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A signalling pathway that influences how sensitive cancer cells are to the beneficial effects of dietary restriction is described in this week's Nature. Dietary restriction - eating less calories while maintaining essential vitamins and minerals - can extend lifespan, and reduce cancer incidence and growth. But some types of cancer cell are more sensitive to the anti-growth effects of dietary restriction than others, Nada Kalaany and David Sabatini report. The effect hinges on the activity of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. If the pathway is active, dietary restriction has no effect on cancer cells. However, if the pathway is inactive, tumours are sensitive to dietary restriction.

Tumours with PI3K activation are resistant to dietary restriction. Nada Y. Kalaany & David M. Sabatini Nature. Published online 11 March 2009 doi:10.1038/nature07782