title: Glutamine and cancer.
abstract: Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the human body; it is essential for the growth of normal and neoplastic cells and for the culture of many cell types. Cancer has been described as a nitrogen trap. The presence of a tumor produces great changes in host glutamine metabolism in such a way that host nitrogen metabolism is accommodated to the tumor-enhanced requirements of glutamine. To be used, glutamine must be transported into tumor mitochondria. Thus, an overview of the role of glutamine in cancer requires not only a discussion of host and tumor glutamine metabolism, but also its circulation and transport. Because glutamine depletion has adverse effects for the host, the effect of glutamine supplementation in the tumor-bearing state should also be studied. This communication reviews the state of knowledge of glutamine and cancer, including potential therapeutic implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D005972:Glutaminase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine; D011503:Transglutaminases; D005972:Glutaminase; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; D009584:Nitrogen