Cited by 349Cancer, Hypoxia, and MetabolismMetabolism, Diabetes, and CancerCancer, Lipids, and Metabolism

Metabolic Pathways Regulating Colorectal Cancer Initiation and Progression

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La Vecchia, Sofia, Sebastián, Carlos·2020·Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Despite recent advances in the molecular genetics of CRC, poor treatment outcomes highlight the need for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms accounting for tumor initiation and progression. Recently, deregulation of cellular metabolism has emerged as a key hallmark of cancer. Reprogramming of core cellular metabolic pathways by cancer cells provides energy, anaplerotic precursors and reducing equivalents required to support tumor growth. Here, we review key findings implicating cancer metabolism as a major contributor of tumor initiation, growth and metastatic dissemination in CRC. We summarize the metabolic pathways governing stem cell fate in the intestine, the metabolic adaptations of proliferating colon cancer cells and their crosstalk with oncogenic signaling, and how they fulfill the energetic demands imposed by the metastatic cascade. Lastly, we discuss how some of these metabolic pathways could represent new vulnerabilities of CRC cells with the potential to be targeted.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.05.018

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  • KRAS mutant colorectal cancer harbors boosted glucose metabolism and deregulation of glutamine, amino-acid, and fatty acid metabolism that support cancer cell proliferation.

    “Indeed, KRAS mutant CRC harbors a boosted glucose metabolism as well as deregulation of glutamine, amino-acid, and fatty acid metabolism that support cancer cell proliferation [48].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [2][2] [H. Brenner, M. Kloor, C.P. Pox, Colorectal cancer, Lancet 383 (2014) 1490-1502.](http://refhub.elsevier.com/S1084-9521(18)30168-X/sbref0010) -
  2. [97][97] [A. Tomimoto, H. Endo, M. Sugiyama, T. Fujisawa, K. Hosono, H. Takahashi, et al., Metformin suppresses intestinal polyp growth in ApcMin/+ mice, Cancer Sci. 99 (2008) 2136-2141.](http://refhub.elsevier.com/S1084-9521(18)30168-X/sbref0485) -

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Authors
La Vecchia, S., & Sebastián, C.
Affiliations
Candiolo Cancer Institute (IT)
Corresponding author
Sebastián, Carlos
Venue
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-02
Volume
98
Pages
63-70
ISSN
1084-9521 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2947351976
Cited by
349
References
105
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 70 · 2022: 66 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 5
FWCI
3.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • FPRC 5 per mille 2011 MIUR
  • FPRC 5 per mille 2014 MIUR
  • RC 2018 Ministero della Salute
  • European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (797464)
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
colorectal cancer, cancer metabolism, tumor initiation, tumor progression, metabolic reprogramming, intestinal stem cells, colon cancer cells, oncogenic signaling, metastasis, metabolic vulnerability, therapeutic target
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Colorectal Neoplasms, Disease Progression, Metabolic Networks and Pathways, Cellular Reprogramming

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