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Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets
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Author Spotlight: Reprogramming Cancer Cells to iPSCs to Study Disease Progression and Treatment Targets

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Metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications in cancer: from the impacts and mechanisms to the treatment

Xuemeng Xu1,2, Qiu Peng1, Xianjie Jiang1

  • 1Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.

Experimental & Molecular Medicine
|July 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cells exhibit metabolic plasticity, reprogramming their metabolism through epigenetic changes. Understanding these epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone lactylation, is key to developing new cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications.
  • Metabolic pathway activity in tumors is plastic and changes during progression.
  • Metabolic and epigenetic changes are interconnected, influencing tumor pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent studies on epigenetic modifications regulating cancer cell metabolism.
  • To explore mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism.
  • To highlight the role of epigenetic factors in tumor growth and therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on cancer metabolism and epigenetics.
  • Focus on mechanisms of DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, noncoding RNAs, and histone lactylation.
  • Analysis of the interplay between epigenetic changes and metabolic reprogramming in cancer.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic modifications significantly influence cancer cell metabolism.
  • DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, noncoding RNAs, and histone lactylation are key epigenetic regulators.
  • These epigenetic changes impact glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism in tumors.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic modifications are crucial for metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells.
  • Targeting epigenetic mechanisms offers potential for novel cancer therapeutics.
  • Further research into these mechanisms can advance our understanding of tumor pathogenesis.

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