Reprogramming of mitochondrial energy metabolism in malignant neoplasms

Abstract

The novel ideas of fundamental role of mitochondria in the maintenance of viability of malignant cells have been reviewed. The modern state of research is considered in detail, including: mitochondrial control of the cellular redox state, sites of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in inner mitochondrial membrane and antioxidant protection systems. Specificities of the structural-functional mitochondrial remodelling in malignant tumors, the mechanisms of the energy metabolism reprogramming, enhancement of the ROS production and adaptation to the hypoxic conditions and metabolic stress are analyzed. The available data including our research on transplanted tumors indicate that cytotoxic action of sodium dichloroacetate (the inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase) depends on biological properties of tumors and intensity of structural-functional mitochondrial rearrangement. Dichloroacetate turned out to be effective for sarcoma 37, but not for Lewis lung carcinoma.

Keywords

• energy metabolism reprogramming
• Lewis lung carcinoma
• malignant neoplasms
• mitocans
• mitochondria
• reactive oxygen species
• sarcoma 37
• sodium dichloroacetate