Jack-of-a-new-trade: Itaconate targets the PPP/G6PD to control lung cancer.

Wculek, Stefanie K · Cell Metab · 2026

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Abstract

Itaconate is known as an anti-inflammatory metabolite derived from macrophages that dampens immune responses; however, its role in cancer has emerged to be complex. Mansouri et al.<sup>1</sup> report a previously unknown anti-cancer feature of (octyl-) itaconate as an inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in the lung tumor microenvironment (TME) in macrophages and cancer cells.