Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Generation of Prostate Cancer Cell Models of Resistance to the Anti-mitotic Agent Docetaxel
Published on: September 8, 2017
Cholesterol-rich lipid rafts mediate akt-regulated survival in prostate cancer cells
Liyan Zhuang1, Jianqing Lin, Michael L Lu
1The Urologic Laboratory, Department of Urology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Although cholesterol accumulation in tumors was first reported in the early20th century, the mechanistic implications of this observation are still obscure. Here we report that caveolin-negative human prostate cancer (LNCaP) cells contain cholesterol-rich lipid rafts that mediate epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced and constitutive signaling through the Akt1 serine-threonine kinase. EGF receptor and Akt1 phosphorylation were inhibited and autonomous cell survival was reduced when the rafts were disrupted. Reconstitution of the rafts with cholesterol restored EGF receptor-->Akt1 axis signaling and cytoprotection from a phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent apoptotic signal. These results suggest that cholesterol present in membrane microdomains is a prominent mediator of survival in prostate cancer cells.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Membrane Fluidity
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
The Ras Gene
Ras is a superfamily...
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...
Abnormal Proliferation