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Revolutionary cancer therapy: Researchers discover new weak points in tumor cells!
Researchers at the University of Giessen and Marburg are developing new therapeutic approaches against tumor cells through targeted metabolism inhibition.
Revolutionary cancer therapy: Researchers discover new weak points in tumor cells!
The energy crisis in tumor cells triggered by cancer has established itself as a possible starting point for new therapeutic approaches. A recently published study by Dr. Jan Dreute and Prof. Dr. Lienhard Schmitz from the Justus Liebig University of Giessen shows that targeted intervention in the metabolism of tumor cells achieves significant success. The journal “Cell Death and Differentiation” reports that the growth of around a third of the over 100 tumor cells tested can be stopped through a combined inhibition of specific metabolic pathways. This interdisciplinary project was carried out by scientists from Giessen, Marburg and Frankfurt am Main and received support from the GRK 2573 of the German Research Foundation to network regional research.
The key to this new therapeutic approach lies in the combination of two substances. While one substance slows down the breakdown of sugar, the second substance, linrodostat, has a novel effect: it disrupts cellular respiration in mitochondria. This simultaneous inhibition leads to a lack of energy and building blocks for the tumor cells and thus stops their growth. Dr. Jan Dreute highlights the relevance of this mechanism for future clinical studies.
New insights into glycolysis and cancer cells
Additional findings on the metabolism of cancer cells come from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Almut Schulze and her colleagues investigated the role of the enzyme aldolase A in liver cancer cells. Their research shows that blocking aldolase A leads to an “energy stress” that stops the dividing activity of liver cancer cells. These results were confirmed in both mouse liver cancer cells and human cancer cell lines.
Although glycolysis has long been considered the primary metabolic pathway for cancer cells—a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect—recent studies show that these cells can use energy sources more flexibly. In particular, blocking aldolase A leads to the accumulation of fructose bisphosphate, which puts the cell into an energy-consuming state and ultimately leads to a massive energy deficiency that inhibits tumor growth.
Potential for future therapies
The DKFZ results suggest that targeted blockade of aldolase A could represent a promising strategy in the fight against cancer. Although the only currently available inhibitor of aldolase A is experimental in nature, it shows the potential to drive cancer cells into the “energy trap”. This could lead to highly specific therapies that specifically exploit weak points in cancer metabolism.
In summary, it can be seen that the targeted influence of metabolism in tumor cells, both through the inhibition of certain enzymatic activities and through synergies between different active ingredients, represents a promising field of research. The interdisciplinary collaboration between the institutions in Central Hesse, as well as the research efforts at the DKFZ, represent an important step in the development of new cancer therapies based on these novel findings.