Deficiency in glutamine but not glucose induces MYC-dependent apoptosis in human cells

Yuneva, M., Zamboni, N., Oefner, P., Sachidanandam, R., Lazebnik, Y. (July 2007) Deficiency in glutamine but not glucose induces MYC-dependent apoptosis in human cells. J Cell Biol, 178 (1). pp. 93-105. ISSN 0021-9525 (Print)

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URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17606868
DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200703099

Abstract

The idea that conversion of glucose to ATP is an attractive target for cancer therapy has been supported in part by the observation that glucose deprivation induces apoptosis in rodent cells transduced with the proto-oncogene MYC, but not in the parental line. Here, we found that depletion of glucose killed normal human cells irrespective of induced MYC activity and by a mechanism different from apoptosis. However, depletion of glutamine, another major nutrient consumed by cancer cells, induced apoptosis depending on MYC activity. This apoptosis was preceded by depletion of the Krebs cycle intermediates, was prevented by two Krebs cycle substrates, but was unrelated to ATP synthesis or several other reported consequences of glutamine starvation. Our results suggest that the fate of normal human cells should be considered in evaluating nutrient deprivation as a strategy for cancer therapy, and that understanding how glutamine metabolism is linked to cell viability might provide new approaches for treatment of cancer.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: diseases & disorders > cancer
therapies
organism description > animal > mammal > primates > hominids > human
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Labeznik lab
CSHL labs > Martienssen lab
Depositing User: CSHL Librarian
Date: 2 July 2007
Date Deposited: 30 Aug 2011 19:07
Last Modified: 11 Apr 2018 15:37
PMCID: PMC2064426
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/15285

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