Question

Tumors upregulate glycolysis to fulfill metabolic requirements promoting proliferation and aggressive growth. Why might it be metabolically beneficial for a cancer cell to convert pyruvate to lactate, rather than to acetyl-CoA?

Answer 1

Tumors upregulate glycolysis to fulfill metabolic requirements promoting proliferation and aggressive growth even inthe presence of oxygen.

there are many metabolic profits for a cancer cell To change pyruvate into lactate which are following

1. it helps regenerating NADH to accelerate glycolysis.

2. lactate fuels other cancer cells as it is secreted into tumor microenvironment via MCT and transporter. it provides nutrition to the cancer cells that lack frequent access to nutrient supplies from blood.

3. effective way for tumor adaptation the symbiosis b/w lactate producing cancer cells and lactate consuming tumor cells helps in adaptation to the constantly changing and diverse conditions in tumors such as in case of poorly formed tumor blood vessel network.

4. diminish the intracellular oxifative stress - conversion of pyruvate... lactate reduces reactive oxygen species levels promoting tumors survival.