Lipid Droplets in Lung Cancers Are Crucial for the Cell Growth and Starvation Survival

Abstract

For rapid and unlimited cell growth and proliferation, cancer cells require large quantities of nutrients. Many metabolic pathways and nutrient uptake systems are frequently reprogrammed and upregulated to meet the demand from cancer cells, including the demand for lipids. The lipids for most adult normal cells are mainly acquired from the circulatory system. Whether different cancer cells adopt identical mechanisms to ensure sufficient lipid supply, and whether the lipid demand and supply meet each other, remains unclear, and was investigated in lung cancer cells. Results showed that, despite frequent upregulation in de novo lipogenesis and the lipid transporter system, different lung cancer cells adopt different proteins to acquire sufficient lipids, and the lipid supply frequently exceeds the demand, as significant amounts of lipids stored in the lipid droplets could be found within lung cancer cells. Lipid droplet surface protein, PLIN3, was found frequently overexpressed since the early stage in lung cancer tissues. Although the expression is not significantly associated with a specific gender, age, histology type, disease stage, and smoking habit, the frequently elevated expression of PLIN3 protein indicates the importance of lipid droplets for lung cancer. These lipid droplets are not only for nutrient storage, but are also crucial for tumor growth and proliferation, as well as survival in starvation. These results suggest that manipulation of lipid droplet formation or TG storage in lung cancer cells could potentially decrease the progression of lung cancer. Further exploration of lipid biology in lung cancer could help design novel treatment strategies.

LncRNA SOX9-AS1 triggers a transcriptional program involved in lipid metabolic reprogramming, cell migration and invasion in triple-negative breast cancer

“…8 ). However, we did not observe intracellular lipid droplets, presumably because of increased lipid utilization for cell growth, proliferation, migration, invasion and cell survival of cancer cells 44 , 45 . This could also explain the increased EMT of the TNBC cells.…”

Lipid droplets-related Perilipin-3: potential immune checkpoint and oncogene in oral squamous cell carcinoma

“…1 f) contrary to immunocytes (Fig. 1 G), and we speculate that PLIN3 was as important as LDs for the growth of tumor cells, but also indispensable for immune cells in the activation of CD8 + T lymphocytes [ 32 , 33 ]. There was no significant link between PLIN3 and Ki-67 in OSCC fibroblasts (Fig.…”

Challenges in Pharmacological Intervention in Perilipins (PLINs) to Modulate Lipid Droplet Dynamics in Obesity and Cancer

“…PLIN3 also appears to play a significant role in cancer pathogenesis. Studies have reported abnormal PLIN3 expression in several types of cancer, including cervical [128], clear cell renal cell [129], breast [93], lung [130], and prostate [131][132][133]. The prevalence of high PLIN3 levels in these cancer types could suggest an increased rate of LD biogenesis or potentially hindered conditions for PLIN3 s CMA.…”