Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner

Abstract In gliomas, particularly in glioblastoma (GBM), the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment is widely recognized as a significant obstacle to effective treatment, contributing to reduced survival rates and the failure of targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Methionine (Met) is an essential...

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Main Authors: Hong Hu, Yishuai Huang, Jiafeng Li, Ruijie Liu, Honglei Li, Meng Cai, Hao Chen, Ning Wang, Shuo Yang, Kaikai Wang, Lei Teng, Huailei Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-07-01
Series:Discover Oncology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03112-y
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author Hong Hu
Yishuai Huang
Jiafeng Li
Ruijie Liu
Honglei Li
Meng Cai
Hao Chen
Ning Wang
Shuo Yang
Kaikai Wang
Lei Teng
Huailei Liu
author_facet Hong Hu
Yishuai Huang
Jiafeng Li
Ruijie Liu
Honglei Li
Meng Cai
Hao Chen
Ning Wang
Shuo Yang
Kaikai Wang
Lei Teng
Huailei Liu
author_sort Hong Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In gliomas, particularly in glioblastoma (GBM), the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment is widely recognized as a significant obstacle to effective treatment, contributing to reduced survival rates and the failure of targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid in human metabolism and plays a crucial role in the development of glioma. However, the role of Met metabolism in the formation of the tumor immunosuppression microenvironment remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the feature of Met metabolism in gliomas and its relationship with the tumor immune microenvironment. First, we began with the overall cohort of glioma patients. Through methionine metabolism activity scoring (MMA-score) of glioma cohorts, we observed a significant positive correlation between MMA-score and glioma WHO grades. Further analysis revealed that tumors with high MMA-scores exhibit more immunosuppressive microenvironment characteristics, including significantly increased infiltration of M2-type macrophages. Subsequently, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that glioma cells exhibit dominant methionine metabolism activity within the tumor microenvironment, significantly surpassing that of other cell types. This suggests that glioma cells are likely the primary contributors to the overall methionine metabolic activity observed in tumors. Moreover, distinct heterogeneity in methionine metabolism was observed among glioma cells of different grades, indicating that metabolic reprogramming may be associated with tumor malignancy progression. Building upon this, we further focused on GBM and observed that GBM cells with high Met metabolism exhibit more astrocyte-like (AC-like) and mesenchymal-like (MES-like) molecular subtypes. This suggests that these cells may possess enhanced capabilities such as rapid proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, and immune inhibition. Additionally, our study suggested that GBM cells with high Met metabolism activate the ANNEXIN pathway to enhance interaction with macrophages via upregulating ANXA1 expression. Further in vitro experiments suggest that depriving Met supply significantly reduces ANXA1 expression in GBM cells and inhibits M2 polarization of macrophages, underscoring the critical role of Met metabolism in GBM immune regulation. Overall, methionine metabolism emerges as a promising biomarker for glioma grading, with its activity levels significantly associated with tumor malignancy and an immunosuppressive microenvironment.
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spelling doaj-art-4ebb0ef207644e0b815755a98723c14a2025-08-20T03:38:15ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-07-0116112310.1007/s12672-025-03112-yGlioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent mannerHong Hu0Yishuai Huang1Jiafeng Li2Ruijie Liu3Honglei Li4Meng Cai5Hao Chen6Ning Wang7Shuo Yang8Kaikai Wang9Lei Teng10Huailei Liu11Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical UniversityAbstract In gliomas, particularly in glioblastoma (GBM), the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment is widely recognized as a significant obstacle to effective treatment, contributing to reduced survival rates and the failure of targeted therapies and chemotherapy. Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid in human metabolism and plays a crucial role in the development of glioma. However, the role of Met metabolism in the formation of the tumor immunosuppression microenvironment remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the feature of Met metabolism in gliomas and its relationship with the tumor immune microenvironment. First, we began with the overall cohort of glioma patients. Through methionine metabolism activity scoring (MMA-score) of glioma cohorts, we observed a significant positive correlation between MMA-score and glioma WHO grades. Further analysis revealed that tumors with high MMA-scores exhibit more immunosuppressive microenvironment characteristics, including significantly increased infiltration of M2-type macrophages. Subsequently, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that glioma cells exhibit dominant methionine metabolism activity within the tumor microenvironment, significantly surpassing that of other cell types. This suggests that glioma cells are likely the primary contributors to the overall methionine metabolic activity observed in tumors. Moreover, distinct heterogeneity in methionine metabolism was observed among glioma cells of different grades, indicating that metabolic reprogramming may be associated with tumor malignancy progression. Building upon this, we further focused on GBM and observed that GBM cells with high Met metabolism exhibit more astrocyte-like (AC-like) and mesenchymal-like (MES-like) molecular subtypes. This suggests that these cells may possess enhanced capabilities such as rapid proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, and immune inhibition. Additionally, our study suggested that GBM cells with high Met metabolism activate the ANNEXIN pathway to enhance interaction with macrophages via upregulating ANXA1 expression. Further in vitro experiments suggest that depriving Met supply significantly reduces ANXA1 expression in GBM cells and inhibits M2 polarization of macrophages, underscoring the critical role of Met metabolism in GBM immune regulation. Overall, methionine metabolism emerges as a promising biomarker for glioma grading, with its activity levels significantly associated with tumor malignancy and an immunosuppressive microenvironment.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03112-yGliomaMethionine metabolismANXA1Tumor immunosuppression microenvironmentMacrophage polarization.
spellingShingle Hong Hu
Yishuai Huang
Jiafeng Li
Ruijie Liu
Honglei Li
Meng Cai
Hao Chen
Ning Wang
Shuo Yang
Kaikai Wang
Lei Teng
Huailei Liu
Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
Discover Oncology
Glioma
Methionine metabolism
ANXA1
Tumor immunosuppression microenvironment
Macrophage polarization.
title Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
title_full Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
title_fullStr Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
title_full_unstemmed Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
title_short Glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through ANXA1 in a methionine metabolism-dependent manner
title_sort glioma promotes macrophage immunosuppressive phenotype through anxa1 in a methionine metabolism dependent manner
topic Glioma
Methionine metabolism
ANXA1
Tumor immunosuppression microenvironment
Macrophage polarization.
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03112-y
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