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Review
. 2009 Jul;135(7):867-77.
doi: 10.1007/s00432-009-0590-8. Epub 2009 May 5.

Cancer's craving for sugar: an opportunity for clinical exploitation

S Yeluri  1 , B Madhok, K R Prasad, P Quirke, D G Jayne
Affiliations
Review

Cancer's craving for sugar: an opportunity for clinical exploitation

S Yeluri et al. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2009 Jul.

Abstract

More than 80 years ago, Otto Warburg described the phenomenon whereby cancer cells avidly take up glucose and produce lactic acid under aerobic conditions, a process subsequently referred to as the Warburg effect or aerobic glycolysis. The exact molecular mechanisms underlying cancers reliance on glycolysis remains unclear, but is likely a combination of an epigenetic response to the hypoxic tumour environment in combination with direct oncogenic stimulation. The aim of the current manuscript is to review the normal process of glycolysis and highlight the alterations that occur with malignant transformation, to consider the potential advantages of glycolytic respiration for cancer cell survival, and finally to explore areas where altered glucose metabolism can be exploited for clinical benefit.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagrammatic illustration of the Embden–Meyerhof pathway (GLUT glucose transporter, HK hexokinase, PGI phosphoglucose isomerase, PFK phosphofructo kinase, TPI triose phosphate isomerase, GAPDH glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, PGK phosphoglycerate kinase, PGAM phosphoglycerate mutase, ENO enolase, PK pyruvate kinase, LDH lactate dehydrogenase)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Diagrammatic illustration of regulation of PFK-1, a major rate limiting enzyme of glycolysis (PFK-1 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase, iPFK-2 inducible isoform of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, PFKFB3 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase isozyme 3)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Diagrammatic illustration of the mutually opposite roles of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDP) in controlling pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) activity
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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