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Review
. 2018 Aug;1870(1):96-102.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.05.005. Epub 2018 May 26.

Mitochondria in cancer metabolism, an organelle whose time has come?

Rebecca G Anderson  1 , Lais P Ghiraldeli  1 , Timothy S Pardee  2
Affiliations
Review

Mitochondria in cancer metabolism, an organelle whose time has come?

Rebecca G Anderson et al. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2018 Aug.

Abstract

Mitochondria have long been controversial organelles in cancer. Early discoveries in cancer metabolism placed much emphasis on cytosolic contributions. Initial debate focused on if mitochondria had a role in cancer formation and progression at all. More recently the contributions of mitochondria to cancer development and progression have become firmly established. This has led to the identification of novel targets and inhibitors being studied as new therapeutic approaches. This review will summarize the role of mitochondria in cancer and highlight several agents under development.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

TSP is the Chief Medical Officer of Rafael Pharmaceuticals and has received research funding from them. Rafael Pharmaceuticals owns the licensing rights to CPI-613 and is currently developing it for use in oncology patients. Rafael Pharmaceuticals had no input over the content of this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Overview of the TCA cycle and therapeutics that target it. DCA, dichloroacetate; GLS, Glutaminase; GLUD, glutamine dehydrogenase; IDH, isocitrate dehydrogenase; KGDH, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase; MPC, mitochondrial pyruvate carrier complex; PDH, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex; PDK, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Overview of the electron transport chain and therapies that target these complexes. Complex I – NADH dehydrogenase; Complex II-succinate dehydrogenase; Complex III-cytochrome bc1 complex; complex IV-cytochrome c oxidase; ETC – electron transport chain, Cyt C – cytochrome C; Q – quinone.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Overview of other specific mitochondrial functions that are targeted by cancer therapies. Apaf-1/BAD/BAK/BID, pro-apoptotic proteins; XIAP, anti-apoptotic protein; Mfn1/Mfn2, mitofusin; OPA1, mitochondrial dynamin like 120 kDa protein; Drp1, dynamin related protein 1; Hsp90, heat shock protein 90.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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