The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer

Cancer represents a serious threat to human health and life. Despite recent advances in the cancer therapy that significantly extend patient survival, many individuals still undergo drug resistance, even to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, known as multidrug resistance (MDR). MDR causes the treatmen...

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Main Authors: Qijing Wang, Kai Li, Liang Li, Qin Li, Yanyu Qi, Kai Liu, Hang Yuan, Ping Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1584630/full
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author Qijing Wang
Kai Li
Liang Li
Qin Li
Yanyu Qi
Kai Liu
Hang Yuan
Ping Lin
author_facet Qijing Wang
Kai Li
Liang Li
Qin Li
Yanyu Qi
Kai Liu
Hang Yuan
Ping Lin
author_sort Qijing Wang
collection DOAJ
description Cancer represents a serious threat to human health and life. Despite recent advances in the cancer therapy that significantly extend patient survival, many individuals still undergo drug resistance, even to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, known as multidrug resistance (MDR). MDR causes the treatment failure and promotes the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis, which has been a critical clinical challenge. The molecular mechanisms for cancer cells developing MDR are complex and largely unclarified. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters-mediated enhanced drug efflux and glucose metabolic reprogramming have been recently identified as key factors that limit drug efficacy. In addition to regulating glucose metabolism, several glycolytic enzymes exhibit aberrant cellular localization, including translocation to the nucleus, cell membrane or mitochondria, which imparts their non-classical pro-oncogenic functions to facilitate tumor progression and MDR. In this review, we summarize the roles and molecular insights of glycometabolic enzymes in MDR progression and discuss existing therapeutic strategies of targeting glucose metabolic enzymes for overcoming MDR.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
spelling doaj-art-c23550ccb94c4e1abe975efd387f60052025-08-20T03:22:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-06-011310.3389/fcell.2025.15846301584630The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancerQijing Wang0Kai Li1Liang Li2Qin Li3Yanyu Qi4Kai Liu5Hang Yuan6Ping Lin7Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaChengdu Qingshan Likang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDivision of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center and Lab of Experimental Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCancer represents a serious threat to human health and life. Despite recent advances in the cancer therapy that significantly extend patient survival, many individuals still undergo drug resistance, even to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, known as multidrug resistance (MDR). MDR causes the treatment failure and promotes the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis, which has been a critical clinical challenge. The molecular mechanisms for cancer cells developing MDR are complex and largely unclarified. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters-mediated enhanced drug efflux and glucose metabolic reprogramming have been recently identified as key factors that limit drug efficacy. In addition to regulating glucose metabolism, several glycolytic enzymes exhibit aberrant cellular localization, including translocation to the nucleus, cell membrane or mitochondria, which imparts their non-classical pro-oncogenic functions to facilitate tumor progression and MDR. In this review, we summarize the roles and molecular insights of glycometabolic enzymes in MDR progression and discuss existing therapeutic strategies of targeting glucose metabolic enzymes for overcoming MDR.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1584630/fullmultidrug resistanceglucose metabolismcancer metabolismglycolysiscancer therapy
spellingShingle Qijing Wang
Kai Li
Liang Li
Qin Li
Yanyu Qi
Kai Liu
Hang Yuan
Ping Lin
The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
multidrug resistance
glucose metabolism
cancer metabolism
glycolysis
cancer therapy
title The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
title_full The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
title_fullStr The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
title_full_unstemmed The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
title_short The role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
title_sort role and therapeutic potential of glucose metabolism in multidrug resistance of cancer
topic multidrug resistance
glucose metabolism
cancer metabolism
glycolysis
cancer therapy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1584630/full
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