Targeting cholesterol metabolism in Cancer: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic implications.

Biochem Pharmacol

State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China. Electronic address:

Published: December 2023

Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membranes and helps to maintain their structure and function. Abnormal cholesterol metabolism has been linked to the development and progression of tumors. Changes in cholesterol metabolism triggered by internal or external stimuli can promote tumor growth. During metastasis, tumor cells require large amounts of cholesterol to support their growth and colonization of new organs. Recent research has shown that cholesterol metabolism is reprogrammed during tumor development, and this can also affect the anti-tumor activity of immune cells in the surrounding environment. However, identifying the specific targets in cholesterol metabolism that regulate cancer progression and the tumor microenvironment is still a challenge. Additionally, exploring the potential of combining statin drugs with other therapies for different types of cancer could be a worthwhile avenue for future drug development. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms of cholesterol and its derivatives in cell metabolism and the tumor microenvironment, and discuss specific targets and relevant therapeutic agents that inhibit aspects of cholesterol homeostasis.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115907DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cholesterol metabolism
20
molecular mechanisms
8
cholesterol
8
specific targets
8
tumor microenvironment
8
metabolism
6
tumor
5
targeting cholesterol
4
metabolism cancer
4
cancer molecular
4

Similar Publications

Targeting lipid metabolism: novel insights and therapeutic advances in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Lipids Health Dis

January 2025

Emergency surgery Dapartment (Trauma center), The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, Henan, China.

Lipid metabolism in cancer is characterized by dysregulated lipid regulation and utilization, critical for promoting tumor growth, survival, and resistance to therapy. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly aggressive malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract that has a dismal 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Given the essential function of the pancreas in digestion, cancer progression severely disrupts its function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Probiotics Supplementation for Improving Glucolipid Parameters in Individuals with Prediabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins

January 2025

Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali, 80232, Indonesia.

The absence of suitable intervention significantly increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development in people with prediabetes. Recent statistical findings indicate that the gut microbiome might influences the development of insulin resistance. The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of probiotic supplementation in individuals diagnosed with prediabetes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Immune functions decline with aging, leading to increased susceptibility to various diseases including tumors. Exploring aging-related molecular targets in elderly patients with cancer is thus highly sought after. Here we find that an ER transmembrane enzyme, sterol O-acyltransferase 2 (SOAT2), is overexpressed in regulatory T (Treg) cells from elderly patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), while radiomics analysis of LSCC patients associates increased SOAT2 expression with reduced immune infiltration and poor prognosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism and the compatibility significance of Tanyu Tongzhi Formula in treating atherosclerosis(AS) in mice based on the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Eight C57BL/6J mice were as assigned to a normal control group and fed a regular diet, while 35 ApoE~(-/-) mice of the same strain were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to establish an AS model. The model mice were randomly divided into a model group, a Tanyu Tongzhi group(18.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are integral regulators of protein stability. Among these, Ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18) has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for heart failure. However, its precise role in atherosclerosis remains to be comprehensively understood.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!