Prostate cancer cells metabolize d-lactate inside mitochondria via a D-lactate dehydrogenase which is more active and highly expressed than in normal cells
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Updated: May 15, 2026

Hyperpolarized 13C Metabolic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging
Published on: December 30, 2016
Lidia de Bari1, Loredana Moro, Salvatore Passarella
1Istituto di Biomembrane e Bioenergetica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy. l.debari@ibbe.cnr.it
Abstract:
Although D-lactate metabolism has been shown to occur in a variety of mitochondria, the metabolic fate of D-lactate in cancer cells has never been investigated, as it is believed to be exported to the extracellular phase. We show that mitochondria from both cancer (PC-3) and normal (PNT1A) prostate cells can metabolize D-lactate in an energy competent manner. This is due to the mitochondrial D-lactate dehydrogenase, a membrane flavoprotein, the activity and protein level of which are higher in PC-3 than in PNT1A cells, as detected by both kinetic and immunological analysis. D-Lactate can enter prostate mitochondria and cause the export of newly synthesized malate in a carrier-mediated manner, with the rate of malate efflux from mitochondria twofold higher in cancer.
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