Tryptophan deficiency induced by indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 results in glucose transporter 1‐dependent promotion of aerobic glycolysis in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), the key enzyme in the catabolism of the essential amino acid tryptophan (Trp) through kynurenine pathway, induces immune tolerance and is considered as a critical immune checkpoint, but its impacts as a metabolism enzyme on glucose and lipid metabolism are overlooked. We aim to clarify the potential role of IDO1 in aerobic glycolysis in pancreatic cancer (PC). Analysis of database revealed the positive correlation in PC between the expressions of IDO1 and genes encoding important glycolytic enzyme hexokinase 2 (HK2), pyruvate kinase (PK), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). It was found that IDO1 could modulate glycolysis and glucose uptake in PC cells, Trp deficiency caused by IDO1 overexpression enhanced glucose uptake by stimulating GLUT1 translocation to the plasma membrane of PC cells. Besides, Trp deficiency caused by IDO1 overexpression suppressed the apoptosis of PC cells via promoting glycolysis, which reveals the presence of IDO1–glycolysis–apoptosis axis in PC. IDO1 inhibitors could inhibit glycolysis, promote apoptosis, and exhibit robust therapeutic efficacy when combined with GLUT1 inhibitor in PC mice. Our study reveals the function of IDO1 in the glucose metabolism of PC and provides new insights into the therapeutic strategy for PC.