Warburg effect refers to aerobic glycolysis preferentially used by cancer cells even in the presence of oxygen. Which key oncoproteins drive upregulation of hexokinase II and glycolytic enzymes to enable the Warburg effect?
- A p53 and BRCA1 as tumour suppressors
- B MYC (transcription factor) and HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor) ✓
- C RB1 and INK4a/ARF locus proteins
- D PTEN and TSC1/2 as mTOR inhibitors
Correct answer: B. MYC (transcription factor) and HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor)
Explanation
The Warburg effect is driven by MYC (which directly transcribes glycolytic enzymes including hexokinase II, LDH-A, and GLUT1) and HIF-1α (activated by VHL loss, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, or true hypoxia), which induces the same glycolytic programme. Together, MYC and HIF-1α reprogram cellular metabolism to generate biosynthetic precursors for rapid proliferation rather than maximising ATP yield.
Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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