Ki Yeon Koo, Kwanho Moon, Hwa Seob Song, Min-Sik Lee
{"title":"Metabolic Regulation by p53: Implications for Cancer Therapy.","authors":"Ki Yeon Koo, Kwanho Moon, Hwa Seob Song, Min-Sik Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100198","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The tumor suppressor p53, long known for its roles in maintaining genomic integrity and suppressing tumorigenesis, has recently been recognized as a key regulator of cellular metabolism. Here, we review p53's emerging metabolic functions, highlighting its ability to orchestrate glucose, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. By promoting oxidative phosphorylation while inhibiting glycolysis and anabolic pathways, wild-type p53 counters metabolic reprogramming characteristic of cancer cells, such as the Warburg effect, and protects cells from mild cellular stresses. In contrast, mutant p53 disrupts these processes, fostering metabolic adaptations that support tumor progression. These findings pave the way for therapeutic approaches targeting p53-driven metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":" ","pages":"100198"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Current advances and future directions in targeting histone demethylases for cancer therapy","authors":"June-Ha Shin , Hye-Been Yoo , Jae-Seok Roe","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Epigenetic regulators, known as “writers,” erasers,” and “readers,” are essential for controlling gene expression by adding, removing, or recognizing post-translational modifications to histone tails, respectively. These regulators significantly affect genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance. Recently, several clinical strategies targeting these epigenetic enzymes have emerged and some trials have demonstrated promising results for cancer treatment. Histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) yield distinct transcriptional outcomes that depend on the position of the methylated lysine and the specific genotype or lineage of the cancer cells. Due to their diverse roles in transcription, KDMs offer valuable opportunities for precision oncology, allowing treatments to be tailored to meet individual patient needs. This review emphasizes our current understanding of the functional relationship between KDMs and cancer as well as the development and application of small-molecule compounds that target KDMs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 3","pages":"Article 100192"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143408714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of transcription factors in prostate cancer progression","authors":"Jongeun Lee , Yoontae Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men, with most cases initially responding to androgen deprivation therapy. However, a significant number of patients eventually develop castration-resistant prostate cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. Although androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors target AR signaling, and have extended survival in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, prolonged treatment can lead to the emergence of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), a lethal subtype characterized by the expression of neuroendocrine markers and reduced AR activity. The transition from adenocarcinoma to NEPC is driven by lineage plasticity, wherein cancer cells adopt a neuroendocrine phenotype to evade treatment. Consequently, NEPC patients face poor clinical outcomes and limited effective treatment options. To improve outcomes, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms driving NEPC development. In this review, we highlight the role of transcription factors in this process and explore their potential as therapeutic targets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 4","pages":"Article 100193"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143408718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sun Young Joo , Hyehyun Min , Jung Ah Kim , Se Jin Kim , Seung Hyun Jang , Ho Lee , Kyu Min Kim , Je Kyung Seong , Jae Young Choi , Jinsei Jung , Jinwoong Bok , Heon Yung Gee
{"title":"Biallelic variants of SEMA3F are associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss","authors":"Sun Young Joo , Hyehyun Min , Jung Ah Kim , Se Jin Kim , Seung Hyun Jang , Ho Lee , Kyu Min Kim , Je Kyung Seong , Jae Young Choi , Jinsei Jung , Jinwoong Bok , Heon Yung Gee","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100190","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100190","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is crucial to manage hearing loss and its associated public health impacts. In this study, we aimed to understand the role of Sema3f in the development and maintenance of the auditory system. Inner ear-specific <em>Sema3f</em> knockout mice exhibited hearing loss at 8 weeks with an elevated threshold for auditory brainstem response and an absent threshold for distortion product optoacoustic emission tests. Additionally, an increased number of outer hair cells and abnormal patterns of spiral ganglion neuron projections in the outer hair cell regions were observed. Through the analyses of sequencing data from 558 families with hearing loss, we identified biallelic variants of <em>SEMA3F</em>, which encodes semaphorin-3F, in one of the families. In the family, the proband showed profound progressive nonsyndromic hearing loss with congenital onset. In vitro analysis revealed that the identified missense variants decreased the furin-mediated processing of SEMA3F and abolished the cellular abilities of SEMA3F, which collapsed the filamentous actin cytoskeleton in human umbilical vein-derived endothelial cells. Our data suggest that <em>SEMA3F</em> is essential for normal hearing and is associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss in humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 3","pages":"Article 100190"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143256124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hien Thi Le , Jiyoung Yu , Hee Sung Ahn , Mi-Jeong Kim , In Gyeong Chae , Hyun-Nam Cho , Juhee Kim , Hye-Kyung Park , Hyuk Nam Kwon , Han-Jung Chae , Byoung Heon Kang , Jeong Kon Seo , Kyunggon Kim , Sung Hoon Back
