Altered fatty acid metabolism rewires cholangiocarcinoma stemness features.

Background & Aims

Among the reprogrammed metabolic pathways described in cancer stem cells, aberrant lipid metabolism has recently drawn increasing attention. Our study explored the contribution of fatty acids (FA) in the regulation of stem-like features in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA).

Methods

We previously identified a functional stem-like subset in human iCCA by using a three-dimensional sphere (SPH) model in comparison to parental cells grown as monolayers (MON). In this study, quantification of intracellular free FA and lipidomic analysis (triacylglycerol [TAG] composition,

Results

Stem-like SPH showed a superior content of free FA (citric, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids) and unsaturated TAG. Molecularly, SPH showed upregulation of key metabolic enzymes involved in

Conclusion

Altered FA metabolism contributes to the maintenance of a stem-like phenotype in iCCA. FASN inhibition may represent a new approach to interfere with the progression of this deadly disease.

Impact and implications

Recent evidence indicates that metabolic disorders correlate with an increased susceptibility to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Our investigation emphasises the pivotal involvement of lipid metabolism in the tumour stem cell biology of iCCA, facilitated by the upregulation of crucial enzymes and the mTOR signalling pathway. From a clinical perspective, this underscores the dual role of FASN as both a prognostic indicator and a therapeutic target, suggesting that FASN inhibitors could enhance patient outcomes by diminishing stemness and tumour aggressiveness. These findings pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies for iCCA and shed light on its relationship with metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Informations de copyright

© 2024 The Author(s).