Work

Amino Acid Depletion Therapies: Starving Cancer Cells to Death

Year: 2021

Type: review

Abstract: Targeting tumor cell metabolism is an attractive form of therapy, as it may enhance treatment response in therapy resistant cancers as well as mitigate treatment-related toxicities by reducing the need for genotoxic agents. To meet their increased demand for biomass accumulation and energy production and to maintain redox homeostasis, tumor cells undergo profound changes in their metabolism. In addition to the diversion of glucose metabolism, this is achieved by upregulation of amino acid metabolism. Interfering with amino acid availability can be selectively lethal to tumor cells and has proven to be a cancer specific Achilles' heel. Here we review the biology behind such cancer specific amino acid dependencies and discuss how these vulnerabilities can be exploited to improve cancer therapies.

Source: Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism

DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2021.03.003

Authors: Miriam Butler, Laurens T. van der Meer, Frank N. van Leeuwen

Institutions: Radboud University Nijmegen, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Princess Máxima 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: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $6,700