• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권17호
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• pp.7015-7019
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• 2014

Metabolism lies at the heart of cell biology. The metabolism of cancer cells is significantly different from that of their normal counterparts during tumorigenesis and progression. Elevated glucose metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells, even under aerobic conditions. The Warburg effect not only allows cancer cells to meet their high energy demands and supply biological materials for anabolic processes including nucleotide and lipid synthesis, but it also minimizes reactive oxygen species production in mitochondria, thereby providing a growth advantage for tumors. Indeed, the mitochondria also play a more essential role in tumor development. As information about the numorous microRNAs has emerged, the importance of metabolic phenotypes mediated by microRNAs in cancer is being increasingly emphasized. However, the consequences of dysregulation of Warburg effect and mitochondrial metabolism modulated by microRNAs in tumor initiation and progression are still largely unclear.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2009

"To be, or not to be?" This question is not only Hamlet's agony but also the dilemma of mitochondria in a cancer cell. Cancer cells have a high glycolysis rate even in the presence of oxygen. This feature of cancer cells is known as the Warburg effect, named for the first scientist to observe it, Otto Warburg, who assumed that because of mitochondrial malfunction, cancer cells had to depend on anaerobic glycolysis to generate ATP. It was demonstrated, however, that cancer cells with intact mitochondria also showed evidence of the Warburg effect. Thus, an alternative explanation was proposed: the Warburg effect helps cancer cells harness additional ATP to meet the high energy demand required for their extraordinary growth while providing a basic building block of metabolites for their proliferation. A third view suggests that the Warburg effect is a defense mechanism, protecting cancer cells from the higher than usual oxidative environment in which they survive. Interestingly, the latter view does not conflict with the high-energy production view, as increased glucose metabolism enables cancer cells to produce larger amounts of both antioxidants to fight oxidative stress and ATP and metabolites for growth. The combination of these two different hypotheses may explain the Warburg effect, but critical questions at the mechanistic level remain to be explored. Cancer shows complex and multi-faceted behaviors. Previously, there has been no overall plan or systematic approach to integrate and interpret the complex signaling in cancer cells. A new paradigm of collaboration and a well-designed systemic approach will supply answers to fill the gaps in current cancer knowledge and will accelerate the discovery of the connections behind the Warburg mystery. An integrated understanding of cancer complexity and tumorigenesis is necessary to expand the frontiers of cancer cell biology.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.177-193
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• 2016

After more than half of century since the Warburg effect was described, this atypical metabolism has been standing true for almost every type of cancer, exhibiting higher glycolysis and lactate metabolism and defective mitochondrial ATP production. This phenomenon had attracted many scientists to the problem of elucidating the mechanism of, and reason for, this effect. Several models based on oncogenic studies have been proposed, such as the accumulation of mitochondrial gene mutations, the switch from oxidative phosphorylation respiration to glycolysis, the enhancement of lactate metabolism, and the alteration of glycolytic genes. Whether the Warburg phenomenon is the consequence of genetic dysregulation in cancer or the cause of cancer remains unknown. Moreover, the exact reasons and physiological values of this peculiar metabolism in cancer remain unclear. Although there are some pharmacological compounds, such as 2-deoxy-D-glucose, dichloroacetic acid, and 3-bromopyruvate, therapeutic strategies, including diet, have been developed based on targeting the Warburg effect. In this review, we will revisit the Warburg effect to determine how much scientists currently understand about this phenomenon and how we can treat the cancer based on targeting metabolism.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제65권4호
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• pp.387-396
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• 2022

