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Fig. 1 | Journal of Hematology & Oncology

Fig. 1

From: Drug-induced amino acid deprivation as strategy for cancer therapy

Fig. 1

Glutamine metabolism in cancer cells. Glutamine enters the cells through glutamine transporter. After entering the mitochondria, glutamine will be broken down into glutamate by glutaminase. Glutamate can either be transported out to cytoplasm or converted into glutathione. In the mitochondria, glutamate is converted into α-ketoglutarate and enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Malate formed in TCA cycle is transported out to the cytoplasm and finally converted into lactate in aerobic glycolysis for energy release. Malate can also be converted into oxaloacetate in mitochondria, which in turn be converted into asparate or citrate. Aspartate is transported out to the cytoplasm for nucleotide synthesis. Citrate formed from malate is transported out to the cytoplasm for amino acid and lipid synthesis

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