In Profile: Starving cells of glucose could help cure cancer

Scientists have identified that glucose fuels the growth of cancer. The particular protein in glucose that fuels this growth is PARP 14. The scientists hope to create a drug which inhibits PARP 14, starves the cancerous cells and, in the future, can be used to cure cancer

Dr Concetta Bubici and Dr Salvatore Papa discuss their findings with EPM.

What’s so exciting about this discovery of the role of PARP 14?

The research offers a new way of attacking cancers after discovering exactly the role of excess PARP14 in how cancer cells fuel their rapid and uncontrolled growth.

If we can find a way of returning PARP 14 levels to that found in healthy cells, cancerous ones will, in effect, be put on a starvation diet.

Cancer cells are able to use the basic fuel of cells – glucose – in a different way to healthy cells in the presence of excess PARP 14.

Is that the only way controlling PARP 14 levels could effect cancer?

No. Excess PARP 14 has two further consequences. Most human cells have a life cycle (the main exception being most brain cells) and then they are replaced. Cells on the gut wall are regenerated every five days others have a life span of as much as 15 years.

Excess PARP 14 interferes with this natural process significantly extending cancer cell life. The mechanism for this is by interfering with the action of proteins called kinases.

It’s the discovery of this mechanism by the international team which is so exciting as offers the opportunity to target excess PARP14. The search for a specific inhibitor is the next aim for the team and other scientists.

Reducing PARP14 also makes cancer cells more susceptible to existing chemotherapy treatments so they expect any new therapy would go hand in hand with chemo. A further consideration is that cancer cell growth is not the only aim of cancer treatments. Killing every single cancer cell and preventing their spread or metastasis to other parts of the body are also equally important.

Wouldn’t reducing sugar consumption have a similar effect?

No. The body produces glucose as fuel for healthy cells from many different foods and glucose is absolutely essential for life.

Could any new therapy be used to cure all cancers?

The role of excess PARP 14 is very new science. The team found evidence of excess PARP14 in a wide range of cancers from solid tumours to blood cancers. However it would not be good science to claim it is a universal mechanism until further research is complete.

What is the likely timescale before a new therapy is available widely to cancer patients?

This is almost impossible to predict because of the huge range of variables involved. But the prospects are very exciting indeed.