Mitochondria and Cancer

Mitochondria, as biosynthetic centers or powerhouses of the cell, are involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. They have emerged as therapeutic targets for cancer. Through the activity of TCA cycle, mitochondria contribute to synthesis of biomolecules, such as amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides. Other important mitochondrial functions are control of calcium homeostasis, the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, energy metabolism, redox homeostasis, oncogenic signaling, innate immunity, and ROS production. Mitochondrial metabolic phenotypes have been linked to nuclear or mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations. These mutations are linked to many pathological diseases and may be associated with decreased or increased risk of cancer. Mitochondrial biogenesis is upregulated in tumor cells, likely to match their increased metabolic demand. Also, mutations in many nuclear-encoded mitochondrial TCA cycle enzymes cause the synthesis of oncogenic metabolites and tumor progression. Here I discuss briefly the basics of mitochondria biology and provide an overview of the links between mitochondria and cancer.