Nutrient transporters and metabolic pathways

Nutrient transporters and metabolic pathways represent a broad class of biological systems responsible for the acquisition and utilization of essential molecules such as glucose, amino acids, and lipids (Source: Pavlova & Thompson, 2016, Cell Metabolism). These systems include the Solute Carrier (SLC) family of transporters, which facilitate the movement of solutes across biological membranes, and intracellular enzymatic cascades like glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (Source: Lin et al., 2015, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery). In many diseases, particularly cancer, these pathways are reprogrammed to support rapid proliferation and survival, a phenomenon known as metabolic rewiring (Source: Hanahan & Weinberg, 2011, Cell). Therapeutic strategies often focus on inhibiting specific transporters, such as SGLT2 in diabetes or LAT1 in oncology, or targeting rate-limiting enzymes like dihydrofolate reductase (Source: PubMed). However, because these pathways are fundamental to normal physiological function, achieving therapeutic selectivity remains a significant challenge, often leading to concerns regarding systemic toxicity and metabolic homeostasis (Source: StatPearls).

Other names

Metabolic networksNutrient uptake systemsSolute carrier (SLC) mediated transportCellular metabolism

Inhibition of substrate transport across cellular membranes (e.g., SGLT2 inhibition) and competitive or non-competitive inhibition of metabolic enzymes (e.g., DHFR inhibition) to disrupt cellular energy production or biosynthesis (Source: Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2015).