Abstract
Many biological processes are controlled by cell death and proliferation. Previous evidence suggests that cell proliferation and death by apoptosis are regulated by separate pathways. The present study found that cellular pH was positively correlated with proliferation but negatively with cell death. Alkaline treatments enhanced lymphocyte proliferation in response to antigen challenge in vivo and in in vitro cultures, whereas acid treatments induced cell death. Low pH was incompatible with the survival of highly proliferating cells, and the susceptibility to the acid-induced death was determined in part by the proliferative status of the lymphocytes. Likewise, alkaline treatments maintained tumor cell proliferation whereas acid treatments induced death. These data support a unified theory for the regulation of cell death and proliferation where a cellular pH balance controls both events, and the mitochondria as proton generators act as pH-stats. Thus, the Warburg effect is viewed as necessary for proliferating cells to have a high cellular pH environment to both survive and accelerate proliferation.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.