Cited by 3,233Cancer, Hypoxia, and MetabolismMetabolism, Diabetes, and CancerCancer, Lipids, and Metabolism

Metabolic Reprogramming: A Cancer Hallmark Even Warburg Did Not Anticipate

Open access
Ward, Patrick S., Thompson, Craig B.·2012·Cancer Cell

Abstract

Cancer metabolism has long been equated with aerobic glycolysis, seen by early biochemists as primitive and inefficient. Despite these early beliefs, the metabolic signatures of cancer cells are not passive responses to damaged mitochondria, but result from oncogene-directed metabolic reprogramming required to support anabolic growth. Recent evidence suggests that metabolites themselves can be oncogenic by altering cell signaling and blocking cellular differentiation. No longer can cancer-associated alterations in metabolism be viewed as an indirect response to cell proliferation and survival signals. We contend that altered metabolism has attained the status of a core hallmark of cancer.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review argues that metabolic reprogramming is a core hallmark of cancer, driven by oncogenes and tumor suppressors to support anabolic growth rather than arising passively from mitochondrial damage. It highlights mitochondrial biosynthetic roles, PKM2 and other metabolic enzyme alterations, and oncometabolites such as 2HG that can disrupt epigenetics and differentiation.

Key findings

  • Altered metabolism is not merely a secondary response to proliferation signals; it results from active reprogramming by oncogenes and tumor suppressors and is selected during tumorigenesis. Most tumor mitochondria are not defective in oxidative phosphorylation, contrary to Warburg’s original hypothesis.
  • PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 and Myc reprogram mitochondrial metabolism for biosynthesis: Akt activates ACL to divert mitochondrial citrate to acetyl-CoA, mTORC1 promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and SREBP-mediated lipogenesis, and Myc enhances glutaminase expression and glutamine addiction. HIF-1 can inhibit PDH via PDK1, blocking glucose carbon entry into mitochondrial citrate and correlating with anti-proliferative effects in some contexts.
  • PKM2 is the predominant pyruvate kinase isoform in embryonic tissues and all cancer cells examined to date; it has intrinsically lower enzymatic activity than PKM1 and is sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibition, proposed to facilitate shunting of glycolytic intermediates into anabolic pathways. At least 11 proteins have been reported to bind PKM2.
  • IDH1/IDH2 mutations produce the oncometabolite 2HG, which inhibits α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases including TET enzymes and histone demethylases, altering DNA and histone methylation and impairing differentiation. IDH2 R140 mutations now account for nearly half of all cases of D-2HG aciduria; succinate and fumarate are also described as oncometabolites.

Methods

  • Design: Review article; no primary experimental design is reported.
  • Data or sample: Not stated in the paper as a primary dataset; the text synthesizes cited studies across cancer metabolism, oncogene/tumor suppressor signaling, metabolic enzyme isoforms, and oncometabolite biology.
  • Main analysis: Conceptual and literature-based synthesis arguing that metabolic reprogramming should be considered a core cancer hallmark.

Limitations

  • The paper states that current methods cannot reliably distinguish cytosolic metabolites from mitochondrial and other compartmentalized pools; fractionation methods often cause metabolite leakage, and distinct metabolite pools may exist due to enzyme channeling.
  • The paper states that quantitative measurement of metabolic flux remains challenging, including obstacles such as cellular compartmentalization and reliance on complex, incompletely defined cell culture media.
  • The paper states that non-cell autonomous effects of tumor metabolism are an emerging challenge, including lactate acidification, possible symbiosis between lactate-producing and lactate-consuming cells, and fatty acid exchange between omental adipocytes and ovarian carcinoma cells. The text also makes evident that unresolved issues remain, such as conflicting conclusions over whether reductive glutamine flux depends primarily on cytosolic IDH1 or mitochondrial IDH2, the role of 2HG in PHD2/HIF regulation, and which alternative NADPH-generating pathways are most important.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.02.014

Cites

144 of 144 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 80 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Interpretationnone given

    Evidence is developing for the proposal that proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors primarily evolved to regulate metabolism.

    “Evidence is also developing for the proposal that proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors primarily evolved to regulate metabolism.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Interpretationreasoning

    Altered metabolism has attained the status of a core hallmark of cancer.

    “We contend that altered metabolism has attained the status of a core hallmark of cancer.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Interpretationnone given

    The metabolic signatures of cancer cells are not passive responses to damaged mitochondria, but result from oncogene-directed metabolic reprogramming required to support anabolic growth.

    “Despite these early beliefs, the metabolic signatures of cancer cells are not passive responses to damaged mitochondria, but result from oncogene-directed metabolic reprogramming required to support anabolic growth.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Premisecitation

    Activated PI3K/Akt leads to enhanced glucose uptake and glycolysis.

    “Activated PI3K/Akt leads to enhanced glucose uptake and glycolysis (Buzzai et al., 2005; Elstrom et al., 2004).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Buzzai et al., 2005 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Elstrom et al., 2004 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisenone given

    Most cancer cells and proliferating normal cells still derive a significant fraction of their ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

    “In fact, most cancer cells and proliferating normal cells still derive a significant fraction of their ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 12
  • May combine two claims. 14
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is perhaps the most common lesion in spontaneous human cancers.

