Volume 16 Issue 11, November 2016

Mayers, Torrenceet al. show that lung tumours driven by oncogenic KRAS and loss of p53 depend on branched-chain amino acid metabolism, whereas pancreatic tumours driven by the same genetic defects do not.

Brand and colleagues show that increased tumour lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)-mediated lactic acid production dampens activation and cytokine production of infiltrating T and natural killer (NK) cells allowing tumours to escape immune detection and promoting tumour growth.

Two studies have looked at the roles of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation, and their therapeutic potential, in cancer.

Cell differentiation blockade in the early stages of AML can be overcome by inhibiting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase

Altered cancer cell metabolism can result in intracellular metabolite concentration changes. This Review discusses the mechanisms that lead to metabolite concentration changes in cancer cells, the consequences of these changes and how they might be exploited to improve cancer therapy.

Alterations in the epigenome and metabolism bidirectionally regulate molecular rewiring in cancer cells. This Review discusses how metabolic remodelling can contribute to tumour epigenetic alterations, thereby affecting cancer cell differentiation, proliferation and/or apoptosis as well as therapeutic responses.

This Review discusses how acetate functions as a nutritional source for tumours and as a regulator of cancer cell stress, and how preventing its (re)capture by cancer cells may provide an opportunity for therapeutic intervention.

The mevalonate (MVA) pathway is an essential metabolic pathway that is affected by many oncogenic signalling pathways. This Review discusses the opportunity to immediately target the MVA pathway in cancer with agents approved for other therapeutic uses, such as statins.

Lipid metabolism, especially fatty acid (FA) synthesis, is essential for membrane biosynthesis, energy storage and the generation of signalling molecules. This Review explores how FA synthesis promotes tumorigenesis and tumour progression and might be targeted therapeutically.