Glycine decarboxylase is a metabolic oncogene critical for tumor initiating cells and tumorigenesis in lung cancer
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: New approaches to cancer therapies could benefit from a better understanding of the  molecular determinants critical to tumor initiating cells (TICs). Here we show that the metabolic  enzyme glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) is critical for TICs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From a  broad range of primary NSCLC tumors, we isolated CD166+ lung TICs that consistently initiated  tumorigenesis in NOD/SCID Il2rγ-/- mice. Lung TICs express high levels of the oncogenic stem cell  factor LIN28B and the metabolic enzyme GLDC. Over-expression of GLDC and other glycine/serine  metabolism enzymes, but not catalytically inactive GLDC, promotes cellular transformation and  tumorigenesis. Metabolomic analysis found that GLDC induces dramatic changes in glycolysis and  glycine/serine metabolism, leading to changes in pyrimidine metabolism to regulate cancer cell  proliferation. Clinically, GLDC over-expression, observed in multiple cancer types, predicts poorer  survival in lung cancer patients. Our findings establish a novel link between glycine metabolism and  tumorigenesis, and provide novel targets for advancing anti-cancer therapy. Total RNA obtained from tumor sphere compared to CD166+ and CD166- selected cells of xenograft, primary tumor and normal donors
ORGANISM(S):  Homo sapiens 
SUBMITTER: Henry Yang  
PROVIDER: E-GEOD-33198 | biostudies-arrayexpress |  
REPOSITORIES:  biostudies-arrayexpress
ACCESS DATA