Metabolic reprogramming is an active process occurring in cancer cells, responsible for the rewiring of aerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to increase production of antioxidant molecules and biosynthetic intermediates needed for cell growth and proliferation.
Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignancy in men and a major cause of death. Starting from the observation that PC cells show specific patterns of metabolic modifications during disease onset and progression, we propose an innovative and ambitious project to identify the molecular basis linking infection, inflammation, and rewiring of cellular metabolism of the prostate. We hypothesize that infection, a common infliction of the prostate causing inflammation, induces remodeling of prostate cell metabolism, leading to a pro-tumoral phenotype, which, in combination with signals coming from the prostate microenvironment, drives cancer development. Our preliminary data provide initial evidence that the link exists, however further studies, including in the context of an in vivo infection model, are needed to identify the key molecular pathways involved. Our results will greatly contribute to launching an unconventional approach linking the non-mutagenic role of infection/inflammation to cancer development.
