Redox Control of Glutamine Utilization in Cancer

Overview

Journal Cell Death Dis

Specialties Cell Biology
General Medicine

Date 2014 Dec 6

PMID 25476909

Citations 70

Authors

L Alberghina

D Gaglio

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Glutamine utilization promotes enhanced growth of cancer cells. We propose a new concept map of cancer metabolism in which mitochondrial NADH and NADPH, in the presence of a dysfunctional electron transfer chain, promote reductive carboxylation from glutamine. We also discuss why nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) is required in vivo for glutamine utilization by reductive carboxylation. Moreover, NADPH, generated by both the pentose phosphate pathway and the cancer-specific serine glycolytic diversion, appears to sustain glutamine utilization for amino-acid synthesis, lipid synthesis, and for ROS quenching. The fact that the supply of NAD(+) precursors reduces tumor aggressiveness suggests experimental approaches to clarify the role of the NADH-driven redox network in cancer.

Citing Articles

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