Glutamine and cancer

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the human body; it is ess ential for the growth of normal and neoplastic cells and for the culture of many cell types. Cancer has been described as a nitrogen trap, The presenc e of a tumor produces great changes in host glutamine metabolism in such a way that host nitrogen metabolism is accommodated to the tumor-enhanced req uirements of glutamine. To be used, glutamine must be transported into tumo r mitochondria. Thus, an overview of the role of glutamine in cancer requir es not only a discussion of host and tumor glutamine metabolism, but also i ts circulation and transport. Because glutamine depletion has adverse effec ts for the host, the effect of glutamine supplementation in the tumor-beari ng state should also be studied. This communication reviews the state of kn owledge of glutamine and cancer, including potential therapeutic implicatio ns.