Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis

Metabolic reprogramming confers cancer cells the ability to grow and survive under nutrient-depleted or stressful microenvironments. The amplification of oncogenes, the loss of tumor suppressors, as well as context- and lineage-specific determinants can converge and profoundly affect the metabolic s...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Simon-Pierre Gravel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00075/full
_version_ 1818853151422283776
author Simon-Pierre Gravel
author_facet Simon-Pierre Gravel
author_sort Simon-Pierre Gravel
collection DOAJ
description Metabolic reprogramming confers cancer cells the ability to grow and survive under nutrient-depleted or stressful microenvironments. The amplification of oncogenes, the loss of tumor suppressors, as well as context- and lineage-specific determinants can converge and profoundly affect the metabolic status of cancer cells. Cumulating evidences suggest that highly glycolytic cells under the influence of oncogenes such as BRAF, or evolving in hypoxic microenvironments, will promote metastasis through modulation of multiple steps of tumorigenesis such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). On the contrary, increased reliance on mitochondrial respiration is associated with hyperplasic rather than metastatic disease. The PGC-1α transcriptional coactivator, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, has recently been shown to exert antimetastatic effects in cancer, notably through inhibition of EMT. Besides, PGC-1α has the opposite role in specific cancer subtypes, in which it appears to provide growth advantages. Thus, the regulation and role of PGC-1α in cancer is not univocal, and its use as a prognostic marker appears limited given its highly dynamic nature and its multifaceted regulation by transcriptional and posttranslational mechanisms. Herein, we expose key oncogenic and lineage-specific modules that finely regulate PGC-1α to promote or dampen the metastatic process. We propose a unifying model based on the systematic analysis of its controversial implication in cancer from cell proliferation to EMT and metastasis. This short review will provide a good understanding of current challenges associated with the study of PGC-1α.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T07:32:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3a61567f7c6744ad81669bd643573089
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2234-943X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T07:32:15Z
publishDate 2018-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Oncology
spelling doaj.art-3a61567f7c6744ad81669bd6435730892022-12-21T20:30:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2018-03-01810.3389/fonc.2018.00075359631Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and MetastasisSimon-Pierre GravelMetabolic reprogramming confers cancer cells the ability to grow and survive under nutrient-depleted or stressful microenvironments. The amplification of oncogenes, the loss of tumor suppressors, as well as context- and lineage-specific determinants can converge and profoundly affect the metabolic status of cancer cells. Cumulating evidences suggest that highly glycolytic cells under the influence of oncogenes such as BRAF, or evolving in hypoxic microenvironments, will promote metastasis through modulation of multiple steps of tumorigenesis such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). On the contrary, increased reliance on mitochondrial respiration is associated with hyperplasic rather than metastatic disease. The PGC-1α transcriptional coactivator, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, has recently been shown to exert antimetastatic effects in cancer, notably through inhibition of EMT. Besides, PGC-1α has the opposite role in specific cancer subtypes, in which it appears to provide growth advantages. Thus, the regulation and role of PGC-1α in cancer is not univocal, and its use as a prognostic marker appears limited given its highly dynamic nature and its multifaceted regulation by transcriptional and posttranslational mechanisms. Herein, we expose key oncogenic and lineage-specific modules that finely regulate PGC-1α to promote or dampen the metastatic process. We propose a unifying model based on the systematic analysis of its controversial implication in cancer from cell proliferation to EMT and metastasis. This short review will provide a good understanding of current challenges associated with the study of PGC-1α.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00075/fullPGC-1cancermetastasisOXPHOSoncogenestumor suppressors
spellingShingle Simon-Pierre Gravel
Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
Frontiers in Oncology
PGC-1
cancer
metastasis
OXPHOS
oncogenes
tumor suppressors
title Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
title_full Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
title_fullStr Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
title_full_unstemmed Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
title_short Deciphering the Dichotomous Effects of PGC-1α on Tumorigenesis and Metastasis
title_sort deciphering the dichotomous effects of pgc 1α on tumorigenesis and metastasis
topic PGC-1
cancer
metastasis
OXPHOS
oncogenes
tumor suppressors
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00075/full
work_keys_str_mv AT simonpierregravel decipheringthedichotomouseffectsofpgc1aontumorigenesisandmetastasis