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Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo
Published on: April 6, 2022
A Comprehensive Biological and Synthetic Perspective on 2-Deoxy-d-Glucose (2-DG), A Sweet Molecule with Therapeutic
Yasanandana S Wijayasinghe1, Meenakshi P Bhansali2, Maheshkumar R Borkar3
1Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama 11010, Sri Lanka.
Abstract:
Glucose, the primary substrate for ATP synthesis, is catabolized during glycolysis to generate ATP and precursors for the synthesis of other vital biomolecules. Opportunistic viruses and cancer cells often hijack this metabolic machinery to obtain energy and components needed for their replication and proliferation. One way to halt such energy-dependent processes is by interfering with the glycolytic pathway. 2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) is a synthetic glucose analogue that can inhibit key enzymes in the glycolytic pathway. The efficacy of 2-DG has been reported across an array of diseases and disorders, thereby demonstrating its broad therapeutic potential. Recent approval of 2-DG in India as a therapeutic approach for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to this molecule. The purpose of this perspective is to present updated therapeutic avenues as well as a variety of chemical synthetic strategies for this medically useful sugar derivative, 2-DG.
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