Aberrant cancer metabolism in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer metastasis: Mechanisms in cancer progression

Abstract

Cancer metastasis is a prominent feature of cancer cells, which is responsible for most cancer -associated mortality. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an essential role in the initiation and development of cancer metastasis. Studies have shown that EMT can induce cancer metastasis by promoting tumor malignances, reprograming cancer metabolism, and disrupting extracellular matrix. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that aberrant cancer metabolism can induce EMT through multiple pathological pathways. Conversely, EMT exacerbates dysregulation of glucose metabolism by EMT transcriptional factors such as Snail and Twist. Furthermore, the crosstalk network between aberrant glucose metabolism and EMT synergistically triggers cancer metastasis. Therefore, aberrant cancer metabolism can be used for the prediction, diagnosis, monitoring, and intervention of EMT, as well as cancer metastasis. To conclude, aberrant cancer metabolism plays a key role in the development of EMT and cancer metastasis, suggesting its clinical promise for the management of EMT and cancer metastasis.

Keywords: Aerobic glycolysis; Cancer metabolism; Cancer metastasis; Epithelial–mesenchymal transition.