Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 7, 2026

A Proximal Culture Method to Study Paracrine Signaling Between Cells
Published on: August 28, 2018
Redox-Amino Acid Metabolic Crosstalk in Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells: Integrating Metabolic Reprogramming, Signaling,
Dan Liu1,2,3, Huawei Yi3,4, Cunjian Yi1,4
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China.
Abstract:
Ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) possess stemness; differentiation capacity; and tolerance to oxidative, metabolic, and therapeutic stress, driving recurrence and chemoresistance. Emerging evidence highlights a synergistic interplay between redox homeostasis and amino acid metabolism in maintaining stemness and treatment resistance. This review integrates redox regulation, amino acid metabolic reprogramming, and tumor microenvironment (TME) signals into a unified "redox-amino acid-TME" framework. OCSCs balance signal transduction and antioxidant defense by fine-tuning reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Glutamine, serine/glycine, and sulfur amino acid metabolism collectively generate NADPH and glutathione, sustaining the GPX4/TRX antioxidant systems and suppressing ferroptosis. Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-mTOR and tryptophan (Trp)-aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) axes couple amino acid sensing to redox signaling, stabilizing the stem-like phenotype. Under TME stress, including hypoxia, acidity, and nutrient competition, exosomes and stromal components reinforce stemness and immune evasion through metabolic and redox crosstalk. Therapeutically, targeting glutamine metabolism (ASCT2/GLS), serine biosynthesis (PHGDH/SHMT), or antioxidant defenses (xCT/GPX4) disrupts reducing power, increases oxidative stress, and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy, PARP inhibition, and immunotherapy. Biomarkers such as xCT/GPX4 expression, PHGDH levels, Nrf2 activity, and GSH/NADPH ratios may guide patient stratification and response prediction. Overall, understanding the redox-amino acid metabolic network provides a mechanistic basis and translational opportunities for precision metabolic therapies in ovarian cancer.
Related Concept Videos
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
The Tumor Microenvironment
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

