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Moonlighting functions of glucose metabolic enzymes and metabolites in cancer

Dong Guo1,2, Ying Meng1,2, Gaoxiang Zhao3

  • 1Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Frontier Medical Research on Cancer Metabolism, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Nature Reviews. Cancer
|April 2, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Glucose metabolic enzymes have dual roles, providing energy and performing "moonlighting functions" that drive cancer progression. Targeting these non-canonical functions offers new cancer treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cancer Biology
  • Cellular Metabolism

Background:

  • Glucose metabolic enzymes and metabolites are crucial for cellular energy and biosynthesis.
  • These molecules also exhibit non-canonical 'moonlighting functions' impacting cellular processes.
  • These functions link glucose metabolism to critical cellular activities, influencing cancer development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the non-canonical functions of glucose metabolic enzymes and metabolites.
  • To understand how these moonlighting functions contribute to cancer progression.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets within these pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on glucose metabolism and cancer.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways involving metabolic enzymes.
  • Investigation of the role of moonlighting functions in cellular activities relevant to cancer.

Main Results:

  • Glucose metabolic enzymes and metabolites possess moonlighting functions beyond energy production.
  • These functions regulate gene expression, cell cycle, DNA repair, autophagy, senescence, apoptosis, proliferation, tumor microenvironment, and immune responses.
  • The integration of metabolism with these cellular activities drives cancer progression.

Conclusions:

  • Moonlighting functions of glucose metabolic enzymes are critical drivers of cancer.
  • Targeting these non-canonical functions presents a promising strategy for novel cancer therapies.
  • This approach could lead to more specific and effective cancer treatments.

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