    “Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is perhaps the most common lesion in spontaneous human cancers.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    Anabolic metabolism is under complex regulatory control directed by growth factor signal transduction in non-transformed cells.

    “It has become clear that anabolic metabolism is under complex regulatory control directed by growth factor signal transduction in non-transformed cells.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    PKM2 primarily acts as a glycolytic switch that can be rapidly inactivated in tumor cells by multiple mechanisms, all of which facilitate the shunting of glucose carbon/glycolytic intermediates into branching anabolic pathways.

    “Both of these findings are consistent with PKM2 primarily acting as a glycolytic switch that can be rapidly inactivated in tumor cells by multiple mechanisms, all of which facilitate the shunting of glucose carbon/glycolytic intermediates into branching anabolic pathways.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    IDH1 mutations at R132 are not simply loss-of-function for isocitrate and α-ketoglutarate interconversion; they also acquire a novel reductive activity converting α-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG).

    “IDH1 mutations at R132 are not simply loss-of-function for isocitrate and α-ketoglutarate interconversion, but also acquire a novel reductive activity to convert α-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Dang et al., 2009 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Overexpression of IDH mutants blocks acquisition of mature myeloid markers while increasing expression of stem cell markers in 32D myeloid cells and mouse primary bone marrow cells cultured ex vivo.

    “In both cell types, the overexpression of IDH mutants blocked acquisition of mature myeloid markers while increasing the expression of stem cell markers (Figueroa et al., 2010).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Figueroa et al., 2010 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Metabolite screening approaches can distinguish neomorphic IDH mutations from SNPs and sequencing artifacts with no effect on IDH enzyme activity, and from loss-of-function, non 2HG-producing IDH mutations.

    “Metabolite screening approaches can also distinguish neomorphic IDH mutations from SNPs and sequencing artifacts with no effect on IDH enzyme activity, as well as from an apparently rare subset of loss-of-function, non 2HG-producing IDH mutations”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Ward et al., 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Cells expressing oncogenic Myc are glutamine-addicted and undergo apoptosis when glutamine is withdrawn from the culture medium.

    “Cells expressing oncogenic Myc are glutamine-addicted and undergo apoptosis when glutamine is withdrawn from the culture medium.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Significant flux through G6PD to generate NADPH is not necessarily critical for cell proliferation or tumorigenesis.

    “these data raise the possibility that significant flux through G6PD to generate NADPH is not necessarily critical for cell proliferation or tumorigenesis”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisenone given

    The oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, branching off glycolysis at G6PD, has been considered the major NADPH producing pathway.

    “Historically, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, branching off glycolysis at glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), has been considered the major NADPH producing pathway.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    NADPH is critical for providing reducing equivalents for fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, as well as for modulating oxidative stress.

    “It is critical for providing reducing equivalents for fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, as well as for modulating oxidative stress.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    A mitochondrial-cytosolic NADPH shuttle using IDH1 and IDH2 could reconcile conflicting conclusions about whether reductive flux of glutamine-derived carbon is primarily dependent on cytosolic IDH1 or mitochondrial IDH2.

    “These findings could all be correct if a mitochondrial-cytosolic NADPH shuttle exists using these enzymes (Figure 6).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Proliferating cells maintain glycolytic flux by either minimizing ATP production or enhancing ATP consumption.

    “Recent work has revisited how proliferating cells maintain glycolytic flux by either minimizing ATP production or enhancing ATP consumption.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationcitation

    Elevated succinate and fumarate resulting from SDH and FH mutations can promote tumorigenesis in part through epigenetic modulation.

    “Perhaps elevated succinate and fumarate resulting from SDH and FH mutations can promote tumorigenesis in part through epigenetic modulation.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    IDH mutation can impair differentiation in non-transformed cells from multiple cells of origin, and this impairment is linked to 2HG-mediated epigenetic dysregulation.

    “these findings provide further evidence that IDH mutation can impair differentiation in non-transformed cells from multiple cells of origin, and that this impairment is linked to 2HG-mediated epigenetic dysregulation.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The ability of 2HG to alter epigenetics may reflect its evolutionary ancient status as a signal for elevated glutamine/glutamate metabolism and/or oxygen deficiency.

    “The ability of 2HG to alter epigenetics may reflect its evolutionary ancient status as a signal for elevated glutamine/glutamate metabolism and/or oxygen deficiency.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Other chromatin-modifying α-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase enzymes may be inhibited by 2HG in glioma and chondrosarcoma cells.

    “Alternatively, other chromatin-modifying α-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase enzymes may be inhibited by 2HG in these cells.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In the alternative glycolytic pathway, the high-energy phosphate of PEP is not transferred to ADP, but instead to a histidine residue on an upstream glycolytic enzyme, decoupling PEP→pyruvate conversion from ATP production.

