Is the Hoffman Effect for Methionine Overuse Analogous to the Warburg Effect for Glucose Overuse in Cancer?
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Integrating Mechanical and Biological Analysis in Tendinopathy Research
Published on: March 1, 2024
1AntiCancer, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA. all@anticancer.com.
Abstract:
The general cancer-specific metabolic defect of methionine (MET) dependence is due to MET overuse for aberrant transmethylation reactions. The excess use of MET for aberrant transmethylation reactions apparently diverts methyl groups from DNA. The resulting global DNA hypomethylation is also a general phenomenon in cancer and leads to unstable genomes and aneuploid karyotypes. The excessive and aberrant use of MET in cancer is readily observed in [11C]-MET-PET imaging, where high uptake of [11C]-MET results in a very strong and selective tumor signal compared to normal tissue background for brain cancer and possibly other cancers. [11C]-MET is superior to [18C]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for PET imaging, suggesting that MET overuse in cancer ("Hoffman effect") is greater than glucose overuse in cancer ("Warburg effect").
More Related Videos
06:28A Simple Flow Cytometric Method to Measure Glucose Uptake and Glucose Transporter Expression for Monocyte Subpopulations in Whole Blood
Published on: August 12, 2016
08:09Methionine Functionalized Biocompatible Block Copolymers for Targeted Plasmid DNA Delivery
Published on: August 6, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Glucose Transporters
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are...
Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Prostaglandin Analogs as Mucosal Protective Agents
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can induce peptic ulcers by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, decreasing...