Notably, L-aspartate quantification using FFPE-fixed tumor tissue from the experiments shown in Fig. 6g, h and Fig. 7g, h after three days of Metformin treatment demonstrated a significant reduction in L-aspartate levels in Metformin-treated Alpelisib-resistant and ATG7-knockout tumor-bearing mice compared to parental tumors (Supplementary Fig. 4f), strongly suggesting that autophagy-deficient BC cells undergo apoptosis also in vivo due to their inability to maintain adequate L-aspartate levels. The gene discussed is ATG7; the disease is breast cancer.