S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer

Abstract Metabolite nutrients within the tumor microenvironment shape both tumor progression and immune cell functionality. It remains elusive how the metabolic interaction between T cells and tumor cells results in different anti-cancer immunotherapeutic responses. Here, we use untargeted metabolom...

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Main Authors: Xiaohua Yang, Tianzhang Kou, Hongmiao Wang, Ji Zhu, Zheng-Jiang Zhu, Yuping Cai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Cancer & Metabolism
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00394-2
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author Xiaohua Yang
Tianzhang Kou
Hongmiao Wang
Ji Zhu
Zheng-Jiang Zhu
Yuping Cai
author_facet Xiaohua Yang
Tianzhang Kou
Hongmiao Wang
Ji Zhu
Zheng-Jiang Zhu
Yuping Cai
author_sort Xiaohua Yang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Metabolite nutrients within the tumor microenvironment shape both tumor progression and immune cell functionality. It remains elusive how the metabolic interaction between T cells and tumor cells results in different anti-cancer immunotherapeutic responses. Here, we use untargeted metabolomics to investigate the metabolic heterogeneity in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Our analysis reveals enhanced S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) metabolism in microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC, a subtype known for its resistance to immunotherapy. Functional studies reveal that SAM and SAH enhance the initial activation and effector functions of CD8+ T cells. Instead, cancer cells outcompete CD8+ T cells for SAM and SAH availability to impair T cell survival. In vivo, SAM supplementation promotes T cell proliferation and reduces exhaustion of the tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, thus suppressing tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. This study uncovers the metabolic crosstalk between T cells and tumor cells, which drives the development of tumors resistant to immunotherapy.
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id doaj-art-eaa9b0f2ff114ebca8ea3313bc5eb72a
institution DOAJ
issn 2049-3002
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Cancer & Metabolism
spelling doaj-art-eaa9b0f2ff114ebca8ea3313bc5eb72a2025-08-20T03:08:44ZengBMCCancer & Metabolism2049-30022025-05-0113111510.1186/s40170-025-00394-2S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancerXiaohua Yang0Tianzhang Kou1Hongmiao Wang2Ji Zhu3Zheng-Jiang Zhu4Yuping Cai5Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer HospitalInterdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesInterdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Metabolite nutrients within the tumor microenvironment shape both tumor progression and immune cell functionality. It remains elusive how the metabolic interaction between T cells and tumor cells results in different anti-cancer immunotherapeutic responses. Here, we use untargeted metabolomics to investigate the metabolic heterogeneity in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Our analysis reveals enhanced S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) metabolism in microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC, a subtype known for its resistance to immunotherapy. Functional studies reveal that SAM and SAH enhance the initial activation and effector functions of CD8+ T cells. Instead, cancer cells outcompete CD8+ T cells for SAM and SAH availability to impair T cell survival. In vivo, SAM supplementation promotes T cell proliferation and reduces exhaustion of the tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, thus suppressing tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. This study uncovers the metabolic crosstalk between T cells and tumor cells, which drives the development of tumors resistant to immunotherapy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00394-2Metabolite nutrientsCD8+ T cell functionMicrosatellite stable colorectal cancerMetabolomicsS-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) metabolism
spellingShingle Xiaohua Yang
Tianzhang Kou
Hongmiao Wang
Ji Zhu
Zheng-Jiang Zhu
Yuping Cai
S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
Cancer & Metabolism
Metabolite nutrients
CD8+ T cell function
Microsatellite stable colorectal cancer
Metabolomics
S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) metabolism
title S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
title_full S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
title_fullStr S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
title_full_unstemmed S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
title_short S-adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes CD8+ T cell functions in colorectal cancer
title_sort s adenosylmethionine metabolism shapes cd8 t cell functions in colorectal cancer
topic Metabolite nutrients
CD8+ T cell function
Microsatellite stable colorectal cancer
Metabolomics
S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) metabolism
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40170-025-00394-2
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AT hongmiaowang sadenosylmethioninemetabolismshapescd8tcellfunctionsincolorectalcancer
AT jizhu sadenosylmethioninemetabolismshapescd8tcellfunctionsincolorectalcancer
AT zhengjiangzhu sadenosylmethioninemetabolismshapescd8tcellfunctionsincolorectalcancer
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