Immature low-density neutrophils exhibit metabolic flexibility that facilitates breast cancer liver metastasis

BE Hsu, S Tabariès, RM Johnson, S Andrzejewski… - Cell reports, 2019 - cell.com
BE Hsu, S Tabariès, RM Johnson, S Andrzejewski, J Senecal, C Lehuédé, MG Annis, EH Ma
Cell reports, 2019cell.com
Neutrophils are phenotypically heterogeneous and exert either anti-or pro-metastatic
functions. We show that cancer-cell-derived G-CSF is necessary, but not sufficient, to
mobilize immature low-density neutrophils (iLDNs) that promote liver metastasis. In contrast,
mature high-density neutrophils inhibit the formation of liver metastases. Transcriptomic and
metabolomic analyses of high-and low-density neutrophils reveal engagement of numerous
metabolic pathways specifically in low-density neutrophils. iLDNs exhibit enhanced global …
Summary
Neutrophils are phenotypically heterogeneous and exert either anti- or pro-metastatic functions. We show that cancer-cell-derived G-CSF is necessary, but not sufficient, to mobilize immature low-density neutrophils (iLDNs) that promote liver metastasis. In contrast, mature high-density neutrophils inhibit the formation of liver metastases. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of high- and low-density neutrophils reveal engagement of numerous metabolic pathways specifically in low-density neutrophils. iLDNs exhibit enhanced global bioenergetic capacity, through their ability to engage mitochondrial-dependent ATP production, and remain capable of executing pro-metastatic neutrophil functions, including NETosis, under nutrient-deprived conditions. We demonstrate that NETosis is an important neutrophil function that promotes breast cancer liver metastasis. iLDNs rely on the catabolism of glutamate and proline to support mitochondrial-dependent metabolism in the absence of glucose, which enables sustained NETosis. These data reveal that distinct pro-metastatic neutrophil populations exhibit a high degree of metabolic flexibility, which facilitates the formation of liver metastases.
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