Supply of Lipid Precursors Modulates Growth of Breast Cancer Cells

Analyses of more than 500 clinical samples from patients with various kinds of breast tumors revealed that 85% had high levels of LIPG expression. Thus, LIPG was identified as an essential component of the lipid metabolic adaptations that breast cancer cells, and not normal tissue, must undergo to support high proliferation rates.

The investigators found that LIPG expression was controlled by the signaling molecules FoxA1 (forkhead box protein A1) or FoxA2 (forkhead box protein A2) in all breast cancer subtypes. Experiments with breast cancer cell cultures and in animal models showed that downregulation of either LIPG or FoxA signaling resulted in decreased proliferation and impaired synthesis of intracellular lipids.

"This new knowledge related to metabolism could be the Achilles heel of breast cancer," said senior author Dr. Roger Gomis, oncology group leader at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine. "LIPG has many virtues as a target. If a drug were found to block its activity, it could be used to develop more efficient chemotherapy treatments that are less toxic than those currently available."

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Institute for Research in Biomedicine