Beyond ENO1, emerging roles and targeting strategies of other enolases in cancers

Jiaojiao Ni; Yihui Huang; Chaoqun Li; Qian Yin; Jieer Ying

doi:10.1016/j.omto.2023.100750

Beyond ENO1, emerging roles and targeting strategies of other enolases in cancers

Mol Ther Oncolytics. 2023 Nov 10:31:100750. doi: 10.1016/j.omto.2023.100750. eCollection 2023 Dec 19.

Authors

Jiaojiao Ni^{1

2}, Yihui Huang³, Chaoqun Li⁴, Qian Yin⁴, Jieer Ying^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary & Gastric Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China.
² Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China.
³ Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
⁴ Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325088, China.

Abstract

Aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark property of cancer metabolism. Enolase is a glycolytic enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate into phosphoenolpyruvate. In mammals, enolases exist in three isoforms, encoded by the genes ENO1, ENO2, and ENO3. The altered expression of enolases is a common occurrence in various types of cancer. Although most published studies on enolases have predominantly focused on the role of ENO1 in cancer, ENO2 and ENO3 have recently emerged as crucial regulatory molecules in cancer development. Significant progress has been made in understanding their multifaceted roles in oncogenesis. In this comprehensive review, we provide an overview of the structure, subcellular localization, diagnostic and prognostic significance, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of ENO2 and ENO3 in cancer progression. The importance of enolase in cancer development makes it a novel therapeutic target for clinical applications. Furthermore, we discuss anticancer agents designed to target enolases and summarize their anticancer efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo studies.

Keywords: ENO1; ENO2; ENO3; biomarker; cancer treatment; enolase inhibitors; neuron-specific enolase; tumor glycolysis.

Publication types

Review