E-Book

E-Book 3rd Congress

  • Cancer Metabolism
  • Tara Lotfalizadeh,1,* Diba,2 Hananeh Tashakor,3 Issa Layali,4
    1. Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences
    2. Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences
    3. Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences
    4. Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences


  • Introduction: Carnitine is a compound that plays a crucial role in the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy production. It is also involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is essential for muscle contraction and nerve signaling. Cancer cells have a high demand for energy, and they often rely on fatty acid oxidation to meet this demand. Carnitine plays a critical role in this process, and studies have shown that cancer cells have higher levels of carnitine transporters than normal cells.
  • Methods: To delve into the double-edged nature of carnitine in cancer metabolism, a thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and NCBI databases. This search resulted in 22 relevant articles, which were painstakingly reviewed and analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of this topic.
  • Results: The Effects of Carnitine on Cancer Cells: 1. Carcinogenic effects: Transporting long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria: Carnitine is essential for the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they can be oxidized for energy. Cancer cells have a higher demand for energy than normal cells, and they rely on fatty acid oxidation to meet this demand. Stimulating fatty acid oxidation: Carnitine can stimulate fatty acid oxidation by increasing the activity of enzymes involved in the process. This can lead to an increase in the production of ATP, the cellular energy currency. Promoting angiogenesis: Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels, which is essential for the growth and spread of cancer. Carnitine can promote angiogenesis by increasing the expression of pro-angiogenic genes. 2. Therapeutic effects: Studies have shown that carnitine can have a number of effects on cancer cells, including: Inhibiting the growth of cancer cells: Carnitine can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. This may be due to its ability to block the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, or to its ability to stimulate fatty acid oxidation. Enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs: Carnitine can enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs by increasing the uptake of the drugs into cancer cells. This may be due to its ability to increase the permeability of the cell membrane to the drugs. Promoting apoptosis: Carnitine can promote apoptosis in cancer cells by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic genes. This may be due to its ability to deplete the cells of energy.
  • Conclusion: Carnitine is a compound that plays a complex role in cancer metabolism. It can have both beneficial and harmful effects on cancer cells. On the one hand, carnitine's ability to promote fatty acid oxidation and angiogenesis could support cancer cell growth and spread. On the other hand, carnitine's potential to induce apoptosis, enhance chemotherapy efficacy, and regulate gene expression could be harnessed for therapeutic purposes. More research is needed to fully understand the role of carnitine in cancer treatment, but it is a promising target for new therapies
  • Keywords: Carnitine, Cancer, Apoptosis, Angiogenesi