
  • Xiujuan Wei,
  • Xiujuan Wei,
  • Xiujuan Wei,
  • Jing Liao,
  • Jing Liao,
  • Jing Liao,
  • Peipei Chen,
  • Peipei Chen,
  • Peipei Chen,
  • Xueyun Li,
  • Xueyun Li,
  • Xueyun Li,
  • Yulong Chen,
  • Yulong Chen,
  • Yulong Chen,
  • Yue Yang,
  • Yue Yang,
  • Yue Yang,
  • Qiongya Zhao,
  • Hongwei Sun,
  • Liming Pan,
  • Guorong Chen,
  • Xujun He,
  • Jianxin Lyu,
  • Jianxin Lyu,
  • Jianxin Lyu,
  • Jianxin Lyu,
  • Jianxin Lyu,
  • Hezhi Fang,
  • Hezhi Fang,
  • Hezhi Fang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.617190
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

Read online

Tumor cells develop a series of metabolic reprogramming mechanisms to meet the metabolic needs for tumor progression. As metabolic hubs in cells, mitochondria play a significant role in this process, including energy production, biosynthesis, and redox hemostasis. In this study, we show that 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-like protein (HPDL), a previously uncharacterized protein, is positively associated with the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and disease prognosis. We found that overexpression of HPDL in PDAC cells promotes tumorigenesis in vitro, whereas knockdown of HPDL inhibits cell proliferation and colony formation. Mechanistically, we found that HPDL is a mitochondrial intermembrane space localized protein that positively regulates mitochondrial bioenergetic processes and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation in a glutamine dependent manner. Our results further reveal that HPDL protects cells from oxidative stress by reprogramming the metabolic profile of PDAC cells toward glutamine metabolism. In short, we conclude that HPDL promotes PDAC likely through its effects on glutamine metabolism and redox balance.

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