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The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia
Published on: November 30, 2016
Fat Wasting Is Damaging: Role of Adipose Tissue in Cancer-Associated Cachexia
Xiaoting Sun1, Xiaogang Feng2, Xiaojing Wu3
1Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Loss of body weight, especially loss of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle weight, characterizes cancer-associated cachexia (CAC). Clinically, therapeutic options for CAC are limited due to the complicated signaling between cancer and other organs. Recent research advances show that adipose tissues play a critical role during thermogenesis, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism. Understanding the adipocyte lipolysis, the formation of beige adipocytes, and the activation of brown adipocytes is vital for novel therapies for metabolic syndromes like CAC. The system-level crosstalk between adipose tissue and other organs involves adipocyte lipolysis, white adipose tissue browning, and secreted factors and metabolites. Novel CAC animal models and accumulating molecular signaling knowledge have provided mechanisms that may ultimately be translated into future therapeutic possibilities that benefit CAC patients. This mini review discusses the role of adipose tissue in CAC development, mechanism, and therapy.
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