Mitochondrial complex I inhibitors suppress tumor growth through concomitant acidification of the intra- and extracellular environment

• Published in: iScience Vol. 24; no. 12; p. 103497
• Main Authors: Yoshida, Junjiro, Ohishi, Tomokazu, Abe, Hikaru, Ohba, Shun-ichi, Inoue, Hiroyuki, Usami, Ihomi, Amemiya, Masahide, Oriez, Raphael, Sakashita, Chiharu, Dan, Shingo, Sugawara, Minoru, Kawaguchi, Tokuichi, Ueno, Junko, Asano, Yuko, Ikeda, Ami, Takamatsu, Manabu, Amori, Gulanbar, Kondoh, Yasumitsu, Honda, Kaori, Osada, Hiroyuki, Noda, Tetsuo, Watanabe, Takumi, Shimizu, Takao, Shibasaki, Masakatsu, Kawada, Manabu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 17-12-2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cancer; Cell biology; Microenvironment; Cell biology; Microenvironment; Cancer
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103497

The disruption of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a promising anti-cancer strategy, but its effective targeting for solid tumors remains unknown. Here, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of the mitochondrial complex I inhibitor intervenolin (ITV), which modulates the TME independent of energy depletion. By modulating lactate metabolism, ITV induced the concomitant acidification of the intra- and extracellular environment, which synergistically suppressed S6K1 activity in cancer cells through protein phosphatase-2A-mediated dephosphorylation via G-protein-coupled receptor(s). Other complex I inhibitors including metformin and rotenone were also found to exert the same effect through an energy depletion-independent manner as ITV. In mouse and patient-derived xenograft models, ITV was found to suppress tumor growth and its mode of action was further confirmed. The TME is usually acidic owing to glycolytic cancer cell metabolism, and this condition is more susceptible to complex I inhibitors. Thus, we have demonstrated a potential treatment strategy for solid tumors.
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•Stromal cells enhance anti-cancer activity of complex I inhibitors•Anti-cancer activity of complex I inhibitors is independent on energy depletion•Complex I inhibitors suppress S6K1 through the intra- and extracellular acidification•Acidic tumor microenvironment is more susceptible to complex I inhibitors
Microenvironment; Cell biology; Cancer