Fructose Metabolism in Tumor Endothelial Cells Promotes Angiogenesis by Activating AMPK Signaling and Mitochondrial Respiration

Angiogenesis is vital for tumor growth and metastasis. Emerging evidence suggests that metabolic reprogramming in endothelial cells (EC) may affect angiogenesis. Here, we showed that multiple regulators in the fructose metabolism pathway, especially fructose transporter SLC2A5 and fructose-metabolizing enzyme ketohexokinase (KHK), were upregulated in tumor endothelial cells from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In mouse models with hepatoma xenografts or with Myc/sgp53-induced liver cancer, dietary fructose enhanced tumor angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis, which could be attenuated by treatment with an inhibitor of SLC2A5. Furthermore, vessel growth was substantially increased in fructose-containing Matrigel compared with PBS-Matrigel. Inhibiting fructose metabolism in EC cells in vivo using EC-targeted nanoparticles loaded with siRNA against KHK significantly abolished fructose-induced tumor angiogenesis. Fructose treatment promoted the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of ECs and stimulated mitochondrial respiration and ATP production. Elevated fructose metabolism activated AMPK to fuel mitochondrial respiration, resulting in enhanced EC migration. Fructose metabolism was increased under hypoxic conditions as a result of HIF1α-mediated upregulation of multiple genes in the fructose metabolism pathway. These findings highlight the significance of fructose metabolism in ECs for promoting tumor angiogenesis. Restricting fructose intake or targeting fructose metabolism is a potential strategy to reduce angiogenesis and suppress tumor growth. SIGNIFICANCE: Fructose metabolism in endothelial cells fuels mitochondrial respiration to stimulate tumor angiogenesis, revealing fructose metabolism as a therapeutic target and fructose restriction as a dietary intervention for treating cancer.