ATP Citrate Lyase (ATP柠檬酸裂解酶)

ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is a central metabolic enzyme and catalyses the ATP-dependent conversion of citrate and coenzyme A (CoA) to oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA product is crucial for the metabolism of fatty acids, the biosynthesis of cholesterol, and the acetylation and prenylation of proteins. Acetyl CoA is also required for acetylation reactions that modify proteins, such as histone acetylation. ACLY is upregulated or activated in several types of cancers, and its inhibition is known to induce proliferation arrest in cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

ACLY links glucose and lipid metabolism by catalyzing the formation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate from citrate produced by glycolysis in the presence of ATP and CoA. ACLY is aberrantly expressed in many immortalized cells and tumors, such as breast, liver, colon, lung and prostate cancers, and is correlated reversely with tumor stage and differentiation, serving as a negative prognostic marker. ACLY is an upstream enzyme of the long chain fatty acid synthesis, providing acetyl-CoA as an essential component of the fatty acid synthesis. Therefore, ACLY is a key enzyme of cellular lipogenesis and potent target for cancer therapy.