Lipids, similarly to proteins and nucleic acids, are pivotal players for mammalian cells. They are used as building blocks for all living cells, as intra/inter-cellular signaling molecules and as energy sources. This is even more true in the tumor context where cancer cells must adapt to the microenvironment changes (poor vascularization, low amount of nutrients, increased extracellular matrix production, immune infiltrate, and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) expansion) in order to proliferate and migrate initiating metastatic processes. In fact, transformed cells rely on lipid uptake and on intracellular lipid pools through de novo lipid synthesis, lipid droplet (LD) mobilization, or membrane remodeling. Furthermore, stromal- or tumor-derived lipid mediators (prostaglandins E2, cholesterol, and fatty acids) can be responsible for non-malignant host cells recruitment like immune cells or CAFs.
Hence, highlighting the lipid functions and alterations both in the tumor and non tumor compartments, and their interconnections assume a fundamental role to set up proper systemic treatments aiming to target cancer lipid metabolism. To note, thanks to recent evidence, increased cancer resistance to chemo- and radio treatments seems to be correlated to the dysregulated lipid metabolic pathways.
Therefore, the main goal of this Research Topic is to provide a potentially exhaustive collection of original full papers and updated reviews about new advances in the molecular and cellular lipid alterations in the context of tumor formation, resistance, and recurrence. The overall purpose is to gain knowledge and to stimulate new ideas which can be experimentally proved on the bench to overcome tumor resistance by
interfering with cancer lipid metabolism. This could help researchers and clinicians to establish future and promising novel cancer therapeutic approaches.
Submissions including, but not limited to, the following themes are welcome:
• Identification of new molecular lipid-related mechanisms behind cancer initiations, resistance and recurrence
• Role of lipid mediators in the TME modulations
• Pathological implications of cytoplasmic/nuclear Lipid Droplets and their biochemical modification during cancer development and resistance
• Membrane/lipid trafficking in cancer resistance and recurrence
• Interplay between oxidative and lipid metabolism
• Identification of novel lipid-targeting compounds and potential adjuvant therapies to ameliorate cancer therapies
• Novel technologies (e.g. vibrational spectroscopies, nanotechnologies, OMICS) to unveil specific lipid composition/lipid mediators characteristic of different cancer stages and potential future targets
Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews and Perspective articles on the above-mentioned themes are welcome. Research Articles reporting the use of novel technologies like, but not limited to, vibrational spectroscopies (e.g., micro-Raman and Stimulated Raman spectroscopies) or “omics” techniques to investigate lipids in cancer will be particularly appreciated.
Please note: studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic data do not fall within the scope of the section unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied.
Lipids, similarly to proteins and nucleic acids, are pivotal players for mammalian cells. They are used as building blocks for all living cells, as intra/inter-cellular signaling molecules and as energy sources. This is even more true in the tumor context where cancer cells must adapt to the microenvironment changes (poor vascularization, low amount of nutrients, increased extracellular matrix production, immune infiltrate, and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) expansion) in order to proliferate and migrate initiating metastatic processes. In fact, transformed cells rely on lipid uptake and on intracellular lipid pools through de novo lipid synthesis, lipid droplet (LD) mobilization, or membrane remodeling. Furthermore, stromal- or tumor-derived lipid mediators (prostaglandins E2, cholesterol, and fatty acids) can be responsible for non-malignant host cells recruitment like immune cells or CAFs.
Hence, highlighting the lipid functions and alterations both in the tumor and non tumor compartments, and their interconnections assume a fundamental role to set up proper systemic treatments aiming to target cancer lipid metabolism. To note, thanks to recent evidence, increased cancer resistance to chemo- and radio treatments seems to be correlated to the dysregulated lipid metabolic pathways.
Therefore, the main goal of this Research Topic is to provide a potentially exhaustive collection of original full papers and updated reviews about new advances in the molecular and cellular lipid alterations in the context of tumor formation, resistance, and recurrence. The overall purpose is to gain knowledge and to stimulate new ideas which can be experimentally proved on the bench to overcome tumor resistance by
interfering with cancer lipid metabolism. This could help researchers and clinicians to establish future and promising novel cancer therapeutic approaches.
Submissions including, but not limited to, the following themes are welcome:
• Identification of new molecular lipid-related mechanisms behind cancer initiations, resistance and recurrence
• Role of lipid mediators in the TME modulations
• Pathological implications of cytoplasmic/nuclear Lipid Droplets and their biochemical modification during cancer development and resistance
• Membrane/lipid trafficking in cancer resistance and recurrence
• Interplay between oxidative and lipid metabolism
• Identification of novel lipid-targeting compounds and potential adjuvant therapies to ameliorate cancer therapies
• Novel technologies (e.g. vibrational spectroscopies, nanotechnologies, OMICS) to unveil specific lipid composition/lipid mediators characteristic of different cancer stages and potential future targets
Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews and Perspective articles on the above-mentioned themes are welcome. Research Articles reporting the use of novel technologies like, but not limited to, vibrational spectroscopies (e.g., micro-Raman and Stimulated Raman spectroscopies) or “omics” techniques to investigate lipids in cancer will be particularly appreciated.
Please note: studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic data do not fall within the scope of the section unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied.
