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Simple Summary: Metabolic reprogramming in glioblastoma is a hallmark of malignancy. Metabolic enzymes and metabolites participate in energetic metabolism and function as signaling molecules associated with genomic instability, mutations, epigenetic changes, and the activation of oncogenic signaling pathways. In addition, metabolites obtained from the metabolic network regulate several metabolic enzymes facilitating malignancy, therapeutic resistance, and tumor recurrence at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. In this review, we described the role of the glycolytic and glutamine metabolic network as an inductor of the cellular pathophysiology of glioblastoma as well as a therapeutic target in glioma cells. Glioma cells exhibit genetic and metabolic alterations that affect the deregulation of several cellular signal transduction pathways, including those related to glucose metabolism. Moreover, oncogenic signaling pathways induce the expression of metabolic genes, increasing the metabolic enzyme activities and thus the critical biosynthetic pathways to generate nucleotides, amino acids, and fatty acids, which provide energy and metabolic intermediates that are essential to accomplish the biosynthetic needs of glioma cells. In this review, we aim to explore how dysregulated metabolic enzymes and their metabolites from primary metabolism pathways in glioblastoma (GBM) such as glycolysis and glutaminolysis modulate anabolic and catabolic metabolic pathways as well as pro-oncogenic signaling and contribute to the formation, survival, growth, and malignancy of glioma cells. Also, we discuss promising therapeutic strategies by targeting the key players in metabolic regulation. Therefore, the knowledge of metabolic reprogramming is necessary to fully understand the biology of malignant gliomas to improve patient survival significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive of the primary brain tumors, with a grim prognosis despite intensive treatment. In the past decades, progress in research has not significantly increased overall survival rate. Methods The in vitro antineoplastic effect and mechanism of action of Casiopeina III-ia (Cas III-ia), a copper compound, on rat malignant glioma C6 cells was investigated. Results Cas III-ia significantly inhibited cell proliferation, inducing autophagy and apoptosis, which correlated with the formation of autophagic vacuoles, overexpression of LC3, Beclin 1, Atg 7, Bax and Bid proteins. A decrease was detected in the mitochondrial membrane potential and in the activity of caspase 3 and 8, together with the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased activity of c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK). The presence of 3-methyladenine (as selective autophagy inhibitor) increased the antineoplastic effect of Cas III-ia, while Z-VAD-FMK only showed partial protection from the antineoplastic effect induced by Cas III-ia, and ROS antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine) decreased apoptosis, autophagy and JNK activity. Moreover, the JNK –specific inhibitor SP600125 prevented Cas III-ia-induced cell death. Conclusions Our data suggest that Cas III-ia induces cell death by autophagy and apoptosis, in part due to the activation of ROS –dependent JNK signaling. These findings support further studies of Cas III-ia as candidate for treatment of human malignant glioma.