Sestrin2-mediated disassembly of stress granules dampens aerobic glycolysis to overcome glucose starvation

Sestrins are a small gene family of pleiotropic factors whose actions promote cell adaptation to a range of stress conditions. In this report we disclose the selective role of Sestrin2 (SESN2) in dampening aerobic glycolysis to adapt to limiting glucose conditions. Removal of glucose from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells inhibits glycolysis associated with the downregulation of the rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme hexokinase 2 (HK2). Moreover, the accompanying upregulation of SESN2 through an NRF2/ATF4-dependent mechanism plays a direct role in HK2 regulation by destabilizing HK2 mRNA. We show SESN2 competes with insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) for binding with the 3′-UTR region of HK2 mRNA. Interactions between IGF2BP3 and HK2 mRNA result in their coalescence into stress granules via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a process which serves to stabilize HK2 mRNA. Conversely, the enhanced expression and cytoplasmic localization of SESN2 under glucose deprivation conditions favors the downregulation of HK2 levels via decreases in the half-life of HK2 mRNA. The resulting dampening of glucose uptake and glycolytic flux inhibits cell proliferation and protect cells from glucose starvation-induced apoptotic cell death. Collectively, our findings reveal an intrinsic survival mechanism allowing cancer cells to overcome chronic glucose shortages, also providing new mechanistic insights into SESN2 as an RNA-binding protein with a role in reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism.