title: Serine and glycine metabolism in cancer.
abstract: Serine and glycine are biosynthetically linked, and together provide the essential precursors for the synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids that are crucial to cancer cell growth. Moreover, serine/glycine biosynthesis also affects cellular antioxidative capacity, thus supporting tumour homeostasis. A crucial contribution of serine/glycine to cellular metabolism is through the glycine cleavage system, which refuels one-carbon metabolism; a complex cyclic metabolic network based on chemical reactions of folate compounds. The importance of serine/glycine metabolism is further highlighted by genetic and functional evidence indicating that hyperactivation of the serine/glycine biosynthetic pathway drives oncogenesis. Recent developments in our understanding of these pathways provide novel translational opportunities for drug development, dietary intervention, and biomarker identification of human cancers.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, Leicester University, Lancaster Road, P.O. Box 138, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK. Electronic address: ia119@le.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amelio
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.cutruzzola@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cutruzzolá
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, Leicester University, Lancaster Road, P.O. Box 138, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonov
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, Leicester University, Lancaster Road, P.O. Box 138, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, Leicester University, Lancaster Road, P.O. Box 138, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK; Biochemistry Laboratory, IDI-IRCCS, and Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gm89@leicester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melino
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005998:Glycine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012694:Serine; D005998:Glycine
keywords: cancer metabolism; folate; glycine; one-carbon metabolism; serine