New research has identified a novel mode of communication between adipocytes and cancer cells that regulates tumour aggressiveness. Adipocyte exosomes (ad-exos) purified from conditioned medium of 3T3-F442A mature adipocytes increased melanoma cell migration and invasion in vitro. Analysis of the protein cargo of these ad-exos by mass spectrometry revealed the majority of proteins to be involved in lipid metabolism, specifically fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Crucially, inhibition of this pathway blocked the pro-migratory effect of ad-exos on melanoma cells, highlighting the importance of FAO in tumour progression. Shedding of ad-exos and their effect on FAO-dependent melanoma cell migration were also greater in obese mice and humans than in lean controls. The findings could explain why patients with obesity and melanoma have a poor prognosis and lead to new cancer treatments involving FAO inhibitors.
References
Lazar, I. et al. Adipocyte exosomes promote melanoma aggressiveness through fatty acid oxidation: a novel mechanism linking obesity and cancer. Cancer Res. http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-0651 (2016)
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Holmes, D. Adipocyte exosomes drive melanoma progression. Nat Rev Endocrinol 12, 436 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2016.94
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2016.94