title: Glutamine at focus: versatile roles in cancer.
abstract: During the past decade, a heightened understanding of metabolic pathways in cancer has significantly increased. It is recognized that many tumor cells are genetically programmed and have involved an abnormal metabolic state. Interestingly, this increased metabolic autonomy generates dependence on various nutrients such as glucose and glutamine. Both of these components participate in various facets of metabolic activity that allow for energy production, synthesis of biomass, antioxidant defense, and the regulation of cell signaling. Here, we outline the emerging data on glutamine metabolism and address the molecular mechanisms underlying glutamine-induced cell survival. We also discuss novel therapeutic strategies to exploit glutamine addiction of certain cancer cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy. vitto@bioqmed.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Vitto
authors.affiliation: University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez-Valencia
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Radosevich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine
keywords: Cancer; Glutamine; Oncogene; Targeting glutamine metabolism; Tumor suppressor