    “In this alternative pathway, the high-energy phosphate of PEP is not transferred to ADP, but instead to a histidine residue on an upstream glycolytic enzyme. This alternative transfer therefore decouples the PEP→pyruvate conversion from ATP production.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Vander Heiden et al., 2010

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Glycolysis in proliferating cells is limited by the rate of ATP consumption and not ATP production, as glycolytic enzymes can be inhibited when ATP levels are high.

    “glycolysis in proliferating cells is limited by the rate of ATP consumption and not ATP production, as glycolytic enzymes can be inhibited when ATP levels are high (Scholnick et al., 1973)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Scholnick et al., 1973

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    Even within one subcellular compartment, there may be distinct pools of metabolites resulting from channeling between metabolic enzymes.

    “Even within one subcellular compartment, there may be distinct pools of metabolites resulting from channeling between metabolic enzymes.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisereasoning

    Many obstacles remain in quantitative measurement of metabolic flux, such as cellular compartmentalization and reliance of most cell culture on complex, incompletely defined media.

    “many obstacles remain such as cellular compartmentalization and the reliance of most cell culture on complex, incompletely defined media.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    Current fractionation methods often lead to metabolite leakage, making it difficult to reliably distinguish cytosolic metabolites from those in mitochondria and other compartments.

    “we remain unable to reliably distinguish cytosolic metabolites from those in the mitochondria and other compartments. Current fractionation methods often lead to metabolite leakage.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Some tumors may exhibit a symbiosis between lactate-producing cells and lactate-consuming cells.

    “some tumors may exhibit a symbiosis between lactate-producing cells and lactate-consuming cells (Sonveaux et al., 2008)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sonveaux et al., 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Lactate produced by tumor cells can acidify the surrounding microenvironment and potentially promote tumor invasion.

    “lactate produced by tumor cells can acidify the surrounding microenvironment and potentially promote tumor invasion”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sonveaux et al., 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Fatty acid exchange between omental adipocytes and ovarian carcinoma cells has been documented.

    “fatty acid exchange between omental adipocytes and ovarian carcinoma cells has been documented (Nieman et al., 2011)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Nieman et al., 2011

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Critical fluxes have been quantified in cultured cancer cells and methods for these analyses continue to improve.

    “critical fluxes have been quantified in cultured cancer cells and methods for these analyses continue to improve (DeBerardinis et al., 2007; Mancuso et al., 2004; Yuan et al., 2008)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites DeBerardinis et al., 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Mancuso et al., 2004

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Yuan et al., 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

25 of 25

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Evidence for the necessity of glutamine for cancer progression is conflicted: some studies report tumours can grow well without glutamine, while others show cancers are glutamine-addicted.

    “The evidence for the necessity of glutamine for cancer progression is conflicted: some studies have reported that tumours can grow well without glutamine [66,67], while others showed that cancers are glutamine-addicted [68,69,70].”
  • The previous paradigm argued metabolic pathways were exclusively controlled through allosteric regulation of metabolic enzymes by ATP or metabolites.

    “The previous paradigm of metabolic regulation argued that metabolic pathways were exclusively controlled through allosteric regulation of metabolic enzymes, either by ATP levels or metabolites themselves (the reactive model) (40).”

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 145 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 11

  1. Boros, 2000, Cancer Res., 60, 1183
  2. Choi, 2012, Nat Med.
  3. Eigenbrodt, 1983, Biomed. Biochim. Acta, 42, S278
  4. Ferraris, 1988, Am. J. Hum. Genet., 42, 516
  5. Lu, 2012, Nature
  6. Mazurek, 2007, Anticancer Res., 27, 3963
  7. Rempel, 1996, Cancer Res., 56, 2468
  8. Sonveaux, 2008, J. Clin. Invest., 118, 3930
  9. Tallal, 1970, Cancer, 25, 306, 10.1002/1097-0142(197002)25:2<306::aid-cncr2820250206>3.0.co;2-h · DOI
  10. Turcan, 2012, Nature
  11. Ward, 2011, Oncogene

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ward, P. S., & Thompson, C. B.
Affiliations
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
Corresponding author
Thompson, Craig B.
Venue
Cancer Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-03
Volume
21
Issue
3
Pages
297-308
ISSN
1535-6108 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2052543023
Cited by
3,233
References
145
Citations by year
2026: 149 · 2025: 170 · 2024: 216 · 2023: 204 · 2022: 269 · 2021: 271 · 2020: 295 · 2019: 244 · 2018: 256 · 2017: 235 · 2016: 213 · 2015: 248 · 2014: 228 · 2013: 169 · 2012: 63
FWCI
17.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cancer Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Metabolism, Diabetes, and Cancer
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
Keywords
cancer metabolism, metabolic reprogramming, aerobic glycolysis, Warburg effect, anabolic metabolism, signal transduction, cell differentiation, cancer hallmarks, mitochondrial damage
MeSH terms
Cell Differentiation, Humans, Isoenzymes, Mitochondria, Models, Biological, Neoplasms, Biomarkers, Tumor, Signal Transduction, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc, Alternative Splicing, Evolution, Molecular, Epigenesis, Genetic, Cell Proliferation

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