Overview

• A study published in Nature confirms that myeloid leukemia cells rely on the SLC6A6 transporter to import taurine from the bone marrow microenvironment, driving glycolysis and tumor growth.
• Genetic ablation of the taurine transporter in preclinical models significantly suppressed leukemia progression, highlighting it as a promising therapeutic target.
• The findings apply across multiple myeloid leukemia subtypes, including AML, CML, and MDS, suggesting broad clinical relevance for targeting taurine metabolism.
• Researchers caution against taurine supplementation, commonly found in energy drinks and dietary products, as it may inadvertently accelerate leukemia progression.
• Efforts are underway to develop stable inhibitors of taurine uptake and to explore taurine levels as potential biomarkers for disease progression and treatment response.