Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets
Abstract Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in human serum, and it can provide carbon and nitrogen for biosynthesis, which is crucial for proliferating cells. Moreover, it is widely known that glutamine metabolism is reprogrammed in cancer cells. Many cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Cell Communication and Signaling |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-024-02018-6 |
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| author | Ding Nan Weiping Yao Luanluan Huang Ruiqi Liu Xiaoyan Chen Wenjie Xia Hailong Sheng Haibo Zhang Xiaodong Liang Yanwei Lu |
| author_facet | Ding Nan Weiping Yao Luanluan Huang Ruiqi Liu Xiaoyan Chen Wenjie Xia Hailong Sheng Haibo Zhang Xiaodong Liang Yanwei Lu |
| author_sort | Ding Nan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in human serum, and it can provide carbon and nitrogen for biosynthesis, which is crucial for proliferating cells. Moreover, it is widely known that glutamine metabolism is reprogrammed in cancer cells. Many cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming targeting glutamine, increasing its uptake to meet their rapid proliferation demands. An increasing amount of study is being done on the particular glutamine metabolic pathways in cancer cells. Further investigation into the function of glutamine in immune cells is warranted given the critical role these cells play in the fight against cancer. Immune cells use glutamine for a variety of biological purposes, including the growth, differentiation, and destruction of cancer cells. With the encouraging results of cancer immunotherapy in recent years, more investigation into the impact of glutamine metabolism on immune cell function in the cancer microenvironment could lead to the discovery of new targets and therapeutic approaches. Oral supplementation with glutamine also enhances the immune capabilities of cancer patients, improves the sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and improves prognosis. The unique metabolism of glutamine in cancer cells, its function in various immune cells, the impact of inhibitors of glutamine metabolism, and the therapeutic use of glutamine supplements are all covered in detail in this article. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1bd2c5137a59488fafda7f4e4c0ff139 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1478-811X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cell Communication and Signaling |
| spelling | doaj-art-1bd2c5137a59488fafda7f4e4c0ff1392025-01-26T12:44:49ZengBMCCell Communication and Signaling1478-811X2025-01-0123111710.1186/s12964-024-02018-6Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targetsDing Nan0Weiping Yao1Luanluan Huang2Ruiqi Liu3Xiaoyan Chen4Wenjie Xia5Hailong Sheng6Haibo Zhang7Xiaodong Liang8Yanwei Lu9School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal UniversityDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Breast Surgery, General Surgery, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeSchool of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal UniversitySchool of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal UniversitySchool of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal UniversityAbstract Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in human serum, and it can provide carbon and nitrogen for biosynthesis, which is crucial for proliferating cells. Moreover, it is widely known that glutamine metabolism is reprogrammed in cancer cells. Many cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming targeting glutamine, increasing its uptake to meet their rapid proliferation demands. An increasing amount of study is being done on the particular glutamine metabolic pathways in cancer cells. Further investigation into the function of glutamine in immune cells is warranted given the critical role these cells play in the fight against cancer. Immune cells use glutamine for a variety of biological purposes, including the growth, differentiation, and destruction of cancer cells. With the encouraging results of cancer immunotherapy in recent years, more investigation into the impact of glutamine metabolism on immune cell function in the cancer microenvironment could lead to the discovery of new targets and therapeutic approaches. Oral supplementation with glutamine also enhances the immune capabilities of cancer patients, improves the sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and improves prognosis. The unique metabolism of glutamine in cancer cells, its function in various immune cells, the impact of inhibitors of glutamine metabolism, and the therapeutic use of glutamine supplements are all covered in detail in this article.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-024-02018-6Glutamine metabolismCancerImmune cellsGlutamine antimetabolitesGlutaminase inhibitors |
| spellingShingle | Ding Nan Weiping Yao Luanluan Huang Ruiqi Liu Xiaoyan Chen Wenjie Xia Hailong Sheng Haibo Zhang Xiaodong Liang Yanwei Lu Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets Cell Communication and Signaling Glutamine metabolism Cancer Immune cells Glutamine antimetabolites Glutaminase inhibitors |
| title | Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets |
| title_full | Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets |
| title_fullStr | Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets |
| title_short | Glutamine and cancer: metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic targets |
| title_sort | glutamine and cancer metabolism immune microenvironment and therapeutic targets |
| topic | Glutamine metabolism Cancer Immune cells Glutamine antimetabolites Glutaminase inhibitors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-024-02018-6 |
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