Figure 8.

Amino acid metabolism in cancer cells. Cancer cell growth and proliferation rely heavily on metabolic reprogramming. Both essential and non-essential amino acids (EAAs and NEAAs) contribute to altered metabolism by acting as energy sources, biosynthetic agents, and redox balance mediators. Amino acids provide metabolic intermediates like acetyl-CoA, which fuel energy generation via the citric acid cycle. Amino acids also serve as the foundation for nucleotide synthesis and lipogenesis, both of which are essential for a cell’s capacity to grow and develop. To counteract the consequences of oxidative stress, amino acids can control redox equilibrium by producing glutathione. Furthermore, EAA catabolism contributes to the production of NEAAs by chemical processes such as those mediated by transaminases.