Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41991605›Full record

ArticleNPJ precision oncology2026

Mitochondrial translocation of MDM2 and TFAM reprograms metabolism in treatment-refractory cancers.

Jie Qing Eu, Nur Afiqah Binte Mohamed Salleh, Jayshree Hirpara, Naoto Ohi, Emiri Omori Takaki, Tuan Zea Tan, Ju Ee Seet, Susan Swee-Shan Hue, Shu Jun Chan, Dorothy Xi Yue Lim and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ precision oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

18 authors.

Jie Qing EuCancer Discovery and Regenerative Medicine Programme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
Nur Afiqah Binte Mohamed SallehCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Jayshree HirparaCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Naoto OhiOncology Laboratory, Osaka Research Centre for Drug Discovery, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Singapore, Singapore.
Emiri Omori TakakiOncology Laboratory, Osaka Research Centre for Drug Discovery, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Singapore, Singapore.
Tuan Zea TanCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Ju Ee SeetDepartment of Pathology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Susan Swee-Shan HueDepartment of Pathology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Shu Jun ChanNational University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Dorothy Xi Yue LimClinical Trials Unit, Clinical Research & Innovation Office (CRIO), Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Lingzhi WangCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Regina Tong Xin WongCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Azhar AliCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Yaw Chyn LimCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Boon-Cher GohCancer Science Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Li Ren KongCancer Discovery and Regenerative Medicine Programme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore. Liren.kong@ntu.edu.sg.
Shazib PervaizNational University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore. phssp@nus.edu.sg.
Andrea LA WongNational University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore. andrea_la_wong@nuhs.edu.sg.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are frontline therapies for oncogene-addicted cancers, yet metabolic rewiring frequently drives acquired resistance. Here, we identify a mitochondrial trafficking mechanism that regulates oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) dependence in TKI-resistant tumours. Using resistant cell models and patient-derived materials, we demonstrate that OXPHOS activation is regulated by an AKT-driven, competitive interaction between mitochondrial MDM2 and the mitochondrial transcription factor TFAM at mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Mechanistically, adaptive AKT activation promotes cytosolic redistribution of MDM2 with reciprocal accumulation of TFAM in mitochondrial, enhancing mtDNA transcription and OXPHOS activity. To validate this mitochondrial-cytosolic exchange, we develop a quantitative, high-resolution imaging approach to map MDM2 and TFAM localization. In a TKI-resistant clinical cohort (n = 76), we revealed a positive correlation between AKT activation, MDM2 phosphorylation and TFAM mitochondrial trafficking, defining a spatial, subcellular biomarker signature of metabolically reprogrammed TKI resistance. Pharmacologic disruption of the AKT-MDM2-TFAM signaling axis reverse TKI resistance, linking mitochondrial genome regulation to therapy resistance and suggesting a metabolic vulnerability for combinatorial targeting.

Identifiers

PMID41991605
PMCPMC13357733

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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 OpenQuestion graph.