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Moonlighting functions of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in cancer
Chuanlong Wang1, Sanqi An2, Lingyang Zhao3
1The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Abstract:
Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) is traditionally known for catalyzing the conversion of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG) to 3-phosphonooxypyruvate (3-PHP), a key step in the de novo synthesis of serine. However, recent studies have uncovered that PHGDH exhibits a wide range of non-canonical functions. In addition to its role in metabolic reactions within the glycolytic pathway, PHGDH also participates in the regulation of gene transcription and translation. These newly identified functions significantly alter our understanding of how PHGDH aberrantly regulates tumor cell fate. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms by which PHGDH promotes cancer progression through these non-canonical pathways, potentially offering new therapeutic avenues for cancer.
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