The Warburg effect and its cancer therapeutic implications

Increased aerobic glycolysis in cancer, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect, has been observed in various tumor cells and represents a major biochemical alteration associated with malignant transformation. Although the exact molecular mechanisms underlying this metabolic change remain to be elu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes 2007-06, Vol.39 (3), p.267-274
Main Authors: Chen, Zhao, Lu, Weiqin, Garcia-Prieto, Celia, Huang, Peng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
DNA, Mitochondrial - metabolism
Energy Metabolism - drug effects
Energy Metabolism - physiology
Glycolysis
Humans
Mitochondria - physiology
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Neoplasms - metabolism
Oncogenes - physiology
Signal Transduction
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Summary:Increased aerobic glycolysis in cancer, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect, has been observed in various tumor cells and represents a major biochemical alteration associated with malignant transformation. Although the exact molecular mechanisms underlying this metabolic change remain to be elucidated, the profound biochemical alteration in cancer cell energy metabolism provides exciting opportunities for the development of therapeutic strategies to preferentially kill cancer cells by targeting the glycolytic pathway. Several small molecules capable of inhibiting glycolysis in experimental systems have been shown to have promising anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. This review article provides a brief summary of our current understanding of the Warburg effect, the underlying mechanisms, and its influence on the development of therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
ISSN:0145-479X
1573-6881
DOI:10.1007/s10863-007-9086-x