Metabolic intervention on lipid synthesis converging pathways abrogates prostate cancer growth

V Fritz1, Z Benfodda, C Henriquet

  • 11] IGMM, CNRS, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France [2] CNRS, UMR5535, Montpellier, France [3] Université de Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France.

Oncogene
|December 5, 2012
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces a novel cancer therapy that reprograms cancer cell metabolism. By blocking lipid synthesis and inhibiting AMP-activated kinase, the approach induces toxic product accumulation, leading to cancer cell death via oxidative stress.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Metabolic pathways
  • Cancer cell biology

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit altered metabolism, favoring biosynthesis.
  • Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer.
  • Targeting cancer metabolism offers therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a combination therapy targeting cancer cell metabolism.
  • To induce accumulation of toxic metabolic intermediates in cancer cells.
  • To explore a new therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Blocking lipid synthesis in cancer cells.
  • Inhibiting AMP-activated kinase to alter metabolic flux.
  • Inducing accumulation of malonyl-coenzyme A and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate.

Main Results:

  • The combination therapy forces cancer cells into a specific metabolic pathway.
  • Toxic metabolic intermediates accumulate, leading to oxidative stress.
  • Cancer cell death is induced through metabolic manipulation.

Conclusions:

  • This metabolic manipulation strategy offers a novel approach to cancer treatment.
  • The findings lay the groundwork for a new paradigm in cancer therapy.
  • Targeting metabolic pathways represents a promising avenue for future cancer drug development.

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Lipid Catabolism01:25

Lipid Catabolism

Triglycerides serve as crucial long-term energy storage molecules in microorganisms, providing a dense source of metabolic energy. Their breakdown is mediated by lipases, which hydrolyze triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids. Each of these components follows distinct metabolic pathways, ultimately contributing to ATP synthesis and cellular energy homeostasis.Glycerol MetabolismGlycerol, released from triglyceride hydrolysis, is phosphorylated by glycerol kinase to form...