Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-2022
Keywords
metabolites; lactate; amino acid metabolism; vitamins; cancer; cancer-nerve crosstalk; perineural invasion; tumor innervation
Abstract
Since Otto Warburg's first report on the increased uptake of glucose and lactate release by cancer cells, dysregulated metabolism has been acknowledged as a hallmark of cancer that promotes proliferation and metastasis. Over the last century, studies have shown that cancer metabolism is complex, and by-products of glucose and glutamine catabolism induce a cascade of both pro- and antitumorigenic processes. Some vitamins, which have traditionally been praised for preventing and inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells, have also been proven to cause cancer progression in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, recent findings have shown that the nervous system is a key player in tumor growth and metastasis via perineural invasion and tumor innervation. However, the link between cancer-nerve crosstalk and tumor metabolism remains unclear. Here, we discuss the roles of relatively underappreciated metabolites in cancer-nerve crosstalk, including lactate, vitamins, and amino acids, and propose the investigation of nutrients in cancer-nerve crosstalk based on their tumorigenicity and neuroregulatory capabilities. Continued research into the metabolic regulation of cancer-nerve crosstalk will provide a more comprehensive understanding of tumor mechanisms and may lead to the identification of potential targets for future cancer therapies.
Citation
Gu, I., Gregory, E. A., Atwood, C., Lee, S., & Song, Y. H. (2022). Exploring the Role of Metabolites in Cancer and the Associated Nerve Crosstalk. Nutrients, 14 (9), 1722. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091722
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
