Cancer Cell
Volume 36, Issue 6, 9 December 2019, Pages 582-596
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Review
Adenosine Metabolism: Emerging Concepts for Cancer Therapy

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2019.10.007Get rights and content
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Adenosine is a key metabolic and immune-checkpoint regulator implicated in the tumor escape from the host immune system. Major gaps in knowledge that impede the development of effective adenosine-based therapeutics include: (1) lack of consideration of redundant pathways controlling ATP and adenosine levels; (2) lack of distinction between receptor-dependent and -independent effects of adenosine, and (3) focus on extracellular adenosine without consideration of intracellular metabolism and compartmentalization. In light of current clinical trials, we provide an overview of adenosine metabolism and point out the need for a more careful evaluation of the entire purinome in emerging cancer therapies.

Keywords

metabolism
biochemistry
adenosine
adenosine receptors
adenosine kinase
intracellular
epigenetics
cancer
immune checkpoint
therapy

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