SIRT5 acts in the tumor microenvironment via endothelial cell metabolism to support breast cancer growth

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by aggressive progression and poor prognosis, partly due to abnormal angiogenesis. While the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells is well characterized, the metabolic regulation of tumor-associated endothelial cells (ECs) remains unclear. Here, we identified the mitochondrial deacylase SIRT5, which has established tumor-promoting roles in TNBC cells, as a key regulator of endothelial metabolic homeostasis and tumor angiogenesis. SIRT5-deficient host mice showed significant defects in supporting the growth of orthotopic SIRT5-proficient mammary tumor transplants, and the resulting neoplasms showed defects in tumor vascularization. In a 3D microfluidic vessel-on-chip model, SIRT5 loss compromised vascular barrier integrity and EC sprouting. Mechanistically, SIRT5-deficient ECs exhibited diminished mitochondrial respiratory capacity but apparently normal glycolysis. SIRT5 loss also caused increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels, and a mitochondrial antioxidant rescued the endothelial cell defects following SIRT5 loss, indicating that SIRT5-mediated mitochondrial redox homeostasis in the tumor microenvironment is necessary to maintain vascular function. Orthotopic co-transplantation of TNBC and EC cells with or without SIRT5 knockdown demonstrated that endothelial SIRT5 promotes increased tumor growth in vivo. These results suggest that targeting SIRT5 offers a potential therapeutic strategy to disrupt tumor angiogenesis and suppress TNBC progression by targeting the metabolic vulnerabilities of the tumor endothelium.