Copper Metabolism As a Unique Vulnerability in Cancer

Overview

Journal Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Biochemistry
Biophysics
Cell Biology

Date 2020 Oct 22

PMID 33091507

Citations 162

Authors

Vinit C Shanbhag

Nikita Gudekar

Kimberly Jasmer

Christos Papageorgiou

Kamal Singh

Michael J Petris

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The last 25 years have witnessed tremendous progress in identifying and characterizing proteins that regulate the uptake, intracellular trafficking and export of copper. Although dietary copper is required in trace amounts, sufficient quantities of this metal are needed to sustain growth and development in humans and other mammals. However, copper is also a rate-limiting nutrient for the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. Oral copper chelators taken with food have been shown to confer anti-neoplastic and anti-metastatic benefits in animals and humans. Recent studies have begun to identify specific roles for copper in pathways of oncogenic signaling and resistance to anti-neoplastic drugs. Here, we review the general mechanisms of cellular copper homeostasis and discuss roles of copper in cancer progression, highlighting metabolic vulnerabilities that may be targetable in the development of anticancer therapies.

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