Cancer and glycolysis
The growth of cancerous tumors was associated with sugar consumption disorders
Natalia Pelezneva, Naked Science
Belgian researchers have studied the mechanism linking sugar consumption by cells with the activity of Ras family genes. Some mutations in these genes can lead to rapid tumor growth and metastasis.
In the future, the results of the study will be able to help in the development of new methods to combat cancer.
It is known that most cancer cells receive energy differently from healthy cells of the same organism. A normal cell assimilates sugar through several enzymatic reactions, in the process of glycolysis, two molecules of pyruvic acid are formed from one glucose molecule. The exchange is relatively slow. Many cancer cells receive energy in a different way: they undergo rapid anaerobic glycolysis with the formation of lactic acid. This violation is called the "Warburg effect".
Scientists have studied the process of splitting sugar in the cells of a special yeast line tps1∆. Such yeasts are characterized by increased sugar consumption and rapid glycolysis. The cells of these yeasts contain Ras proteins encoded by genes of the Ras family. The same proteins can regulate cell reproduction in the human body. With some mutations, regulation is disrupted, which leads to the growth of tumors. Therefore, such yeast is used in many studies of oncological diseases.
Comments on one of the authors of the work Johan Thevelein (Johan Thevelein): "Studying yeast, we observed that the breakdown of sugar is associated through fructose-1,6-biphosphate with the activation of Ras proteins that stimulate the reproduction of both yeast and cancer cells." Thus, the more sugar a cell receives, the more actively Ras proteins are produced, stimulating the appearance of new cells repeating the same scenario. Tevelein explains: "Our study shows how hyperactive sugar consumption by cancer cells leads to a "vicious circle" of continuous stimulation of cancer development and growth. Thus, it is possible to explain the relationship between the intensity of the Warburg effect and the aggressiveness of tumors."
Scientists assume that the results of their research will form the basis of new therapies. Many modern treatment methods are based on limiting glycolysis, which prevents cancer cells from storing enough energy. New data on the Warburg effect in the future may allow more purposefully "starving" diseased cells.
The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.
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