Simultaneous Inhibition of ACLY and OGDH Has a Synergistic Effect on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Current treatments offer limited efficacy and no definitive cure, underscoring the urgent need for more selective and effective therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the synthetic lethality caused by co-targeting two metabolic genes, ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH), in HCC cells. Using valproic acid (VPA) and bempedoic acid (BA) as pharmacological inhibitors of OGDH and ACLY, respectively, we observed a strong synergistic effect in inhibiting the proliferation of HCC cell lines (Hep3B and Huh7), compared to using these drugs individually. Importantly, this combination treatment exhibited little increased cytotoxicity in the non-cancerous liver cell line THLE-2, indicating a degree of selectivity. Our findings are consistent with previous reports implicating USP13 as a metabolic regulator of ACLY and OGDH in various cancers, suggesting that the inhibition of USP13 may prevent HCC cell proliferation primarily through its downstream effects on ACLY and OGDH. By directly co-targeting ACLY and OGDH, our approach may offer a more precise and safer alternative to USP13 inhibition. Additionally, while both VPA and BA have been individually associated with beneficial effects in liver disease, their combined application in the context of HCC has not been previously investigated. Limitations include the reliance on cell line models, highlighting the need for validation in more physiologically relevant systems such as human organoids and animal models. Overall, this study provides a compelling rationale for further investigation into ACLY and OGDH as a synthetic lethal pair and the therapeutic potential of the VPA-BA combination treatment in HCC.