代谢重构是癌细胞的特定特征。这种现象通过增加营养和能量供应来维持不受控制的增殖和耐受凋亡状态。然而，重编程也具有可攻击的短板，可用于针对肿瘤的治疗。近年来，肿瘤的遗传背景已被彻底确定，并测试了针对这些突变的新疗法。尽管如此，我们提出，针对癌细胞的表型可能是另一种治疗方法，旨在避免药物耐药性和癌症患者的非响应性。氨基酸代谢是癌细胞中改变的过程之一。氨基酸是构建块，同时也是调节主要生物过程的信号通路的传感器。在这篇全面的综述中，我们描述了四种氨基酸（天冬氨酸、精氨酸、蛋氨酸和半胱氨酸），它们一直被积极研究作为潜在的抗肿瘤治疗靶点。在急性淋巴细胞性白血病的治疗中，天冬氨酸缺乏已成功使用了数十年，并有强烈的暗示将其应用于其他类型的肿瘤。精氨酸不足的肿瘤是精氨酸饥饿疗法的绝佳候选。对蛋氨酸和半胱氨酸等必需氨基酸的更高需求，指出了癌细胞有可靶向的薄弱环节。版权所有©2022 Elsevier Inc。保留所有权利。

Metabolic rewiring is a characteristic hallmark of cancer cells. This phenomenon sustains uncontrolled proliferation and resistance to apoptosis by increasing nutrients and energy supply. However, reprogramming comes together with vulnerabilities that can be used against tumor and can be applied in targeted therapy. In the last years, the genetic background of tumors has been identified thoroughly and new therapies targeting those mutations tested. Nevertheless, we propose that targeting the phenotype of cancer cells could be another way of treatment aiming to avoid drug resistance and non-responsiveness of cancer patients. Amino acid metabolism is part of the altered processes in cancer cells. Amino acids are building blocks and also sensors of signaling pathways regulating main biological processes. In this comprehensive review, we described four amino acids (asparagine, arginine, methionine, and cysteine) which have been actively investigated as potential targets for anti-tumor therapy. Asparagine depletion is successfully used for decades in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and there is a strong implication to apply it to other types of tumors. Arginine auxotrophic tumors are great candidates for arginine-starvation therapy. Higher requirement for essential amino acids such as methionine and cysteine point out promising targetable weaknesses of cancer cells.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.