Lactate dehydrogenase 5: an old friend and a new hope in the war on cancer.
Cancer Lett 2014;
358:1-7. [PMID:
25528630 DOI:
10.1016/j.canlet.2014.12.035]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A hallmark of most cancer cells is an altered metabolism involving a shift to aerobic glycolysis with lactate production coupled with a higher uptake of glucose as the main source of energy. Lactate dehydrogenase 5 (LDH-5) catalyzes the reduction of pyruvate by NADH to form lactate, thus determining the availability of NAD(+) to maintain the continuity of glycolysis. It is therefore an important control point in the system of cellular energy release. Its upregulation is common in many malignant tumors. Inhibiting LDH-5 activity has an anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells. It may reverse their resistance to conventional chemo- and radiotherapy. Recent research has renewed interest in LDH-5 as an anticancer drug target. This review summarizes recent studies exploring the role of LDH-5 in cancer growth, its utility as a tumor marker, and developments made in identifying and designing anti-LDH-5 therapeutic agents.
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