Alpha-Lipoic-Acid / GLUT4 Cancer Research Results

ALA, Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features: antioxidant, energy production in cell mitochondria
Alpha-Lipoic-Acid: also known as lipoic acid or thioctic acid (reduced form is dihydrolipoic acid).
"Universal antioxidant" because it is both water- and fat-soluble and can neutralize free radicals.
-Treatment sometimes as ALA/N (alpha-lipoic acid/low-dose naltresone)
-Also done in IV
-Decreases ROS production, but also has pro-oxidant role.
Normal adult can take 300 milligrams twice a day with food, but they should always take a B-complex vitamin with it. Because B complex vitamins, especially thiamine, and biotin, and riboflavin, are depleted during this metabolic process.
α-Lipoic acid acts as a chelating agent for metal ions, a quenching agent for reactive oxygen species, and a reducing agent for the oxidized form of glutathione and vitamins C and E.
-It seems a paradox that LA functions as both antioxidant and prooxidant. LA functions the pro-oxidant only in special cancer cells, such as A549 and PC9 cells which should show high-level NRF2 expression and high glycolytic level. Through inhibiting PDK1 to further prohibit NRF2; LA functions as anticancer prooxidant.

α-lipoic acid possesses excellent silver chelating properties.

ALA → ROS ↑ (cancer cells; high dose / stressed mitochondria)
ALA → ROS ↓ (normal cells; low–moderate dose)
same pattern seen with: Vitamin C, Menadione, Quercetin, EGCG, Resveratrol
- ALA acts as pro-Oxidant only in cancer cells:#278 - Pro-Oxidant Dose margin >100uM:#304

- Bioavailability: 80-90%, but conversion to EPA/DHA is 5-10% (and takes longer time).
- AI (Adequate Intake): 1.1-1.6g/day.
- human studies have shown that ALA levels decline significantly with age
- 1g of ALA might achieve 500uM in the blood.
- ALA is poorly soluble, lecithin has been used as an amphiphilic matrix to enhance its bioavailability.
- Pilot studies or observational interventions have used flaxseed supplementation (rich in ALA) in doses providing roughly 3–4 g of ALA daily.
- Flaxseed oil is even more concentrated in ALA – typical 50–60% ALA by weight.
- single walnut may contain 300mg of ALA
- chia oil contains 55-65% ALA.
- α-LA can also be obtained from the diet through the consumption of dark green leafy vegetables and meats
- ALA is more stable in chia seeds, (2grams of ALA per tablespoon)
- ALA degrades when exposed to heat, light, and air. (prone to oxidation)

-Note half-life 1-2 hrs.
BioAv 30-40% from walnuts, 60-80% from supplements. Co-ingestion with fat improves absorption. Both fat and water soluble
Pathways:
- induce ROS production
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑,
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓, SOD↓, GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, IGF-1↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, GLUT1↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, Glucose↓, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- small indication of inhibiting Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Cancer-Relevant Pathways
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Interpretation Notes
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose- & stress-dependent) ↓ ROS Conditional Driver Biphasic redox behavior ALA/DHLA redox cycling can push already stressed cancer mitochondria past tolerance while buffering ROS in normal cells
2 Glutathione (GSH) system ↓ functional buffering ↑ GSH regeneration Secondary Redox amplification vs protection In cancer cells, GSH consumption accompanies ROS escalation; in normal cells DHLA supports GSH recycling
3 Mitochondrial function (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm (stress-induced) ↔ stabilized Secondary Mitochondrial selectivity Cancer cells with unstable ETC show depolarization; normal cells tolerate or benefit metabolically
4 NF-κB signaling ↓ survival signaling ↓ inflammatory tone Secondary Redox-sensitive transcription NF-κB suppression reduces cancer cell survival programs but is anti-inflammatory in normal tissue
5 Cell proliferation ↓ proliferation ↔ spared Phenotypic Cytostatic selectivity ALA slows cancer cell cycling without universal apoptosis
6 Apoptosis ↑ apoptosis (conditional) ↓ apoptosis Phenotypic Threshold-dependent death Occurs in cancer cells when redox stress exceeds buffering capacity
7 NRF2 antioxidant response ↑ NRF2 (adaptive, often insufficient) ↑ NRF2 (protective) Adaptive Stress compensation NRF2 reflects attempted redox recovery; not a kill mechanism


