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The liver converts fructose into lipids to fuel tumours

Fructose aids tumour growth, but cancer cells usually lack the enzymes needed to metabolize this sugar. The liver converts dietary fructose to lipids that enter the blood, and cancer cells use the lipids to make membranes for proliferation.
By
  1. Hyllana C. D. Medeiros

    1. Hyllana C. D. Medeiros is in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.

  2. Sophia Y. Lunt

    1. Sophia Y. Lunt is in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA; and in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University.

It is well established that tumour cells consume more of the sugar glucose than do non-proliferating normal cells1, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. Another type of sugar, fructose, has emerged as an alternative potential fuel for tumour growth. Writing in Nature, Fowle-Grider et al.2 reveal the surprising process that enables cancer cells to benefit from fructose.

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Nature 636, 580-581 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-03653-2

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Competing Interests

S.Y.L. is a member of the Van Andel Institute Metabolism & Nutrition Program Internal Advisory Board.

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