Work

Glutamine and cancer: cell biology, physiology, and clinical opportunities

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Glutamine is an abundant and versatile nutrient that participates in energy formation, redox homeostasis, macromolecular synthesis, and signaling in cancer cells. These characteristics make glutamine metabolism an appealing target for new clinical strategies to detect, monitor, and treat cancer. Here we review the metabolic functions of glutamine as a super nutrient and the surprising roles of glutamine in supporting the biological hallmarks of malignancy. We also review recent efforts in imaging and therapeutics to exploit tumor cell glutamine dependence, discuss some of the challenges in this arena, and suggest a disease-focused paradigm to deploy these emerging approaches.

Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation

DOI: 10.1172/jci69600

Authors: Christopher T. Hensley, Ajla T. Wasti, Ralph J. DeBerardinis

Institutions: Children's Medical Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Children's Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences