Mitochondria: The metabolic switch of cellular oncogenic transformation

Mitochondria, well recognized as the powerhouse of cells, are maternally inherited organelles with bacterial ancestry that play essential roles in a myriad of cellular functions. It has become profoundly evident that mitochondria regulate a wide array of cellular and metabolic functions, including biosynthetic metabolism, cell signaling, redox homeostasis, and cell survival. Correspondingly, defects in normal mitochondrial functioning have been implicated in various human malignancies. Cancer development involves the activation of oncogenes, inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and impairment of apoptotic programs in cells. Mitochondria have been recognized as the site of key metabolic switches for normal cells to acquire a malignant phenotype. This review outlines the role of mitochondria in human malignancies and highlights potential aspects of mitochondrial metabolism that could be targeted for therapeutic development.

Automated summary

Mitochondria, known as the powerhouse of cells, play essential roles in various cellular functions and are associated with human malignancies. Cancer development involves abnormalities in cellular programs, and mitochondria are recognized as key metabolic switches for normal cells to acquire malignant characteristics.