Does excessive adenosine 5'-triphosphate formation in cells lead to malignancy? A hypothesis on cancer.
In biological systems, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the principal contributor of free energy necessary for anabolic reactions and is also a precursor of nucleic acids. Moreover, active transport of metabolites into cells is also driven by hydrolysis of ATP. So, a cell may grow, multiply and ultimately turn malignant when it has been transformed in such a manner that it produces excess ATP as compared with its usual metabolic demand. Recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial complex I and the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GA3PD) may be critically altered specifically in malignant cells. So, we further propose that this excessive ATP formation may be due to altered mitochondrial complex I and GA3PD of malignant cells.
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Department of Biochemistry, University College of Science, University of Calcutta, India.
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D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011765:Pyruvaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology
D011765:Pyruvaldehyde; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)