Bilayer Forming Phospholipids as Targets for Cancer Therapy

Phospholipids represent a crucial component for the structure of cell membranes. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are two phospholipids that comprise the majority of cell membranes. De novo biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine occurs via the Kennedy pathway, and perturbations in the regulation of this pathway are linked to a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Altered phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine membrane content, phospholipid metabolite levels, and fatty acid profiles are frequently identified as hallmarks of cancer development and progression. This review summarizes the research on how phospholipid metabolism changes over oncogenic transformation, and how phospholipid profiling can differentiate between human cancer and healthy tissues, with a focus on colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. The potential for phospholipids to serve as biomarkers for diagnostics, or as anticancer therapy targets, is also discussed.

Automated summary

This review summarizes the changes in phospholipid metabolism during oncogenic transformation and discusses the potential of phospholipid profiling as a diagnostic tool for differentiating between cancer and healthy tissues. The alterations in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine membrane content, phospholipid metabolite levels, and fatty acid profiles are identified as hallmarks of cancer development. Phospholipids have the potential to serve as biomarkers for cancer diagnostics or as targets for anticancer therapy.