Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40197337›Full record

ArticleJournal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR2025

Tetrahydrobenzimidazole TMQ0153 targets OPA1 and restores drug sensitivity in AML via ROS-induced mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming.

Su Jung Park, Claudia Cerella, Jin Mo Kang, Jinyoung Byun, David Kum, Barbora Orlikova-Boyer, Anne Lorant, Michael Schnekenburger, Ali Al-Mourabit, Christo Christov and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Su Jung ParkResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Claudia CerellaLaboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire du Cancer, BAM3 Pavillon 2, 6A Rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Jin Mo KangResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Jinyoung ByunCollege of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
David KumResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Barbora Orlikova-BoyerLaboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire du Cancer, BAM3 Pavillon 2, 6A Rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Anne LorantLaboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire du Cancer, BAM3 Pavillon 2, 6A Rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Michael SchnekenburgerLaboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire du Cancer, BAM3 Pavillon 2, 6A Rue Nicolas-Ernest Barblé, L-1210, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Ali Al-MourabitCNRS, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, 91190, France.
Christo ChristovService d'Histologie, Faculté de Médicine, Université de Lorraine, and INSERM U1256 NGERE, 54000, Nancy, France.
Juyong LeeCollege of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Byung Woo HanResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
Marc DiederichResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. marcdiederich@snu.ac.kr.

Funding

Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea RS-2023-00220628National Research Foundation of Korea 2019R1A2C1090251National Research Foundation of Korea 2022R1A2C1013141National Research Foundation of Korea 2022R1C1C1005080Seoul National University A0433-20230100
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly aggressive cancer with a 5-year survival rate of less than 35%. It is characterized by significant drug resistance and abnormal energy metabolism. Mitochondrial dynamics and metabolism are crucial for AML cell survival. Mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy (OPA)1 is upregulated in AML patients with adverse mutations and correlates with poor prognosis.

methodThis study investigated targeting OPA1 with TMQ0153, a tetrahydrobenzimidazole derivative, to disrupt mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics as a novel therapeutic approach to overcome treatment resistance. Effects of TMQ0153 treatment on OPA1 and mitofusin (MFN)2 protein levels, mitochondrial morphology, and function in AML cells. In this study, we examined reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibition, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) depolarization, and apoptosis. Additionally, metabolic profiling was conducted to analyze changes in metabolic pathways.

resultsTMQ0153 treatment significantly reduced OPA1 and mitofusin (MFN)2 protein levels and disrupted the mitochondrial morphology and function in AML cells. This increases ROS production and inhibits OXPHOS, MMP depolarization, and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Metabolic reprogramming was observed, shifting from mitochondrial respiration to glycolysis and impaired respiratory chain activity. Profiling revealed reduced overall metabolism along with changes in the glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and NAD⁺/NADH redox ratios. TMQ0153 treatment reduces tumor volume and weight in MV4-11 xenografts in vivo. Combination therapies with TMQ0153 and other AML drugs significantly reduced the leukemic burden and prolonged survival in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice xenografted with U937-luc and MOLM-14-luc cells.

conclusionTMQ0153 targets mitochondrial dynamics by inhibiting OPA1, inducing metabolic reprogramming, and triggering apoptosis in AML cells. It enhances the efficacy of existing AML therapies and provides a promising combination treatment approach that exploits mitochondrial vulnerability and metabolic reprogramming to improve treatment outcomes in AML.

Indexed as

BenzimidazolesGTP PhosphohydrolasesLeukemia, Myeloid, AcuteMitochondriaReactive Oxygen SpeciesAnimalsApoptosisCell Line, TumorDrug Resistance, NeoplasmHumansMembrane Potential, MitochondrialMetabolic ReprogrammingMiceOxidative PhosphorylationXenograft Model Antitumor AssaysBenzimidazolesGTP PhosphohydrolasesOPA1 protein, humanReactive Oxygen SpeciesDrug resistanceGlutathioneGlycolysisMetabolic reprogrammingMonocytic myeloid leukemiaOXPHOS

Identifiers

PMID40197337
PMCPMC11974110

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.