Cited by 541Cancer, Hypoxia, and MetabolismAngiogenesis and VEGF in CancerLymphatic System and Diseases

Targeting the lactate transporter MCT1 in endothelial cells inhibits lactate-induced HIF-1 activation and tumor angiogenesis

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Sonveaux, Pierre, Copetti, Tamara, De Saedeleer, Christophe J., Végran, Frédérique, Verrax, Julien, Kennedy, Kelly M., Moon, Eui Jung, Dhup, Suveera +7 more·2012·PLoS ONE

Abstract

Switching to a glycolytic metabolism is a rapid adaptation of tumor cells to hypoxia. Although this metabolic conversion may primarily represent a rescue pathway to meet the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of proliferating tumor cells, it also creates a gradient of lactate that mirrors the gradient of oxygen in tumors. More than a metabolic waste, the lactate anion is known to participate to cancer aggressiveness, in part through activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) pathway in tumor cells. Whether lactate may also directly favor HIF-1 activation in endothelial cells (ECs) thereby offering a new druggable option to block angiogenesis is however an unanswered question. In this study, we therefore focused on the role in ECs of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) that we previously identified to be the main facilitator of lactate uptake in cancer cells. We found that blockade of lactate influx into ECs led to inhibition of HIF-1-dependent angiogenesis. Our demonstration is based on the unprecedented characterization of lactate-induced HIF-1 activation in normoxic ECs and the consecutive increase in vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression. Furthermore, using a variety of functional assays including endothelial cell migration and tubulogenesis together with in vivo imaging of tumor angiogenesis through intravital microscopy and immunohistochemistry, we documented that MCT1 blockers could act as bona fide HIF-1 inhibitors leading to anti-angiogenic effects. Together with the previous demonstration of MCT1 being a key regulator of lactate exchange between tumor cells, the current study identifies MCT1 inhibition as a therapeutic modality combining antimetabolic and anti-angiogenic activities.

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  • Lactate accumulation promotes angiogenesis.

    “Furthermore, lactate accumulation is instrumental for the promotion of angiogenesis.”

    From The emerging hallmarks of cancer metabolism (2016) · cites this paper as Sonveaux et al., 2012

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Authors
Sonveaux, P., Copetti, T., De Saedeleer, C. J., Végran, F., Verrax, J., Kennedy, K. M., Moon, E. J., Dhup, S., Danhier, P., Frérart, F., Gallez, B., Ribeiro, A., Michiels, C., Dewhirst, M. W., & Feron, O.
Affiliations
  • Duke Medical Center (US)
  • UCLouvain (BE)
  • Duke University (US)
  • University of Namur (BE)
Corresponding author
Sonveaux, Pierre
Venue
PLoS ONE
Published
2012-03-13
Volume
7
Issue
3
Pages
e33418
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2003842905
Cited by
536
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 62 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 6
FWCI
9.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DIAL (Catholic University of Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Repository of the University of Namur (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Belgian American Educational Foundation
  • Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
  • National Institutes of Health (FP7/2007-2013, 5p01ca042745-23)
  • National Cancer Institute (CA40355, R01CA040355, CA40355-24, P01-CA042745, CA40355-25)
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (243188)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Lymphatic System and Diseases
Keywords
MCT1, MCT1 inhibition, lactate transport, endothelial cells, tumor angiogenesis, tumor hypoxia, glycolytic metabolism, VEGFR2, basic fibroblast growth factor, anti-angiogenic therapy, tumor microenvironment
MeSH terms
Monocarboxylate Transport Protein 1, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Cell Movement, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Fibroblast Growth Factors, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Luciferases, Neoplasms, Neovascularization, Pathologic, Blotting, Western, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Lactic Acid, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular, Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters, Symporters, RNA Interference, RNA, Small Interfering, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2, Endothelial Cells, Mice, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1

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