Ras-dependent carbon metabolism and transformation in mouse fibroblasts.
Mutational activation of ras genes is required for the onset and maintenance of different malignancies. Here we show, using a combination of molecular physiology, nutritional perturbations and transcriptional profiling, that full penetrance of phenotypes related to oncogenic Ras activation, including the shift of carbon metabolism towards fermentation and upregulation of key cell cycle regulators, is dependent upon glucose availability. These responses are induced by Ras activation, being specifically reverted by downregulation of the Ras pathway obtained through the expression of a dominant-negative Ras-specific guanine nucleotide exchange protein. Our data allow to link directly to ras activation the alteration in energy metabolism of cancer cells, their fragility towards glucose shortage and ensuing apoptotic death.
Chiaradonna
F
F
Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Sacco
E
E
Manzoni
R
R
Giorgio
M
M
Vanoni
M
M
Alberghina
L
L
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D016923:Cell Death; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D019344:Lactic Acid; D018631:ras Proteins; D005947:Glucose