Defueling the cancer: ATP synthase as an emerging target in cancer therapy

Abstract Reprogramming of cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Mitochondrial ATP synthase (MAS) produces most of the ATP that drives the cell. High expression of the MAS-composing proteins is found during cancer and links to a poor prognosis in glioblastoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cell surface-expressed ATP synthase, translocated from mitochondrion to cell membrane, involves the angiogenesis, tumorigenesis and metastasis of cancer. ATP synthase has therefore been considered as a therapeutic target. We review recent various ATP synthase inhibitors that suppress tumor growth and are being tested for the clinic.