The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer
Far beyond simply being 11 of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis, non-essential amino acids play numerous important roles in tumor metabolism. These diverse functions include providing precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules, controlling redox status and antioxidant systems, a...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/11/5/675 |
| _version_ | 1797706542752989184 |
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| author | Bo-Hyun Choi Jonathan L. Coloff |
| author_facet | Bo-Hyun Choi Jonathan L. Coloff |
| author_sort | Bo-Hyun Choi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Far beyond simply being 11 of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis, non-essential amino acids play numerous important roles in tumor metabolism. These diverse functions include providing precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules, controlling redox status and antioxidant systems, and serving as substrates for post-translational and epigenetic modifications. This functional diversity has sparked great interest in targeting non-essential amino acid metabolism for cancer therapy and has motivated the development of several therapies that are either already used in the clinic or are currently in clinical trials. In this review, we will discuss the important roles that each of the 11 non-essential amino acids play in cancer, how their metabolic pathways are linked, and how researchers are working to overcome the unique challenges of targeting non-essential amino acid metabolism for cancer therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:53:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca68dbfab4474a28a7cc6cf07381b07a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:53:53Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca68dbfab4474a28a7cc6cf07381b07a2023-09-03T04:54:37ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942019-05-0111567510.3390/cancers11050675cancers11050675The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in CancerBo-Hyun Choi0Jonathan L. Coloff1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USADepartment of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USAFar beyond simply being 11 of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis, non-essential amino acids play numerous important roles in tumor metabolism. These diverse functions include providing precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules, controlling redox status and antioxidant systems, and serving as substrates for post-translational and epigenetic modifications. This functional diversity has sparked great interest in targeting non-essential amino acid metabolism for cancer therapy and has motivated the development of several therapies that are either already used in the clinic or are currently in clinical trials. In this review, we will discuss the important roles that each of the 11 non-essential amino acids play in cancer, how their metabolic pathways are linked, and how researchers are working to overcome the unique challenges of targeting non-essential amino acid metabolism for cancer therapy.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/11/5/675aspartateasparagineargininecysteineglutamateglutamineglycineprolineserinecancer |
| spellingShingle | Bo-Hyun Choi Jonathan L. Coloff The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer Cancers aspartate asparagine arginine cysteine glutamate glutamine glycine proline serine cancer |
| title | The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer |
| title_full | The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer |
| title_fullStr | The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer |
| title_short | The Diverse Functions of Non-Essential Amino Acids in Cancer |
| title_sort | diverse functions of non essential amino acids in cancer |
| topic | aspartate asparagine arginine cysteine glutamate glutamine glycine proline serine cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/11/5/675 |
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