Cellular Metabolites Regulating Cancer Cell Adaptation

SAICAR is a metabolite accumulate in cancer cells upon glucose starvation or EGF stimulation. Upon accumulation, SAICAR promotes cancer cell survival and proliferation by inducing tumor PKM2. However, it is not yet clear how cancer cells, but not normal proliferating cells, accumulate SAICAR. We hypothesize that transformation-induced alteration of pentose phosphate pathway is responsible for the accumulation of SAICAR. In this project, we will test this hypothesis while evaluating the importance of SAICAR accumulation for the growth of tumor in vivo. The outcome of this project include a better understanding on metabolic reprogramming contributes to cancer. In addition, the outcome of this project will determine whether SAICAR accumulation can be a potential therapeutic target.