Adenosine triphosphate induced cell death: Mechanisms and implications in cancer biology and therapy

Figure 2 The process of adenosine triphosphate production necessitates the sequential progression through a series of reactions encompassing glycolysis, pyruvate decarboxylation, the krebs cycle, and the respiratory chain. Cellular entities harness carbon sources to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via glycolysis and the respiratory chain. Engineered cellular systems, when designed along specific pathways to facilitate targeted product synthesis, incur heightened ATP consumption for processes such as sugar uptake, cellular proliferation, biosynthesis, product efflux, and the acquisition of tolerance to cytotoxic agents. Furthermore, the equilibrium of ATP is influenced by a range of factors, including pH levels and oxygen availability. Perturbations in these dynamics can result in the overproduction of intracellular ATP, leading to its efflux through membrane-associated signaling channels or extracellular vesicles. Subsequent activation of cell membrane-associated P2 receptors by extracellular ATP triggers the influx of intracellular calcium ions, culminating in apoptotic cell demise. ATP: Adenosine triphosphate.