title: The Warburg effect suppresses oxidative stress induced apoptosis in a yeast model for cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Otto Warburg observed that cancer cells are often characterized by intense glycolysis in the presence of oxygen and a concomitant decrease in mitochondrial respiration. Research has mainly focused on a possible connection between increased glycolysis and tumor development whereas decreased respiration has largely been left unattended. Therefore, a causal relation between decreased respiration and tumorigenesis has not been demonstrated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For this purpose, colonies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is suitable for manipulation of mitochondrial respiration and shows mitochondria-mediated cell death, were used as a model. Repression of respiration as well as ROS-scavenging via glutathione inhibited apoptosis and conferred a survival advantage during seeding and early development of this fast proliferating solid cell population. In contrast, enhancement of respiration triggered cell death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, the Warburg effect might directly contribute to the initiation of cancer formation--not only by enhanced glycolysis--but also via decreased respiration in the presence of oxygen, which suppresses apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruckenstuhl
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Büttner
authors.forename: Didac
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carmona-Gutierrez
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
authors.forename: Stephan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sigrist
authors.forename: Kai-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Fröhlich
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Madeo
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019069:Cell Respiration; D002470:Cell Survival; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D006019:Glycolysis; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione; D010100:Oxygen