Cancer metabolism and the Warburg effect as anabolic process outcomes of oncogene operation
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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Extraction of Aqueous Metabolites from Cultured Adherent Cells for Metabolomic Analysis by Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 9, 2019
1Biochemical and Toxicological Laboratory, Kiev Regional p/n Hospital, Ukraine. ponis@online.de
Abstract:
Having considered the results of early works by other authors, their assumption was developed using modern knowledge that made it possible to propose the concept of a Warburg effect mechanism in cancer metabolism. This concept accents the high prevalence of anabolic processes in cancer metabolism, taking into account oncogene operation. The explanation of the Warburg effect mechanism alone has been provided considering the mechanism of energy shift to an anabolic pathway of cancer development. On the basis of previous experiments, the concept has also detected the point of bifurcation of the pathways of anabolic and catabolic processes, which have made it possible to ascertain the consumption of acetyl-CoA for anabolic processes and the lack of acetyl-CoA for catabolic processes. Thus, the results of other authors' experiments were explained using the proposed concept. The mechanism of surviving cancer cells (apoptosis resistance) was also explained using this concept. In addition to using the Theorell formula and the proposed concept, an explanation has also been given from the physical chemistry point of view of the mechanism of the phenomenon regarding the absence of contact inhibition of proliferating cells in malignant tumors. Thus, this made it possible to explain other cancer phenomena mechanisms, including metastasis, nonhealing ulcers, and irrepressible growth mechanisms. In addition, this concept has made it possible to also explain experimental results that early and modern authors could not explain. Lastly, the distinction between mechanisms of the Pasteur effect and the Warburg effect was explained using the proposed concept.
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