Mitochondria in Cancer Energy Metabolism: Culprits or Bystanders?

Mitochondria in cancer: not just innocent bystanders.

The first half of the 20th century produced substantial breakthroughs in bioenergetics and mitochondria research. During that time, Otto Warburg observed abnormally high glycolysis and lactate production in oxygenated cancer cells, leading him to suggest that defects in mitochondrial functions are at the heart of malignant cell transformation. Warburg's hypothesis profoundly influenced the pres...

A Review of Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Cellular Response

Abstract Background and Objectives Mitochondrial biogenesis is a complex process involving the coordinated expression of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, the import of the products of the latter into the organelle and turnover of this process. Mitochondrial malfunction or defects in any of the many pathways involved in mitochondrial biogenesis can lead to degenerative diseases and possibly pla...

Mitochondria-targeted chromanol inhibits breast cancer cell energy metabolism and promotes cell death Running title: Mitochondria-targeted small-molecule chemotherapeutics

MYC-induced cancer cell energy metabolism and therapeutic opportunities.

Although cancers have altered glucose metabolism, termed the Warburg effect, which describes the increased uptake and conversion of glucose to lactate by cancer cells under adequate oxygen tension, changes in the metabolism of glutamine and fatty acid have also been documented. The MYC oncogene, which contributes to the genesis of many human cancers, encodes a transcription factor c-Myc, which ...

Chicken or the egg: Warburg effect and mitochondrial dysfunction

Compared with normal cells, cancer cells show alterations in many cellular processes, including energy metabolism. Studies on cancer metabolism started with Otto Warburg's observation at the beginning of the last century. According to Warburg, cancer cells rely on glycolysis more than mitochondrial respiration for energy production. Considering that glycolysis yields much less energy compared w...