Single-cell metabolic imaging reveals a SLC2A3-dependent glycolytic burst in motile endothelial cells

Nat Metab. 2021 May;3(5):714-727. doi: 10.1038/s42255-021-00390-y. Epub 2021 May 24.

Abstract

Single-cell motility is spatially heterogeneous and driven by metabolic energy. Directly linking cell motility to cell metabolism is technically challenging but biologically important. Here, we use single-cell metabolic imaging to measure glycolysis in individual endothelial cells with genetically encoded biosensors capable of deciphering metabolic heterogeneity at subcellular resolution. We show that cellular glycolysis fuels endothelial activation, migration and contraction and that sites of high lactate production colocalize with active cytoskeletal remodelling within an endothelial cell. Mechanistically, RhoA induces endothelial glycolysis for the phosphorylation of cofilin and myosin light chain in order to reorganize the cytoskeleton and thus control cell motility; RhoA activation triggers a glycolytic burst through the translocation of the glucose transporter SLC2A3/GLUT3 to fuel the cellular contractile machinery, as demonstrated across multiple endothelial cell types. Our data indicate that Rho-GTPase signalling coordinates energy metabolism with cytoskeleton remodelling to regulate endothelial cell motility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Cell Movement
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Endothelium, Vascular
  • Energy Metabolism*
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 3 / genetics*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 3 / metabolism
  • Glycolysis
  • Humans
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Imaging* / methods
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Glucose Transporter Type 3
  • RHOA protein, human
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein
  • Glucose