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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 28, 2025

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Dual Effects of Melanoma Cell-derived Factors on Bone Marrow Adipocytes Differentiation

Published on: August 23, 2018

Adipocytes in the Tumour Microenvironment.

Nikitha K Pallegar¹, Sherri L Christian²

¹Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology

|February 11, 2020

Summary

Obesity promotes cancer progression by altering the tumor microenvironment (TME). Adipocytes in obesity create an unstable, hypoxic TME, enhancing tumor invasion and metastasis, particularly in breast cancer.

Keywords:

Adipocytes Adipokines Breast cancer Chronic inflammation ECM remodeling Epithelial to mesenchymal transition Extracellular matrix (ECM)Hypoxia Lipid metabolites Mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition Metastasis Obesity Paracrine/autocrine signaling Tumour microenvironment

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Isolation and Culturing of Primary Murine Adipocytes from Lean and Obese Mice

Isolation and Culturing of Primary Murine Adipocytes from Lean and Obese Mice

Published on: January 24, 2025

Area of Science:

Oncology
Metabolic Diseases
Cell Biology

Background:

Adipose tissue significantly contributes to body mass, varying with sex and obesity status.
Close proximity interactions between adipocytes and cancer cells profoundly influence the tumor microenvironment (TME).
Obesity is a recognized risk factor for various cancers, including breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore how adipocytes and their secreted factors impact the TME.
To elucidate the role of adipocytes in tumor progression and metastasis.
To discuss the specific effects of obesity on the TME, with a focus on breast cancer.

Main Methods:

Literature review and synthesis of existing research on adipocyte-TME interactions.
Analysis of studies investigating the link between obesity, adipocytes, and cancer.
Focus on breast cancer, with inclusion of other cancer types where relevant.

Main Results:

Obesity leads to increased adipocyte size and number, causing TME instability.
Increased hypoxia in the TME due to obesity enhances tumor invasion and metastasis.
Adipocyte-derived factors play a crucial role in modulating cancer cell behavior and TME composition.

Conclusions:

Adipocyte-TME crosstalk is a critical factor in obesity-associated cancer.
Understanding these interactions is vital for developing targeted cancer therapies.
Further research is needed to fully unravel the complexities of adipocyte influence on cancer progression.