Modelling of metabolism in cancer and normal cells; relevance of quantum metabolism
Paul Agutter, Theoretical Medicine and Biology Group
9 July 2010
Vasquez et al. [1] have made a significant contribution to the recent literature arising from renewed interest in the Warburg hypothesis of cancer. The model they develop in their paper is well-articulated and strongly supported. I wonder whether it can be shown to be compatible with the recent publication by Demetrius and colleagues [2], which brings a new theory of allometric scaling, quantum metabolism, to bear on the subject. Mathematical details of quantum metabolism have been published elsewhere [3]. The value of their contribution is that it suggests new non-invasive approaches to cancer treatment, based on metabolic regulation, that could potentially serve as valuable adjuncts to conventional therapeutic measures. If it could be shown to be consistent with and perhaps complementary to the mathematical model elaborated in [1], this could represent important progress in the field.
References
1. Vasquez A, Liu J, Zhou Y, Oltvai ZN: Catabolic efficiency of aerobic glycolysis: the Warburg effect revisited. BMC Systems Biology 2010, 4:58.
2. Demetrius LA, Coy JF, Tuczynski JA: Cancer proliferation and therapy: the Warburg effect and quantum metabolism. Theor Biol Med Model 2010, 7:2.
3. Demetrius LA: Quantum metabolism and allometric scaling relations in biology. In Quantum Aspects of Life, edited by Abbott D, Davis PCW, Pati AK. London: Imperial College Press; 2008:5-21.
Competing interests
I am editor-in-chief of Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling.
Modelling of metabolism in cancer and normal cells; relevance of quantum metabolism
9 July 2010
Vasquez et al. [1] have made a significant contribution to the recent literature arising from renewed interest in the Warburg hypothesis of cancer. The model they develop in their paper is well-articulated and strongly supported. I wonder whether it can be shown to be compatible with the recent publication by Demetrius and colleagues [2], which brings a new theory of allometric scaling, quantum metabolism, to bear on the subject. Mathematical details of quantum metabolism have been published elsewhere [3]. The value of their contribution is that it suggests new non-invasive approaches to cancer treatment, based on metabolic regulation, that could potentially serve as valuable adjuncts to conventional therapeutic measures. If it could be shown to be consistent with and perhaps complementary to the mathematical model elaborated in [1], this could represent important progress in the field.
References
1. Vasquez A, Liu J, Zhou Y, Oltvai ZN: Catabolic efficiency of aerobic glycolysis: the Warburg effect revisited. BMC Systems Biology 2010, 4:58.
2. Demetrius LA, Coy JF, Tuczynski JA: Cancer proliferation and therapy: the Warburg effect and quantum metabolism. Theor Biol Med Model 2010, 7:2.
3. Demetrius LA: Quantum metabolism and allometric scaling relations in biology. In Quantum Aspects of Life, edited by Abbott D, Davis PCW, Pati AK. London: Imperial College Press; 2008:5-21.
Competing interests
I am editor-in-chief of Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling.