Studies have shown that lactate may contribute to cancer formation

, lactate, a glucose by-product used in every cell in the body, may also contribute to mutated cell carcinoma, according to a new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine.
the study was published Tuesday in the journal Cancer Frontiers."We found lactic acid to be the catalyst that triggers the mechanisms necessary for mutant cells to continue the cancer formation process," said Iñigo San Millán, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the University of Colorado Springs. "This opens a new door to a better understanding of cancer at metabolic levels. This also means that we may be able to target lactic acid with new treatments. Lactate
, but the main source of energy for cells, especially mitochondrials.
the role of lactate in cancer was first described about a century ago, when Nobel Laureate Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells are characterized not only by how quickly they consume glucose, but also by a significant increase in lactate production. This process is called the "Warburg effect".
but exactly how it works remains a mystery.In 2017, San Millán and colleagues from the University of California, Berkeley, george Brooks, published a hypothesis that they thought was the first to explain the meaning and purpose of the Fort Worth effect - the production of lactic acid for cancer formation purposes.
, who specializes in metabolism, and his team are trying to prove this hypothesis. They exposed human breast cancer cells to glucose and then produced lactate. Lactate increased the performance of all major mutant genes involved in breast cancer by 150-800%.
is well known that not every mutant cell becomes cancerous, and there is speculation about what factors might "trigger" the performance of the mutant gene. This study shows that lactate is a key trigger. Now, SanMillán and his team are replicating the study in other cancers, such as small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, and have found similar results."Lactate was once thought of as a waste and later proved to be a major signaling molecule and a major regulator of cancer-related genes," Saint-Milan said. "This is different from the lactate we get from exercise because it can be removed quickly by the muscles and has positive signaling properties that improve health. Lactic acid produced in cancer remains the same and is constantly produced and acts as a catalyst. Activate the mutated gene to turn it into cancer. We still don't know about these mechanisms, but we are studying them now. The
muscle tissue is largely resistant to cancer. Exercise can actually reduce the risk of certain cancers and can even be treated. As part of his cancer recovery, SanMillán is exploring ways in which exercise can help prevent and treat cancer.
he also tried to find a way to stop lactates from leaving cancer cells.
, he says, "when lactate is produced, it must leave the cell by transporting the protein." "We're trying to use different compounds to stop the production of transport proteins and lactates inside cancer cells. If you block the door, lactate does not leave and the cancer cells break. "
but trying to block lactate in the body with systemic drugs can be fatal and therefore require targeted treatments.In addition, lactate in cancer cells appears to be a key factor in preventing the immune system from attacking cancer cells, which are typical of cancer.
and his team are currently trying to block lactate in various cancers implanted in mice.
if we can effectively target lactic acid, it could be an important step towards ending cancer, " he said. ”（cyy123.com）