Interleukin-6 mediates PSAT1 expression and serine metabolism in TSC2-deficient cells

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) are caused by aberrant mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) activation due to loss of either TSC1 or TSC2. Cytokine profiling of TSC2-deficient LAM patient-derived cells revealed striking upregulation of Interleukin-6 (IL-6). LAM patient plasma contained increased circulating IL-6 compared with healthy controls, and TSC2-deficient cells showed upregulation of IL-6 transcription and secretion compared to wildtype cells. IL-6 blockade repressed the proliferation and migration of TSC2-deficient cells and reduced oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification. U-13C glucose tracing revealed that IL-6 knockout reduced 3-phosphoserine and serine production in TSC2-deficient cells, implicating IL-6 in de novo serine metabolism. IL-6 knockout reduced expression of phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1), an essential enzyme in serine biosynthesis. Importantly, recombinant IL-6 treatment rescued PSAT1 expression in the TSC2-deficient, IL-6 knockout clones selectively and had no effect on wildtype cells. Treatment with anti-IL-6 (aIL-6) antibody similarly reduced cell proliferation and migration and reduced renal tumors in Tsc2+/- mice, while reducing PSAT1 expression. These data reveal a novel mechanism through which IL-6 regulates serine biosynthesis, with potential relevance to the therapy of tumors with mTORC1 hyperactivity. ClassificationMajor category: Biological Sciences Minor category: Cell Biology