Cancer cells often exhibit altered metabolism, known as the Warburg effect, which supports rapid proliferation. The PPP, where G6PD is the rate-limiting enzyme, provides ribose-5-phosphate for nucleotide synthesis and NADPH for reductive biosynthesis and detoxification of reactive oxygen species. By fueling these processes, G6PD plays a crucial role in maintaining the redox balance and biosynthetic demands of rapidly dividing cancer cells.
