Jiang X, Yan N, Deng D, Yan C. Structural aspects of the glucose and monocarboxylate transporters involved in the Warburg effect.
IUBMB Life 2022;
74:1180-1199. [PMID:
36082803 DOI:
10.1002/iub.2668]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells shift their glucose catabolism from aerobic respiration to lactic fermentation even in the presence of oxygen, and this is known as the "Warburg effect". To accommodate the high glucose demands and to avoid lactate accumulation, the expression levels of human glucose transporters (GLUTs) and human monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are elevated to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Therefore, inhibition of GLUTs and/or MCTs provides potential therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Here, we summarize recent advances in the structural characterization of GLUTs and MCTs, providing a comprehensive understanding of their transport and inhibition mechanisms to facilitate further development of anticancer therapies.
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