Targeting serine-glycine-one-carbon metabolism as a vulnerability in cancers

The serine-glycine-one-carbon (SGOC) metabolic pathway is critical for DNA methylation, histone methylation, and redox homeostasis, in addition to protein, lipid, and nucleotide biosynthesis. The SGOC pathway is a crucial metabolic network in tumorigenesis, wherein the outputs are required for cell survival and proliferation and are particularly likely to be co-opted by aggressive cancers. SGOC metabolism provides an integration point in cell metabolism and is of crucial clinical significance. The mechanism of how this network is regulated is the key to understanding tumor heterogeneity and overcoming the potential mechanism of tumor recurrence. Herein, we review the role of SGOC metabolism in cancer by focusing on key enzymes with tumor-promoting functions and important products with physiological significance in tumorigenesis. In addition, we introduce the ways in which cancer cells acquire and use one-carbon unit, and discuss the recently clarified role of SGOC metabolic enzymes in tumorigenesis and development, as well as their relationship with cancer immunotherapy and ferroptosis. The targeting of SGOC metabolism may be a potential therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcomes in cancers.