Exploring Fructose Metabolism As a Potential Therapeutic Approach for Pancreatic Cancer

Overview

Journal Cell Death Differ

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2024 Oct 15

PMID 39406919

Authors

Chengqiang Wang

Lu Wang

Qing Zhao

Jiao Ma

Yitao Li

Junliang Kuang

Xintong Yang

Huichang Bi

Aiping Lu

Kenneth C P Cheung

Gerry Melino

Wei Jia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Excessive fructose intake has been associated with the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between fructose utilization and pancreatic cancer progression. Our findings revealed that pancreatic cancer cells have a high capacity to utilize fructose and are capable of converting glucose to fructose via the AKR1B1-mediated polyol pathway, in addition to uptake via the fructose transporter GLUT5. Fructose metabolism exacerbates pancreatic cancer proliferation by enhancing glycolysis and accelerating the production of key metabolites that regulate angiogenesis. However, pharmacological blockade of fructose metabolism has been shown to slow pancreatic cancer progression and synergistically enhance anti-tumor capabilities when combined with anti-angiogenic agents. Overall, targeting fructose metabolism may prove to be a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

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