Lipid Metabolic Reprogramming in Breast Cancer: Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Metabolic Research

Background:

• Breast cancer is a leading global malignancy in women with increasing incidence.
• Lipid metabolism reprogramming is a key driver of breast cancer progression.
• Altered lipid metabolism supports tumor growth, signaling, and the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of lipid metabolism in breast cancer.
• To identify key enzymes and pathways involved in breast cancer lipid metabolism.
• To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting lipid metabolism in breast cancer.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies.
• Analysis of key enzymes (FASN, ACC, ACLY, SCD, FABP4) in lipid metabolism.
• Examination of lipid metabolic alterations in breast cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.

Main Results:

• Breast cancer cells exhibit enhanced lipid uptake, synthesis, oxidation, and storage.
• Lipid metabolism reprogramming influences immune responses, stromal activation, and angiogenesis.
• Key metabolic enzymes are crucial for cancer cell proliferation and survival.

Conclusions:

• Targeting lipid metabolism is a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
• Therapeutic resistance and metabolic compensation are challenges for clinical translation.
• Precision therapy approaches targeting lipid vulnerabilities show potential, particularly for triple-negative breast cancer.