Fructose Suppresses Liver Cancer Growth, Study Finds

Research from City University of Hong Kong has uncovered a surprising role for fructose in combating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Contrary to expectations, dietary fructose does not appear to fuel the growth of liver tumors. Instead, under specific metabolic conditions within HCC cells, fructose can act as a suppressor of tumor progression.

The study identified that a key enzyme, ALDOB, responsible for breaking down fructose, becomes downregulated as HCC advances. This metabolic shift causes fructose 1-phosphate to accumulate, which then inhibits mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI). MPI plays a role in protein N-glycosylation; its inhibition triggers endoplasmic reticulum stress and prompts cancer cell apoptosis.

This discovery offers a novel therapeutic avenue. Researchers screened FDA-approved drugs and identified ebselen as an effective MPI inhibitor. When tested in mouse models, ebselen suppressed liver cancer growth, showing synergistic effects with existing treatments and offering accelerated clinical translation potential.