{"title":"eIF2α phosphorylation-ATF4 axis-mediated transcriptional reprogramming mitigates mitochondrial impairment during ER stress","authors":"Hien Thi Le , Jiyoung Yu , Hee Sung Ahn , Mi-Jeong Kim , In Gyeong Chae , Hyun-Nam Cho , Juhee Kim , Hye-Kyung Park , Hyuk Nam Kwon , Han-Jung Chae , Byoung Heon Kang , Jeong Kon Seo , Kyunggon Kim , Sung Hoon Back","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation, which regulates all 3 unfolded protein response pathways, helps maintain cellular homeostasis and overcome endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through transcriptional and translational reprogramming. However, transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis by eIF2α phosphorylation during ER stress is not fully understood. Here, we report that the eIF2α phosphorylation-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) axis is required for the expression of multiple transcription factors, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and its target genes responsible for mitochondrial homeostasis during ER stress. eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient (<em>A/A</em>) cells displayed dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial DNA replication, decreased expression of oxidative phosphorylation complex proteins, and impaired mitochondrial functions during ER stress. ATF4 overexpression suppressed impairment of mitochondrial homeostasis in <em>A/A</em> cells during ER stress by promoting the expression of downstream transcription factors and their target genes. Our findings underscore the importance of the eIF2α phosphorylation-ATF4 axis for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis through transcriptional reprogramming during ER stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100176"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11786836/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142932314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosa Haque , Aysenur Deniz Song , Jongsun Lee , Seung-Jae V. Lee , Jae Myoung Suh
{"title":"Essential resources and best practices for laboratory mouse research","authors":"Rosa Haque , Aysenur Deniz Song , Jongsun Lee , Seung-Jae V. Lee , Jae Myoung Suh","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The laboratory mouse (<em>Mus musculus</em>) is the most widely used mammalian model organism in biomedical and life science research. This concise guide aims to provide essential information to assist researchers new to working with mice, covering topics such as mouse husbandry, maintenance, and available resources for obtaining mouse strains and associated data. Additionally, we discuss ethical considerations, emphasizing the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) to ensure responsible and humane research practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100178"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142951631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeongeun Kim , Su-Jin Kang , Nayoon Jo , Seung-Jin Kim , Sunbok Jang
{"title":"Cancer prognosis using base excision repair genes","authors":"Jeongeun Kim , Su-Jin Kang , Nayoon Jo , Seung-Jin Kim , Sunbok Jang","doi":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mocell.2025.100186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The base excision repair (BER) pathway is a critical mechanism in genomic stability. This review investigates the role of the BER pathway in advanced cancer therapies considering the pivotal role of genetic factors in cancer patient responses and prognosis. BER factors significantly influence genetic instability and cancer prognosis, as well as the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In various cancers such as breast, colon, lung, and bladder, BER factors have shown potential as critical biological markers for predicting cancer outcomes. This study focuses on the polymorphisms and expression levels of key BER genes, including OGG1, XRCC1, APE1, and Polβ. Our findings demonstrate that the expression levels of BER genes and proteins are closely associated with the risk, progression, treatment response, and prognosis of various cancers. These insights could improve cancer treatments and aid in the development of drugs targeting BER proteins. Ongoing research in this field requires extensive statistical analyses and large-scale prospective studies to effectively utilize BER protein levels. Ultimately, these results suggest that the BER pathway represents a potential target for cancer diagnosis, prognostic prediction, and the development of personalized therapeutic strategies. This paves the way for effective cancer treatment in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100186"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143008576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cover and caption","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S1016-8478(25)00018-4","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S1016-8478(25)00018-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18795,"journal":{"name":"Molecules and Cells","volume":"48 2","pages":"Article 100194"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143387046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}