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Multifaceted role of branched-chain amino acid metabolism in cancer

Oncogene volume 39, pages 6747–6756 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Metabolic reprogramming fulfils increased nutrient demands and regulates numerous oncogenic processes in tumors, leading to tumor malignancy. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, i.e., valine, leucine, and isoleucine) function as nitrogen donors to generate macromolecules such as nucleotides and are indispensable for human cancer cell growth. The cell-autonomous and non-autonomous roles of altered BCAA metabolism have been implicated in cancer progression and the key proteins in the BCAA metabolic pathway serve as possible prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in human cancers. Here we summarize how BCAA metabolic reprogramming is regulated in cancer cells and how it influences cancer progression.

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Fig. 1: Role of BCAA metabolism in cancer progression.
Fig. 2: The intercommunication of BCAA metabolism in the tumor microenvironment.

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Acknowledgements

Work in authors’ laboratories was supported by grants from NIH (R01CA222393), CPRIT (RP190358), Mary Kay Foundation (08–19), and Welch Foundation (I-1903-20190330) to WL; and NIH (R01AG066166, R35GM124693) and UTSW startup funds to YW. WL is a CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research.

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  1. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA

    Hui Peng, Yingfei Wang & Weibo Luo

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA

    Yingfei Wang

  3. Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA

    Weibo Luo

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Peng, H., Wang, Y. & Luo, W. Multifaceted role of branched-chain amino acid metabolism in cancer. Oncogene 39, 6747–6756 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-020-01480-z

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