Thymidine Catabolism as a Metabolic Strategy for Cancer Survival

Publication date: 16 May 2017
Source:Cell Reports, Volume 19, Issue 7
Author(s): Sho Tabata, Masatatsu Yamamoto, Hisatsugu Goto, Akiyoshi Hirayama, Maki Ohishi, Takuya Kuramoto, Atsushi Mitsuhashi, Ryuji Ikeda, Misako Haraguchi, Kohichi Kawahara, Yoshinari Shinsato, Kentaro Minami, Atsuro Saijo, Masaki Hanibuchi, Yasuhiko Nishioka, Saburo Sone, Hiroyasu Esumi, Masaru Tomita, Tomoyoshi Soga, Tatsuhiko Furukawa, Shin-ichi Akiyama
Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), a rate-limiting enzyme in thymidine catabolism, plays a pivotal role in tumor progression; however, the mechanisms underlying this role are not fully understood. Here, we found that TP-mediated thymidine catabolism could supply the carbon source in the glycolytic pathway and thus contribute to cell survival under conditions of nutrient deprivation. In TP-expressing cells, thymidine was converted to metabolites, including glucose 6-phosphate, lactate, 5-phospho-α-D-ribose 1-diphosphate, and serine, via the glycolytic pathway both in vitro and in vivo. These thymidine-derived metabolites were required for the survival of cells under low-glucose conditions. Furthermore, activation of thymidine catabolism was observed in human gastric cancer. These findings demonstrate that thymidine can serve as a glycolytic pathway substrate in human cancer cells.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Tabata et al. find that thymidine phosphorylase (TP)-mediated thymidine catabolism can supply carbon to the glycolytic pathway in mammalian cells. In TP-expressing cancer cells, thymidine contributes to cell survival under nutrient starvation.


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