Harnessing impaired energy metabolism in cancer cell: small molecule- mediated ways to regulate tumorigenesis

Abstract

Altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of tumorigenesis. Described first in 1924 by Otto Warburg, a cancer cell undergoes complete metabolic reprogramming to attain nutrient self-sufficiency for proliferation and survival. Interplay between diverse signalling cascades confers this metabolic advantage. In this review we focus on signalling molecules that regulate this altered metabolic paradigm in a cancer cell with emphasis on small molecule mediated intervention for attenuation of growth and progression of tumor.