The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) encodes a tumor suppressor that is frequently lost in many cancer types. Wwox-deficient mice develop normally but succumb to a lethal hypoglycemia early in life. Here, we identify WWOX as a tumor suppressor with emerging role in regulation of aerobic glycolysis. WWOX controls glycolytic genes' expression through hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1a (HIF1a) regulation. Specifically, WWOX, via its first WW domain, physically interacts with HIF1a and modulates its levels and transactivation function. Consistent with this notion, Wwox-deficient cells exhibited increased HIF1a levels and activity and displayed increased glucose uptake. Remarkably, WWOX deficiency is associated with enhanced glycolysis and diminished mitochondrial respiration, conditions resembling the 'Warburg effect'. Furthermore, Wwoxdeficient cells are more tumorigenic and display increased levels of GLUT1 in vivo. Finally, WWOX expression is inversely correlated with GLUT1 levels in breast cancer samples highlighting WWOX as a modulator of cancer metabolism. Our studies uncover an unforeseen role for the tumor-suppressor WWOX in cancer metabolism. Cell Death and Differentiation (2014) 21, 1805-1814; doi:10.1038/cdd.2014.95; published online 11 July 2014The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) spans one of the most active common fragile sites involved in cancer, FRA16D. WWOX encodes a 46-kDa protein that contains two N-terminal WW domains and a central shortchain dehydrogenase/reductase domain.1,2 Loss of WWOX expression has been identified in a variety of tumors (reviewed in Gardenswartz and Aqeilan 3 ). In order to understand the role of WWOX as tumor suppressor, Wwox knockout (KO) mice were generated. 4 At birth, homozygous Wwox-deficient pups were indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) or heterozygous littermates; at 3 days, homozygous pups were smaller than littermates 4 and all Wwox KO mice died by 4 weeks after birth because of severe metabolic defects, mainly hypoglycemia.5 Similar results were obtained in Wwox-conditional mouse models. 6,7 At this point, however, it remains unclear what are the basis for the molecular defects underlying this lethal hypoglycemia. Notably, juvenile Wwox KO mice and haploinsufficient heterozygous mice display higher incidence of tumor formation. 4,8,9 At the molecular level, it has been shown that WWOX, via its WW1 domain, interacts with proline-tyrosin motif-containing proteins including AP-2g, 10 ErbB4, 11 c-Jun 12 and others 13 and inhibits their transcriptional function. In a recent mass spectrometry analysis, we demonstrated that indeed the WW1 domain of WWOX provides a versatile platform that links WWOX with individual proteins associated with physiologically important networks, including metabolism.14 Recently, it has been also shown that WWOX may interact with isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase in Drosophila.
15Furthermore, it has been reported that alteration in metabolism affects WWOX transcripts. 16 Critically, however, it is ...