Decoding Serine Metabolism: Unveiling Novel Pathways for Evolving Cancer Therapies

Abstract

Serine metabolism plays a pivotal role in cancer, making it an appealing therapeutic target. Two recent studies published in Nature Metabolism and Science Translational Medicine uncovered novel players and therapeutic opportunities within this crucial metabolic pathway. Papalazarou and colleagues employed genetic tools coupled with metabolomics and high-throughput imaging to identify and characterize membrane transporters involved in serine uptake and mitochondrial import in colorectal cancer. Notably, they showed that dual inhibition of these transporters in combination with impaired serine biosynthesis reduced tumor growth in xenograft models. In a parallel study, Zhang and colleagues identified isocitrate dehydrogenase I (IDH1) as a novel regulator of serine biosynthesis in non–small cell lung cancer. Through extensive mechanistic studies, they demonstrated that IDH1 enhances the expression of the key enzymes phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 via a noncanonical function independent of its enzymatic activity. Strikingly, pharmacologic disruption of this novel function of IDH1 not only diminished tumor growth but also enhanced the anticancer efficacy of dietary serine restriction in mouse models of lung cancer. Together, these studies advance our mechanistic understanding of how cancer cells fulfill their serine requirements and reveal innovative therapeutic avenues to deprive tumors of this vital nutrient.