title: Lactic dehydrogenase and cancer: an overview.
abstract: Despite the intense scientific efforts made, there are still many tumors that are difficult to treat and the percentage of patient survival in the long-term is still too low. Thus, new approaches to the treatment of cancer are needed. Cancer is a highly heterogeneous and complex disease, whose development requires a reorganization of cell metabolism. Most tumor cells downregulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and increase the rate of glucose consumption and lactate release, independently of oxygen availability (Warburg effect). This metabolic rewiring is largely believed to favour tumor growth and survival, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. Importantly, the correlation between the aerobic glycolysis and cancer is widely regarded as a useful biochemical basis for the development of novel anticancer strategies. Among the enzymes involved in glycolysis, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is emerging as a very attractive target for possible pharmacological approaches in cancer therapy. This review addresses the state of the art and the perspectives concerning LDH both as a useful diagnostic marker and a relevant molecular target in cancer therapy and management.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sapio
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Second University of Naples, Medical School, Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Naviglio
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy, silvio.naviglio@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naviglio
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007527:Isoenzymes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase