Upregulation of mitochondrial NAD⁺ levels impairs the clonogenicity of SSEA1⁺ glioblastoma tumor-initiating cells.

ABSTRACT: Emerging evidence has emphasized the importance of cancer therapies targeting an abnormal metabolic state of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) in which they retain stem cell-like phenotypes and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) metabolism. However, the functional role of NAD⁺ metabolism in regulating the characteristics of TICs is not known. In this study, we provide evidence that the mitochondrial NAD⁺ levels affect the characteristics of glioma-driven SSEA1⁺ TICs, including clonogenic growth potential. An increase in the mitochondrial NAD⁺ levels by the overexpression of the mitochondrial enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) significantly suppressed the sphere-forming ability and induced differentiation of TICs, s

SUBMITTER: Son MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5519015 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature