Histone variant macroH2A1 rewires carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of hepatocellular carcinoma cells towards cancer stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) contain a sub-population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are responsible for tumor relapse, metastasis, and chemoresistance. We recently showed that loss of macroH2A1, a variant of the histone H2A and an epigenetic regulator of stem-cell function, in HCC leads to CSC-like features such as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and growth of large and relatively undifferentiated tumors in xenograft models. These HCC cells silenced for macroH2A1 also exhibited stem-like metabolic changes consistent with enhanced glycolysis. However, there is no consensus as to the metabolic characteristics of CSCs that render them adaptable to microenvironmental changes by conveniently shifting energy production source or by acquiring intermediate metabolic phenotypes. Here,

SUBMITTER: Lo Re O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6224214 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature