Interdependent Metabolic Processes Driving Non-Hodgkin's

According to a new paper by a research team from UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and appearing in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a new breakthrough has been discovered regarding targeted treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The researchers determined that two inter-related metabolic processes are together responsible for the cell proliferation in NHLs.

A cell signaling pathway known as PI3K/AKT/mTOR becomes activated in a number of subtypes of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This same pathway is also crucial in controlling cell metabolism, notably how cells use sugar in a process called aerobic glycolysis.

“Our team found evidence that glycolysis and fatty acid synthesis are interdependent in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma," said Blossom Damania, PhD. "The good news is that the lymphoma cells are much more sensitive to a compound that inhibits fatty acid synthesis, as compared to normal B cells. This suggests that fatty acid synthase, the enzyme that drives fatty acid synthesis, is a promising target for new therapies against lymphoma,"

This broadened understanding of cell metabolism could lead to new therapeutic targets in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Source: UNC Health Care