Cancer is a complex disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and progression toward metastasis. The activation and maintenance of these processes demand increased energy production. Traditional cancer therapies often target broad energy-generating mechanisms to inhibit cancer growth. However, the field of oncology is increasingly shifting toward more potent, precise, and personalized treatment strategies. This shift has fueled interest in novel cancer metabolic pathway targets. This review focuses on proline metabolism, an amino acid pathway that has been observed to be altered across various cancer subtypes. Proline has emerged as one of the most consistently deregulated non-essential amino acids in cancer biology. Proline metabolism is intimately linked to mitochondria function and energy regulation through mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species, ATP production, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment. Due to its dichotomous nature, proline metabolism functions are highly context dependent, varying across cancer subtypes. While this provides a potential novel therapeutic target, it also presents unique challenges and knowledge gaps.
癌症是一种以不受控制的增殖和向转移进展为特征的复杂疾病。这些过程的激活与维持需要增加能量产生。传统的癌症疗法通常针对广泛的能量生成机制以抑制肿瘤生长。然而，肿瘤学领域正日益转向更有效、更精准和个性化的治疗策略。这一转变推动了对新型癌症代谢通路靶点的研究兴趣。本综述聚焦于脯氨酸代谢，这是一种在多种癌症亚型中均被观察到发生改变的氨基酸代谢通路。在癌症生物学中，脯氨酸已成为最持续失调的非必需氨基酸之一。脯氨酸代谢通过活性氧、ATP生成以及与肿瘤微环境的相互作用等机制，与线粒体功能和能量调节密切相关。由于其双重性质，脯氨酸代谢功能高度依赖于具体情境，在不同癌症亚型中存在差异。这虽然提供了一个潜在的新型治疗靶点，但也带来了独特的挑战和知识空白。
Proline Metabolism in Cancer: Emerging Roles in Redox Homeostasis and Therapeutic Opportunities
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家