Abstract

The hallmarks of cancer include uncontrolled proliferation, reduced cell death and the loss of tissue homeostasis. The loss of normal control of cell growth and proliferation is the consequence of aberrant regulation of cellular signaling pathways through the activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor function. Alterations in metabolic activity have emerged as one of the features of cancer cells and many oncogenic signaling pathways directly regulate the activity of metabolic processes. We have investigated the involvement of metabolic processes in the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. These studies demonstrated that cancer cells have to balance their bioenergetics requirements with anti-oxidants synthesis, pH regulation and the activation of stress response pathways. Disruption of this balance leads to loss of viability and may offer therapeutic opportunities.

This work was funded by Cancer Research UK.