Metabolic reprogramming and disease progression in cancer patients

Laura Torresano1, Cristina Nuevo-Tapioles1, Fulvio Santacatterina1

  • 1Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.

Insights

Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism, upregulating glycolysis and downregulating oxidative phosphorylation. Profiling these metabolic protein changes offers new avenues for targeted cancer therapy and personalized medicine.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Oncology
  • Metabolomics

Background:

  • Genomics has advanced cancer treatment but protein profiling is needed to understand cancer phenotype and pathogenesis.
  • Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer with significant prognostic and therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review major protein expression changes in cancer metabolism.
  • To identify metabolic enzymes correlating with patient survival.
  • To highlight the potential of targeting cancer metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Review of reported steady-state protein levels in primary carcinomas.
  • Analysis of metabolic enzymes linked to patient survival.

Main Results:

  • Upregulation of glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, lipogenesis, glutaminolysis, and antioxidant defense enzymes.
  • Downregulation of mitochondrial proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation.
  • Identification of specific metabolic enzymes associated with patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Cancer metabolism exhibits distinct protein expression patterns.
  • Mitochondrial metabolism presents a promising therapeutic target.
  • High-throughput protein profiling in large cohorts can advance personalized cancer medicine.

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