골격근은 체중의 약 40-50%를 차지하며 자세 유지, 연조직 지지, 체온 유지, 호흡 등 다양한 기능을 수행하는 중요한 조직이다. 전 세계적으로 광범위하게 발생하는 암은 근위축을 동반한 암 악액질을 일으켜 항암제의 효과를 떨어뜨리고 암환자의 삶의 질과 생존율을 크게 떨어뜨린다. 따라서 암 악액질을 개선하기 위한 연구가 진행 중이지만 암과 근육 위축 사이의 연관성에 관한 연구는 거의 없다. 암 세포는 종양 관련 대식세포(TAM), 종양 관련 호중구(TAN) 및 Warburg 효과로 인한 인슐린 저항성을 포함하여 독특한 미세 환경 및 대사를 나타낸다. 따라서 암세포의 미세환경과 대사적 특성, 사이토카인과 인슐린 저항성에 의해 영향을 받을 수 있는 근육 위축의 분자적 기전을 정리하였다. 또한 이는 TAM, TAN, Warburg 효과에 영향을 미치는 물질의 암 악액질 개선 가능성을 시사한다. 본 논문에서는 또한 암 악액질을 개선할 수 있는 단일 화합물 및 이들에 의해 매개되는 신호 전달 경로를 통해 지금까지 확인된 메커니즘을 정리하였다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.39-44
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• 2018

In 1923, Dr. Warburg had observed that tumors acidified the Ringer solution when 13 mM glucose was added, which was identified as being due to lactate. When glucose is the only source of nutrient, it can serve for both biosynthesis and energy production. However, a series of studies revealed that the cancer cell consumes glucose for biosynthesis through fermentation, not for energy supply, under physiological conditions. Recently, a new observation was made that there is a metabolic symbiosis in which glycolytic and oxidative tumor cells mutually regulate their energy metabolism. Hypoxic cancer cells use glucose for glycolytic metabolism and release lactate which is used by oxygenated cancer cells. This study challenged the Warburg effect, because Warburg claimed that fermentation by irreversible damaging of mitochondria is a fundamental cause of cancer. However, recent studies revealed that mitochondria in cancer cell show active function of oxidative phosphorylation although TCA cycle is stalled. It was also shown that blocking cytosolic NADH production by aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibition, combined with oxidative phosphorylation inhibition, resulted in up to 80% decrease of ATP production, which resulted in a significant regression of tumor growth in the NSCLC model. This suggests a new theory that NADH production in the cytosol plays a key role of ATP production through the mitochondrial electron transport chain in cancer cells, while NADH production is mostly occupied inside mitochondria in normal cells.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.235-242
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• 2014

Cancer cells are known to drastically alter cellular energy metabolism. The Warburg effect has been known for over 80 years as pertaining cancer-specific aerobic glycolysis. As underlying molecular mechanisms are elucidated so that cancer cells alter the cellular energy metabolism for their advantage, the significance of the modulation of metabolic profiles is gaining attention. Now, metabolic reprogramming is becoming an emerging hallmark of cancer. Therapeutic agents that target cancer energy metabolism are under intensive investigation, but these investigations are mostly focused on the cytosolic glycolytic processes. Although mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is an integral part of cellular energy metabolism, until recently, it has been regarded as an auxiliary to cytosolic glycolytic processes in cancer energy metabolism. In this review, we will discuss the importance of mitochondrial respiration in the metabolic reprogramming of cancer, in addition to discussing the justification for using mitochondrial DNA somatic mutation as metabolic determinants for cancer sensitivity in glucose limitation.

• 대한암한의학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

Generally, normal cells synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. However, they produce ATP through lactic acid fermentation on hypoxic condition. Interestingly, many cancer cells rely on aerobic glycolysis for ATP generation instead of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, which is termed as "Warburg effect". According to results from recent researches on differences of cancer cell metabolism from normal cell metabolism and because chemotherapy to suppress rapidly growing cells, as a side effect of cancer treatment, can still target healthy cells, there is merit in the development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting metabolic enzymes such as pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and monocarboxylate transporter (MCT). For new anticancer therapy, in this review, we show recent advances in study on cancer cell metabolism and molecules targeting metabolic enzymes which are importantly associated with cancer metabolism for cancer therapy. Furthermore, we would also like to emphasize the necessity of development of molecules targeting metabolic enzymes using herbal medicines and their constituents for anticancer drugs.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권11호
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• pp.618-623
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• 2023

