However, previous work from the Matei laboratory established that cancer stem cells are enriched in unsaturated fatty acids and that targeting SCD eliminated cancer stem cells. While it is known that SCD is essential for maintaining lipid balance in cancer cells, how it influences cancer cell survival and tumor progression has remained poorly understood. This "desaturation" is the final step of lipogenesis, the process of converting metabolites into fatty acids and energy. To maintain proper intracellular functioning, including cellular signaling and lipid storage, saturated fatty acids are converted into unsaturated fatty acids by an enzyme called stearoyl Co-A desaturase (SCD). The study, led by Daniela Matei, MD, the Diana, Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research and chief of Reproductive Science in Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also suggests that targeting this enzyme in combination with dietary interventions may be a promising treatment strategy for cancer.įatty acids, or lipids, act as an alternative energy source for cancer cells when glucose and oxygen are limited in the tumor microenvironment.
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