Targeting Tumor Metabolism: Diet Change Slows Glioblastoma Growth in Mice
ANN ARBOR, MI – A new study from the University of michigan’s Rogel Cancer Center has revealed a key metabolic difference between glioblastoma cells and healthy brain tissue, opening potential avenues for novel treatment strategies. Researchers found that glioblastomas – the most aggressive type of malignant brain tumor - utilize sugar differently than normal brain cells,and restricting specific amino acids in the diet slowed tumor growth and improved the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy in mouse models.
Glioblastoma patients typically face a grim prognosis, with life expectancy ranging from one to two years after diagnosis. These tumors are characterized by the rapid transformation and spread of brain cells, fundamentally altering their normal function. The research team, comprised of experts from Neurosurgery and Biomedical Engineering, focused on how glioblastoma cells metabolize glucose.
“we wanted to see if this sugar is used for different purposes” in cancer versus healthy brain cells, explained the team. By tracing the path of sugar in both healthy tissues and tumor cells, they discovered a “metabolic road separation.” While healthy brain cells convert sugar into neurotransmitters for energy and cognitive function, glioblastomas prioritize using sugar to create nucleotides – the building blocks of DNA and RNA – accelerating their growth and invasion of surrounding tissues.
Further examination revealed that normal brain cells convert sugar into amino acids, essential for protein production. However, glioblastoma cells bypass this process, directly absorbing amino acids from the bloodstream. This led researchers to hypothesize that limiting specific amino acids could selectively impact cancer cells without harming healthy brain tissue.
“In order to really understand these brain cancers and develop treatments,we had to examine them not only in the laboratory,but directly in patients’ tumors,” stated neurosurgeon Wajd al-Holo.
Testing this theory in mice, the team implemented a diet restricting the amino acids glutamine and glycine. The results were promising. According to co-writer Deepak Nagrath, “When we removed the glutamine and glycine from the rats, the reactions of radiation and chemotherapy were better and their tumors were smaller compared to the control group.”
Co-writer Daniel Wahl (MD, Ph.D.) believes this research could translate to improved patient outcomes. “We changed the diet in mouse models and we were able to slow down the growth of tumors. Our study can create new treatment opportunities for patients in the near future.”
Andrew Scott added, “Brain sugar directs to neurotransmitters for energy production and thinking health, but tumors use sugar to make new cancer cells.”
The study provides a foundation for future clinical trials exploring the potential of dietary interventions in glioblastoma treatment.
