Open AccessEnergy metabolism in cancer stem cells
Author(s) -
Xuan Zhu,
Huihui Chen,
Chenyi Gao,
Xinxin Zhang,
Jingxin Jiang,
Yi Zhang,
Jun Fang,
Feng Zhao,
Zhigang Chen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
world journal of stem cells
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.907
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 1948-0210
DOI - 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i6.448
Subject(s) - cancer stem cell , cancer cell , oxidative phosphorylation , cancer , stem cell , reprogramming , tumor microenvironment , cancer research , glycolysis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , phenotype , chemistry , metabolism , biochemistry , cell , tumor cells , genetics , gene
Normal cells mainly rely on oxidative phosphorylation as an effective energy source in the presence of oxygen. In contrast, most cancer cells use less efficient glycolysis to produce ATP and essential biomolecules. Cancer cells gain the characteristics of metabolic adaptation by reprogramming their metabolic mechanisms to meet the needs of rapid tumor growth. A subset of cancer cells with stem characteristics and the ability to regenerate exist throughout the tumor and are therefore called cancer stem cells (CSCs). New evidence indicates that CSCs have different metabolic phenotypes compared with differentiated cancer cells. CSCs can dynamically transform their metabolic state to favor glycolysis or oxidative metabolism. The mechanism of the metabolic plasticity of CSCs has not been fully elucidated, and existing evidence indicates that the metabolic phenotype of cancer cells is closely related to the tumor microenvironment. Targeting CSC metabolism may provide new and effective methods for the treatment of tumors. In this review, we summarize the metabolic characteristics of cancer cells and CSCs and the mechanisms of the metabolic interplay between the tumor microenvironment and CSCs, and discuss the clinical implications of targeting CSC metabolism.