Mitochondria-mediated energy adaption in cancer: The H+-ATP synthase-geared switch of metabolism in human tumors

Significance: Since the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971, cancer still remains a major cause of death despite significant progresses made in understanding the biology and treatment of the disease. After many years of ostracism, the peculiar energy metabolism of tumors has been recognized a...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sánchez-Aragó, María, Formentini, Laura, Cuezva Marcos, José Manuel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/662631
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/662631
https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ars.2012.4883
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Biología y Biomedicina / Biología
Descripción
Sumario:Significance: Since the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971, cancer still remains a major cause of death despite significant progresses made in understanding the biology and treatment of the disease. After many years of ostracism, the peculiar energy metabolism of tumors has been recognized as an additional phenotypic trait of the cancer cell. Recent Advances: While the enhanced aerobic glycolysis of carcinomas has already been translated to bedside for precise tumor imaging and staging of cancer patients, accepting that an impaired bioenergetic function of mitochondria is pivotal to understand energy metabolism of tumors and in its progression is debated. However, mitochondrial bioenergetics and cell death are tightly connected. Critical Issues: Recent clinical findings indicate that H+-ATP synthase, a core component of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, is repressed at both the protein and activity levels in human carcinomas. This review summarizes the relevance that mitochondrial function has to understand energy metabolism of tumors and explores the connection between the bioenergetic function of the organelle and the activity of mitochondria as tumor suppressors. Future Directions: The reversible nature of energy metabolism in tumors highlights the relevance that the microenvironment has for tumor progression. Moreover, the stimulation of mitochondrial activity or the inhibition of glycolysis suppresses tumor growth. Future research should elucidate the mechanisms promoting the silencing of oxidative phosphorylation in carcinomas. The aim is the development of new therapeutic strategies tackling energy metabolism to eradicate tumors or at least, to maintain tumor dormancy and transform cancer into a chronic disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 19, 285-298