How does enzyme expression differ between normal and cancerous cells?
In cancerous cells, there is often a dysregulation of enzyme expression compared to normal cells. This can manifest as overexpression or underexpression of certain enzymes. For instance, enzymes involved in glycolysis, such as hexokinase and pyruvate kinase M2, are frequently upregulated to meet the increased energy demands of rapidly proliferating tumor cells. Conversely, enzymes involved in apoptotic pathways might be downregulated, allowing cancer cells to evade programmed cell death.
