New Molecule Uses Cancer Cells' Energy Against Them

Cancer cells can multiply rapidly by consuming more glucose than normal cells. Scientists have been targeting this feature for years to develop new treatments. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a molecule that accelerates cancer cells' glucose consumption instead of suppressing it. At the same time, this molecule prevents cancer cells from producing energy by burning fat, targeting the energy metabolism of tumors at two different points. According to the study, the experimental molecule XJ-4-85 binds to the PFKL enzyme, which regulates glucose metabolism in cancer cells, and makes this enzyme work more than normal. This causes the rapid accumulation of the intermediate product fructose-1,6-bisphosphate within the cell. At the same time, the second part of the molecule targets the CPT2 protein, which breaks down long-chain fatty acids in the mitochondria. As a result, cancer cells are exposed to metabolic stress caused by the accelerated glucose metabolism, while they cannot use fat as an alternative energy source. Researchers state that this approach disrupts the energy balance that tumor cells need to grow.