Targeting Methionine Metabolism Reveals AMPK-SAMTOR Signaling as a Therapeutic Vulnerability in Prostate Cancer


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ARISAN S., Sever A., YERLİKAYA P. O., Arisan E. D., Uysal-Onganer P.

Biology, cilt.14, sa.5, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 14 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/biology14050507
  • Dergi Adı: Biology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: mTOR, SAMTOR, methionine, prostate cancer, autophagy
  • Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
  • Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Prostate cancer (PCa) is not only one of the most diagnosed malignancies in men but also a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. PCa exhibits unique metabolic dependencies, particularly on lipids and glutamine, unlike many solid tumors, rather than glycolysis. Methionine metabolism plays a crucial role in these metabolic pathways, contributing to polyamine biosynthesis, DNA methylation, and cellular signaling processes. Here, we demonstrate that methionine deprivation induces selective vulnerability in AMPK-deficient PC3 PCa cells by disrupting SAMTOR–mTOR signaling and triggering oxidative stress, lipid depletion, and autophagic responses. Through functional and proteomic analyses, we show that SAMTOR directly interacts with p-AMPK and modulates cell fate under methionine-limited conditions. Our findings establish a mechanistic link between methionine sensing and metabolic stress signaling in PCa, offering a new avenue for targeted intervention.