Ammonia stimulates SCAP/Insig dissociation and SREBP-1 activation to promote lipogenesis and tumour growth

In this study, Cheng et al. show that ammonia released from glutaminolysis disrupts the SCAP-Insig association, thus activating SREBP-1 and promoting lipogenesis to support tumour growth Tumorigenesis is associated with elevated glucose and glutamine consumption, but how cancer cells can sense their levels to activate lipid synthesis is unknown. Here, we reveal that ammonia, released from glutamine, promotes lipogenesis via activation of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), endoplasmic reticulum-bound transcription factors that play a central role in lipid metabolism. Ammonia activates the dissociation of glucose-regulated, N-glycosylated SREBP-cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) from insulin-inducible gene protein (Insig), an endoplasmic reticulum-retention protein, leading to SREBP translocation and lipogenic gene expression. Notably, 25-hydroxycholesterol blocks ammonia to access its binding site on SCAP. Mutating aspartate D428 to alanine prevents ammonia binding to SCAP, abolishes SREBP-1 activation and suppresses tumour growth. Our study characterizes the unknown role, opposite to sterols, of ammonia as a key activator that stimulates SCAP-Insig dissociation and SREBP-1 activation to promote tumour growth and demonstrates that SCAP is a critical sensor of glutamine, glucose and sterol levels to precisely control lipid synthesis.

Automated summary

In this study, researchers found that ammonia released from glutaminolysis activates SREBP-1 and promotes lipogenesis, thus supporting tumor growth. The study reveals the role of ammonia as a key activator in promoting lipid synthesis through dissociation of SCAP-Insig and activation of SREBP-1. It also demonstrates the critical role of SCAP as a sensor for glutamine, glucose, and sterol levels in precise control of lipid synthesis.