Cancer Energy Metabolism: Shutting Power off Cancer Factory

In 1923, Dr. Warburg had observed that tumors acidified the Ringer solution when 13 mM glucose was added, which was identified as being due to lactate. When glucose is the only source of nutrient, it can serve for both biosynthesis and energy production. However, a series of studies revealed that the cancer cell consumes glucose for biosynthesis through fermentation, not for energy supply, under physiological conditions. Recently, a new observation was made that there is a metabolic symbiosis in which glycolytic and oxidative tumor cells mutually regulate their energy metabolism. Hypoxic cancer cells use glucose for glycolytic metabolism and release lactate which is used by oxygenated cancer cells. This study challenged the Warburg effect, because Warburg claimed that fermentation by irreversible damaging of mitochondria is a fundamental cause of cancer. However, recent studies revealed that mitochondria in cancer cell show active function of oxidative phosphorylation although TCA cycle is stalled. It was also shown that blocking cytosolic NADH production by aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibition, combined with oxidative phosphorylation inhibition, resulted in up to 80% decrease of ATP production, which resulted in a significant regression of tumor growth in the NSCLC model. This suggests a new theory that NADH production in the cytosol plays a key role of ATP production through the mitochondrial electron transport chain in cancer cells, while NADH production is mostly occupied inside mitochondria in normal cells.

The emerging role and targetability of the TCA cycle in cancer metabolism

The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is a central route for oxidative phosphorylation in cells, and fulfills their bioenergetic, biosynthetic, and redox balance requirements. Despite early dogma that cancer cells bypass the TCA cycle and primarily utilize aerobic glycolysis, emerging evidence demonstrates that certain cancer cells, especially those with deregulated oncogene and tumor suppressor expression, rely heavily on the TCA cycle for energy production and macromolecule synthesis. As the field progresses, the importance of aberrant TCA cycle function in tumorigenesis and the potentials of applying small molecule inhibitors to perturb the enhanced cycle function for cancer treatment start to evolve. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the fuels feeding the cycle, effects of oncogenes and tumor suppressors on fuel and cycle usage, common genetic alterations and deregulation of cycle enzymes, and potential therapeutic opportunities for targeting the TCA cycle in cancer cells. With the application of advanced technology and in vivo model organism studies, it is our hope that studies of this previously overlooked biochemical hub will provide fresh insights into cancer metabolism and tumorigenesis, subsequently revealing vulnerabilities for therapeutic interventions in various cancer types.

Kaempferol ameliorates aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) induced hepatocellular carcinoma through modifying metabolizing enzymes, membrane bound ATPases and mitochondrial TCA cycle enzymes

Objective: The present study was aimed to scrutinize the anticancer consequence of kaempferol against aflatoxin B1 induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Epidemiological studies of the incidence of liver cancer in the population, where dietary aflatoxin exposure is high, have provided much circumstantial evidence for the development of aflatoxin B1 induced primary liver cancer in humans. Methods:In the present investigation, aflatoxin B1 (2 mg/kg body weight i.p) was used as a hepatocarcinogen to induce hepatocellular carcinoma in experimental animals. Results: In the present analysis, on treatment with bioflavonoid kaempferol (100 mg/kg body weight p.o) the nucleic acids levels were brought back to normal and also the altered levels of biological enzymes such as membrane bound ATPase, carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and mitochondrial TCA cycle enzymes levels (P<0.01).Conclusions:Membrane bound ATPase, carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and mitochondrial TCA cycle enzymes were modulated by kaempferol evaluated on aflatoxin B1 induced primary liver carcinogenesis.