Metabolic interplay between glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidation: The reverse Warburg effect and its therapeutic implication

Figure 3 Metabolic flexibility of cancer cells depends on the tumor microenvironment: metabolic changes according to oxygen gradients. In hypoxic condition, glycolysis mainly contributes to produce ATPs with lowering reactive oxygen species production, thereby closely links with initiation of metastasis. In normoxic condition, mitochondrial oxidation more contributes for energy production than glycolysis. For survival, cancer cells adjust to dynamic changes between hypoxia and normoxia in tumor microenvironment. OXPHOS: Oxidative phosphorylation.