Branched chain amino acid transferase 1 and malignant tumors

As a key enzyme that catalyzes the metabolism of branched chain amino acids, branched chain amino acid transferase 1 (BCAT1) is often involved in a variety of biosynthetic pathways. Reaserches show that BCAT1 is highly expressed in many kinds of malignant tumors such as leukemia, glioma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric cancer and breast cancer, et al, suggesting a close relationship with the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. Thus, BCAT1 plays an important role in the genesis and progression of tumor, and may have the potential to be a new therapeutic target. Key words: Neoplasms; Branched chain amino acid transaminase 1; Branched chain amino acid