Stressor-driven extracellular acidosis as tumor inducer via aberrant enzyme activation: A review on the mechanisms and possible prophylaxis

When the extracellular pH of human body vacillates in either direction, tissue homeostasis is compromised. Fluctuations in acidity have been linked to a wide variety of pathological conditions, including bone loss, cancer, allergies, and auto-immune diseases. Stress conditions affect oxygen tension, and the resultant hypoxia modulates the expression and/or activity of membrane-tethered transporters/pumps, transcription factors, enzymes and intercellular junctions. These modifications provoke erratic gene expression, aberrant tissue remodeling and oncogenesis. While the physiological optimization of pH in tissues is practically challenging, it is at least theoretically achievable and can be considered as a possible therapy to resolve a broad array of diseases.