Behind the Study: Targeting Lipid Metabolism in Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

Dr. Glenn Simmons Jr. from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Stefani Thomas from University of Minnesota School of Medicine, detail a recent review they co-authored that was published by Oncotarget, entitled, “Targeting lipid metabolism in the treatment of ovarian cancer.” DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28241 Correspondence to - Glenn E. Simmons Jr. - glenn.simmons@cornell.edu Video version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCvzLXZM1-A Abstract Cancer cells undergo alterations in lipid metabolism to support their high energy needs, tumorigenesis and evade an anti-tumor immune response. Alterations in fatty acid production are controlled by multiple enzymes, chiefly Acetyl CoA Carboxylase, ATP-Citrate Lyase, Fatty Acid Synthase, and Stearoyl CoA Desaturase 1. Ovarian cancer (OC) is a common gynecological malignancy with a high rate of aggressive carcinoma progression and drug resistance. The accumulation of unsaturated fatty acids in ovarian cancer supports cell growth, increased cancer cell migration, and worse patient outcomes. Ovarian cancer cells also expand their lipid stores via increased uptake of lipids using fatty acid translocases, fatty acid-binding proteins, and low-density lipoprotein receptors. Furthermore, increased lipogenesis and lipid uptake promote chemotherapy resistance and dampen the adaptive immune response needed to eliminate tumors. In this review, we discuss the role of lipid synthesis and metabolism in driving tumorigenesis and drug resistance in ovarian cancer conferring poor prognosis and outcomes in patients. We also cover some aspects of how lipids fuel ovarian cancer stem cells, and how these metabolic alterations in intracellular lipid content could potentially serve as biomarkers of ovarian cancer. Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28241 Keywords - ovarian cancer, lipid metabolism, biomarkers, microenvironment, fatty acid About Oncotarget Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form and then quickly released to Pubmed. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/OncotargetYouTube LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957