PHGDH amplification and altered glucose metabolism in human melanoma

Abstract
The metabolic requirements of cancer cells differ from that of their normal counterparts. To support their proliferation, cancer cells switch to a fermentative metabolism that is thought to support biomass production. Instances where metabolic enzymes promote tumorigenesis remain rare. However, an enzyme involved in the de novo synthesis of serine, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), was recently identified as a putative oncogene. The potential mechanisms by which PHGDH promotes cancer are discussed.