Most cancer cells utilize glucose at a high rate to produce energy and precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. This phenomenon is called the Warburg effect or aerobic glycolysis- this distinct characteristic is an attractive target for developing anticancer drugs. Here, we found that Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) is a substrate of the Protein Phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PP4C)/PP4 regulatory subunit 1 (PP4R1) complex by using immunoprecipitation and in vitro assay. While manipulation of PP4C/PP4R1 does not have a critical impact on PFK-1 expression, the absence of the PP4C/PP4R1 complex increases PFK-1 activity. Although PP4C depletion or overexpression does not cause a dramatic change in the overall glycolytic rate, PP4R1 depletion induces a considerable increase in both basal and compensatory glycolytic rates, as well as the oxygen consumption rate, indicating oxidative phosphorylation. Collectively, the PP4C/PP4R1 complex regulates PFK-1 activity by reversing its phosphorylation and is a promising candidate for treating glycolytic disorders and cancers. Targeting PP4R1 could be a more efficient and safer strategy to avoid pleiotropic effects than targeting PP4C directly.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권12호
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• pp.1469-1476
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• 2018

Warburg 효과의 발생은 고형암에서 화학적 항암제의 내성을 발생시킨다. 따라서 호기성 해당과정과 같은 에너지 대사과정은 암 치료의 중요한 표적으로 알려져 있다. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) 활성 억제물질로 알려진 dichloroacetate (DCA)는 많은 암세포에서 포도당의 호기성 해당과정을 산화적인산화 과정으로 전환시킬 수 있음이 보고되었다. 이 연구는 치료가 매우 어렵다고 알려진 인간 역분화 갑상선 암세포주인 8505C의 성장에 미치는 DCA효과를 조사하였다. DCA는 정상 갑상선 세포주의 성장에는 영향을 주지 않은 반면 8505C 세포주의 성장을 특이적으로 저해하였다. DCA의 처리에 의해 8505C 세포주는 $HIF1{\alpha}$, PDK1, Bcl-2와 같은 항-세포자살 관련 단백질들의 발현이 감소하고, Bax와 p21과 같은 세포자살 유도 단백질과 세포주기 억제 단백질의 증가로 인하여 세포주기 정지와 세포자살 유도에 의해 성장이 억제되었다. 이런 세포의 변화는 DCA 처리에 의한 활성산소족의 생산이 증가하고, 포도당 대사가 호기성 해당과정에서 산화적인산화 과정으로 전환되었기 때문이란 것을 확인하였다. 흥미롭게도, DCA는 포도당 대사과정의 변화뿐만 아니라 sodium/iodine symporter (NIS)의 발현양도 증가시킨다는 것을 확인하였다. 이 연구의 결과로 PDK 활성 저해제는 치료하기 힘든 역분화 갑상선 암 치료제로 이용할 수 있고, 또한 역분화 갑상선 암에 대한 방사능 치료의 효능을 높일 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 대한미생물학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.33-39
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• 1970

정상혈청과 면역혈청의 존재하에 있어서 균의 생존율이 호흡율과 어떠한 관계가 있는가 Brucella 균을 사용하여 실험해보았다. 혈청의 원액에 균을 $37^{\circ}C$ 3시간 방치했다가 흔히 쓰는 평판주입법에 의하여 생존균수를 측정했고, 균호흡은 Warburg 장치를 사용하여 측정했다. 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 혈청의 살균작용과 균호흡억제작용 간에는 극히 대조적인 현상을 엿볼 수 있었는데, 그것은 균호흡이 억제되면 될 수록 생존균수는 그만큼 증가되었다는 사실이다. Brucella 면역혈청의 살균계수가 $1.4{\sim}1.6$이었는데 반해 정상혈청은 2.7나 되었으며, 그 차는 무려 $log_{10}$ 일단위 이상이나 되었다. 그러나 면역혈청내에서의 균호흡율은 정상혈청중에서의 호흡율의 반도 안되었다. 면역체가 보체와 더불어 이러한 호흡억제 작용을 나타낸 것 같으며 이렇게 호흡이 억제된 상태에 있는 균은 혈청의 살균인자에 보다 무감각한 것 같다. 즉 in vitro에서 Brucella 면역체는 어느 일정량 이상 존재하면 균호흡을 억제하고 동시에 혈청의 살균인자로부터 균을 보호해 준 역할을 한다고 볼 수 있다.