GLUT4, Glucose Transporter 4: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
GLUT4 (Glucose Transporter 4) is a protein that plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism by facilitating the transport of glucose across cell membranes. GLUT4 is a member of the facilitated glucose transporter family and is primarily expressed in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle.
GLUT4 has been shown to be overexpressed in many types of tumors, and its expression has been linked to cancer cell growth, survival, and metastasis.
GLUT4 is involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism in cancer cells, and its overexpression has been shown to promote glucose uptake and energy production in cancer cells.
GLUT4 promotes glucose uptake and energy production in cancer cells.
GLUT4 expression is linked to poor prognosis in various types of cancer.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
3441- ALA,    α-Lipoic Acid Maintains Brain Glucose Metabolism via BDNF/TrkB/HIF-1α Signaling Pathway in P301S Mice
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*tau↓, *GlucoseCon↑, *GLUT3↑, *GLUT4↑, *VEGF↑, *HO-1↑, *Glycolysis↑, *HK1↑, *PGC-1α↑, *Hif1a↑, *neuroP↑,
3272- ALA,    Alpha-lipoic acid as a dietary supplement: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *glucose↑, *eNOS↑, *NRF2↑, *MMP9↓, *VCAM-1↓, *NF-kB↓, *cardioP↑, *cognitive↑, *eff↓, *BBB↑, *IronCh↑, *GSH↑, *PKCδ↑, *ERK↑, *p38↑, *MAPK↑, *PI3K↑, *Akt↑, *PTEN↓, *AMPK↑, *GLUT4↑, *GLUT1↑, *Inflam↓,
3271- ALA,    Decrypting the potential role of α-lipoic acid in Alzheimer's disease
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, *memory↑, *neuroP↑, *Inflam↓, *IronCh↑, *NRF2↑, *BBB↑, *GlucoseCon↑, *Ach↑, *ROS↓, *p‑tau↓, *Aβ↓, *cognitive↑, *Hif1a↑, *Ca+2↓, *GLUT3↑, *GLUT4↑, *HO-1↑, *VEGF↑, *PDKs↓, *PDH↑, *VCAM-1↓, *GSH↑, *NRF2↑, *hepatoP↑, *ChAT↑,
3547- ALA,    Potential Therapeutic Effects of Lipoic Acid on Memory Deficits Related to Aging and Neurodegeneration
- Review, AD, NA - Review, Park, NA
*memory↑, *neuroP↑, *motorD↑, *VitC↑, *VitE↑, *GSH↑, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *GPx↑, *5HT↑, *lipid-P↓, *IronCh↑, *AChE↓, *Inflam↓, *GlucoseCon↑, *GLUT3↑, *GLUT4↑, NF-kB↓, *IGF-1↑, *IL1β↓, *TNF-α↓, *cognitive↑, *ChAT↑, *HO-1↑, *NQO1↑,
3539- ALA,    Alpha-lipoic acid as a dietary supplement: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential
- Review, AD, NA
*ROS↓, *IronCh↑, *GSH↑, *antiOx↑, *NRF2↑, *MMP9↓, *VCAM-1↓, *NF-kB↓, *cognitive↑, *Inflam↓, *BioAv↝, *BioAv↝, *BBB↑, *H2O2∅, *neuroP↑, *PKCδ↑, *ERK↑, *MAPK↑, *PI3K↑, *Akt↑, *PTEN↓, *AMPK↑, *GLUT4↑, *GlucoseCon↑, *BP↝, *eff↑, *ICAM-1↓, *VCAM-1↓, *Dose↝,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 5 of 5

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 5

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

NF-kB↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 3,   Catalase↑, 1,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 4,   H2O2∅, 1,   HK1↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 3,   lipid-P↓, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 4,   ROS↓, 2,   SOD↑, 1,   VitC↑, 1,   VitE↑, 1,  

Metal & Cofactor Biology

IronCh↑, 4,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

PGC-1α↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

AMPK↑, 2,   glucose↑, 1,   GlucoseCon↑, 4,   Glycolysis↑, 1,   PDH↑, 1,   PDKs↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↑, 2,   MAPK↑, 2,   p38↑, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

Ach↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

ERK↑, 2,   IGF-1↑, 1,   PI3K↑, 2,   PTEN↓, 2,  

Migration

Ca+2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 2,   PKCδ↑, 2,   VCAM-1↓, 4,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

eNOS↑, 1,   Hif1a↑, 2,   VEGF↑, 2,  

Barriers & Transport

BBB↑, 3,   GLUT1↑, 1,   GLUT3↑, 3,   GLUT4↑, 5,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

ICAM-1↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 4,   NF-kB↓, 2,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission

5HT↑, 1,   AChE↓, 1,   ChAT↑, 2,   tau↓, 1,   p‑tau↓, 1,  

Protein Aggregation

Aβ↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↝, 2,   Dose↝, 1,   eff↓, 1,   eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

BP↝, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

cardioP↑, 1,   cognitive↑, 4,   hepatoP↑, 1,   memory↑, 2,   motorD↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 4,  
Total Targets: 63

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: GLUT4, Glucose Transporter 4
5 Alpha-Lipoic-Acid
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:29  Target#:774  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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