Control of thymocyte proliferation via redox-regulated expression of glycolytic genes

Glucose is essential for glycolytic enzyme induction and proliferation of concanavalin A-stimulated rat thymocytes. 1 Resting thymocytes meet their ATP demand mainly by oxidative glucose breakdown (88%), whereas proliferating thymocytes produce 86% by degradation of glucose to lactate and only 14% by oxidation to CO 2 and water despite the presence of oxygen and mitochondria. 1,2 In contrast to non-stimulated resting thymocytes, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the proliferating cells has been shown to be nearly abolished. 2,3