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Aerobic glycolysis: a novel target in kidney cancer

Brian Shuch1, W Marston Linehan, Ramaprasad Srinivasan

  • 1Urologic Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy
|June 19, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) exhibits altered metabolism, relying on aerobic glycolysis. This metabolic vulnerability in kidney cancer offers potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Metabolic pathways
  • Cancer biology

Background:

  • Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a complex cancer with diverse subtypes.
  • Most RCC forms share dysregulated cellular metabolism.
  • Aerobic glycolysis, a hallmark of cancer, is prevalent in kidney cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the common metabolic pathway in renal cell carcinoma.
  • To explore the role of aerobic glycolysis in both sporadic and hereditary RCC.
  • To identify potential metabolic vulnerabilities for therapeutic intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on RCC metabolism.
  • Analysis of genetic alterations in hereditary RCC subtypes (SDH and HLRCC).
  • Examination of the Warburg effect in kidney cancer.

Main Results:

  • Hereditary RCC forms (SDH, HLRCC) show mutations in Krebs cycle enzymes.
  • These mutations lead to dependence on glycolysis for energy.
  • Aerobic glycolysis is a common metabolic feature across RCC subtypes.

Conclusions:

  • Dysregulated metabolism, particularly aerobic glycolysis, is a unifying feature of RCC.
  • Metabolic dependencies in kidney cancer present therapeutic opportunities.
  • Targeting glycolysis, glucose uptake, and biosynthesis may be effective strategies.

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