Mitochondrial calcium uniporter links acetyl-CoA metabolism and H3K27 acetylation to maintain glioblastoma stem cells
Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) exhibit remarkable metabolic and epigenetic adaptability, contributing to therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence. However, the mechanisms underlying this plasticity remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify a novel metabolic-epigenetic axis centered on the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) that governs GSC fate and tumor initiation. MCU is preferentially expressed in GSCs, and its knockdown significantly impairs GSC self-renewal and viability. Mechanistically, MCU enhances mitochondrial calcium uptake, promoting acetyl-CoA production via pyruvate dehydrogenase activation, which drives histone H3K27 acetylation at the TRIB3 locus to sustain stemness programs. In glioblastoma patients, higher MCU expression is correlated with increased acetyl-CoA levels, elevated H3K27 acetylation, enhanced TRIB3 expression, higher tumor grade, and poorer survival. Pharmacological inhibition of MCU with Berberine suppresses GSC growth and extends survival in mice. These findings establish MCU as a critical link between mitochondrial metabolism and epigenetic regulation, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for glioblastoma. Overall design: RNA-seq profiling of glioblastoma stem cells (08-387 and T4121) and their MCU-knockdown derivatives.