Potential role of NDRG2 in reprogramming cancer metabolism and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

Histol Histopathol. 2018 Jul;33(7):655-663. doi: 10.14670/HH-11-957. Epub 2017 Dec 29.

Abstract

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows a cell with epithelial characteristics to transdifferentiate into a cell with mesenchymal characteristics, which is recognized as a key priming event for the initiation and evolvement of cancer metastasis. Accumulating data have shown that aberrant cancer metabolism contributes to the execution of EMT and cancer metastasis through multiple pathological pathways. Recently, the N-MYC downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), as a tumor suppressor and metabolism-related gene in various cancers, has been widely noted. NDGR2 is associated with energy metabolism, especially glycose metabolism. Hence, we propose a hypothesis that EMT is repressed by NDRG2 via cancer metabolic reprogramming, and summarize the pathological processes and molecular pathways related to the regulation of NDRG2.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Transdifferentiation / physiology
  • Cellular Reprogramming / physiology*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • NDRG2 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins