Novel therapeutic approaches targeting L-type amino acid transporters for cancer treatment

Figure 2 Schematic model of acquisition and monitoring of amino acids in cancer. c-Myc promotes expression of LAT1, which supplies amino acids necessary for growth of cancers. The availability of amino acids is constantly monitored by factors such as mTOR and GCN2. Once amino acid deficiency is detected, cancers suppress their proliferation and, as occasion demands, induce apoptosis. mTOR: Mechanistic target of rapamycin; GCN2: General control non-derepressible 2; ATF4: Activating transcription factor 4; CHOP: C/EBP homologous protein.