A Potential "Anti-Warburg Effect" in Circulating Tumor Cell-mediated Metastatic Progression?

Jiang, Zhuofeng1; He, Jiapeng1; Zhang, Binyu1; Wang, Liping4; Long, Chunhao1; Zhao, Boxi1; Yang, Yufan1; Du, Longxiang1; Luo, Weiren5,6; Hu, Jianyang1,2,7; Hong, Xin1,2,3,7

2025

10.14336/AD.2023.1227

AGING AND DISEASE   影响因子和分区

2152-5250

Metabolic reprogramming is a defining hallmark of cancer metastasis, warranting thorough exploration. The tumor-promoting function of the "Warburg Effect", marked by escalated glycolysis and restrained mitochondrial activity, is widely acknowledged. Yet, the functional significance of mitochondria-mediated oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) during metastasis remains controversial. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered metastatic precursors that detach from primary or secondary sites and harbor the potential to seed distant metastases through hematogenous dissemination. A comprehensive metabolic characterization of CTCs faces formidable obstacles, including the isolation of these rare cells from billions of blood cells, coupled with the complexities of ex vivo-culturing of CTC lines or the establishment of CTC-derived xenograft models (CDX). This review summarized the role of the "Warburg Effect" in both tumorigenesis and CTC-mediated metastasis. Intriguingly, bioinformatic analysis of single-CTC transcriptomic studies unveils a potential OXPHOS dominance over Glycolysis signature genes across several important cancer types. From these observations, we postulate a potential "Anti-Warburg Effect" (AWE) in CTCs-a metabolic shift bridging primary tumors and metastases. The observed AWE could be clinically important as they are significantly correlated with therapeutic response in melanoma and prostate patients. Thus, unraveling dynamic metabolic regulations within CTC populations might reveal an additional layer of regulatory complexities of cancer metastasis, providing an avenue for innovative anti-metastasis therapies.

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) Anti-Warburg Effect (AWE) Metabolic reprogramming Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) Metastasis

SCI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)["T2250610233","82173391","2022081514395 3004"] ; Guangdong provincial["32200643","2021QN02Y112"] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission["2021KTSCX108","JCYJ20210324104204013","RCBS20221008093246069","JCYJ 20190 809154603583","JCYJ20210324131210030"] ; Shenzhen Nanshan District health science and technology project[NS2021013] ; College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project[S2022143250 36-2022S36]

Geriatrics & Gerontology

Geriatrics & Gerontology

WOS:001147149200001

INT SOC AGING & DISEASE

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Med, Dept Biochem, Shenzhen, Guangdong, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Key Univ Lab Metab & Hlth Guangdong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, Peoples R China
3.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Guangdong Prov Key Lab Cell Microenvironm & Dis Re, Shenzhen, Guangdong, Peoples R China
4.Southern Univ Sci & Technol Hosp, Dept Oncol, Shenzhen, Guangdong, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Canc Res Inst, Shenzhen Peoples Dis 3, Affiliated Hosp 2, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
6.Shenzhen Third Peoples Hosp, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
7.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Med, Shenzhen, Peoples R China

Jiang, Zhuofeng,He, Jiapeng,Zhang, Binyu,et al. A Potential "Anti-Warburg Effect" in Circulating Tumor Cell-mediated Metastatic Progression?[J]. AGING AND DISEASE,2025.

Jiang, Zhuofeng.,He, Jiapeng.,Zhang, Binyu.,Wang, Liping.,Long, Chunhao.,...&Hong, Xin.(2025).A Potential "Anti-Warburg Effect" in Circulating Tumor Cell-mediated Metastatic Progression?.AGING AND DISEASE.

Jiang, Zhuofeng,et al."A Potential "Anti-Warburg Effect" in Circulating Tumor Cell-mediated Metastatic Progression?".AGING AND DISEASE (2025).