Highlights d Lung cancer progression is accompanied by a stereotypic expansion of heterogeneity d Cell state heterogeneity arises largely independently of genetic variation d State transitions occur via an HPCS harboring high differentiation and growth capacity d The HPCS is drug resistant and portends poor patient survival across all cancers

Oncogenic transcription factor Myc deregulates the cell cycle and simultaneously reprograms cellular metabolism to meet the biosynthetic and bioenergetic needs of proliferation. Myc also sensitizes cells to mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Although metabolic reprogramming has been circumstantially connected to vulnerability to apoptosis, the connecting molecular pathways have remained poorly defined. Here, we show that Myc-induced altered glutamine metabolism involves ATP depletion and activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which induces stabilizing phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15. Under influence of Myc, AMPK-stabilized tumor suppressor protein p53 accumulates in the mitochondria and interacts with the protein complex comprised of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) antagonist/killer (BAK) and Bcl2-like 1 (Bcl-xL). Mitochondrial p53 induces conformational activation of proapoptotic Bak without disrupting the Bak-Bcl-x L interaction. Further liberation of Bak specifically from the p53-activated Bak-Bcl-x L complex leads to spontaneous oligomerization of Bak and apoptosis. Thus, Myc-induced metabolic changes are coupled via AMPK and phospho-p53 to the mitochondrial apoptosis effector Bak, demonstrating a cell-intrinsic mechanism to counteract uncontrolled proliferation.oncogene | cell death | cancer metabolism

Georgiadou et al. show that the major metabolic sensor AMPK regulates integrin activity and integrin-dependent processes in fibroblasts by modulating tensin levels. Loss of AMPK up-regulates tensin expression, triggering enhanced integrin activity in fibrillar adhesions, fibronectin remodeling, and traction stress.

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AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibits several anabolic pathways such as fatty acid and protein synthesis, and identification of AMPK substrate specificity would be useful to understand its role in particular cellular processes and develop strategies to modulate AMPK activity in a substrate-specific manner. Here we show that SUMOylation of AMPKα1 attenuates AMPK activation specifically towards mTORC1 signalling. SUMOylation is also important for rapid inactivation of AMPK, to allow prompt restoration of mTORC1 signalling. PIAS4 and its SUMO E3 ligase activity are specifically required for the AMPKα1 SUMOylation and the inhibition of AMPKα1 activity towards mTORC1 signalling. The activity of a SUMOylation-deficient AMPKα1 mutant is higher than the wild type towards mTORC1 signalling when reconstituted in AMPKα-deficient cells. PIAS4 depletion reduced growth of breast cancer cells, specifically when combined with direct AMPK activator A769662, suggesting that inhibiting AMPKα1 SUMOylation can be explored to modulate AMPK activation and thereby suppress cancer cell growth.

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