2-deoxyglucose

2-deoxyglucose (2DG) is a small molecule glucose analog and glycolysis inhibitor being developed by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and hormone-refractory prostate cancer. As a glucose mimic, 2DG is taken up by cells via glucose transporters and phosphorylated by hexokinase to 2-DG-6-phosphate. Unlike glucose-6-phosphate, this intermediate cannot be further metabolized by phosphoglucose isomerase, resulting in the competitive inhibition of both hexokinase and phosphoglucose isomerase. This action effectively blocks the glycolytic pathway, exploiting the Warburg effect where cancer cells rely heavily on aerobic glycolysis for energy and growth. By inducing metabolic stress and ATP depletion, 2DG promotes cell death in glucose-dependent tumor cells.

Other names

2-deoxy-D-glucose