Publication in Nature Metabolism

A recent publication in Nature Metabolism reports a comprehensive multi‑omics analysis of cancer cachexia, providing new insights into tissue‑specific and systemic metabolic reprogramming. Dr. Maria Rohm, senior author of the study, titled “Multi‑omics profiling of cachexia‑targeted tissues reveals a spatio‑temporally coordinated response to cancer,” is head of the Research Group Tissue Crosstalk in Cancer Metabolism at Helmholtz Munich and a principal investigator within HyperMet.

Using an integrated approach combining metabolomics, transcriptomics, and stable isotope tracing, the authors analyzed metabolic alterations across multiple cancer‑affected tissues in several mouse models and human data sets. The results reveal a coordinated response across liver, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, heart, and plasma during cachexia progression, highlighting systemic rather than isolated tissue changes.

A central finding of the study is the identification of one‑carbon metabolism as a tissue‑overarching pathway consistently activated in cancer cachexia. The activation of this metabolic network was linked to inflammation, altered glucose utilization, and muscle atrophy. Metabolic flux analyses further showed glucose hypermetabolism in skeletal and cardiac muscle, suggesting that metabolic rewiring precedes and contributes to tissue wasting.

The relevance of these findings was validated across multiple independent tumor models as well as in humanized mouse models and patient samples, indicating that the observed metabolic response represents a conserved feature of cancer cachexia. Together, the study provides a systems‑level framework for understanding tumor–host metabolic interactions and identifies metabolic pathways that may serve as targets for future therapeutic strategies.

The full article is available in Nature Metabolism:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01434-3

HyperMet research examines the impact of muscle growth (hypertrophy) and muscle loss (atrophy) on metabolism. Increased muscle mass reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and potentially cancer. We are exploring the underlying metabolic processes to develop new strategies for prevention and everyday life.