FIGURE 1.

Amino acid transporters and metabolism in aggressive cancers. The amino acids (AAs) glutamate (Glu, dark green) and glutamine (Gln, dark blue) are key players for amino acid transport and global cellular metabolism in PDAC, HCC and GBM tumours. Glutamine transported into the tumour cells by the transporters SLC6A14 or ASCT2 is metabolised to glutamate via glutaminolysis or serves as substrate for the antiport of branched-chain (BCAAs) and bulky amino acids via LAT1. Glutamate facilitates cysteine (Cys) uptake via xCT or supports key energy and biosynthetic pathways, such as glutathione, non-essential AA and nucleotides synthesis or TCA cycle anaplerosis. Depicted in red, AA transporters inhibitors.