Lipid droplets: platforms with multiple functions in cancer hallmarks

• Published in: Cell death & disease Vol. 11; no. 2; p. 105
• Main Authors: Cruz, André L. S., Barreto, Ester de A., Fazolini, Narayana P. B., Viola, João P. B., Bozza, Patricia T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 06.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 631/45/287; 631/67/2327; 692/420/256; Animals; Antibodies; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Cell Biology; Cell Culture; Cell Death; Cell Proliferation; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - metabolism; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - pathology; Energy Metabolism; Epithelial cells; Hepatocytes; Humans; Hypoxia; Immunology; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Leukocytes; Life Sciences; Lipid bodies; Lipid Droplets - metabolism; Lipid Droplets - pathology; Lipid metabolism; Lipids; Membrane trafficking; Metabolism; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; Neoplastic Stem Cells - pathology; Organelles; Phenotypes; Review; Review Article; Signal Transduction; Tumor Hypoxia; Tumor Microenvironment
• ISSN: 2041-4889; 2041-4889
• DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2297-3

Lipid droplets (also known as lipid bodies) are lipid-rich, cytoplasmic organelles that play important roles in cell signaling, lipid metabolism, membrane trafficking, and the production of inflammatory mediators. Lipid droplet biogenesis is a regulated process, and accumulation of these organelles within leukocytes, epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and other nonadipocyte cells is a frequently observed phenotype in several physiologic or pathogenic situations and is thoroughly described during inflammatory conditions. Moreover, in recent years, several studies have described an increase in intracellular lipid accumulation in different neoplastic processes, although it is not clear whether lipid droplet accumulation is directly involved in the establishment of these different types of malignancies. This review discusses current evidence related to the biogenesis, composition and functions of lipid droplets related to the hallmarks of cancer: inflammation, cell metabolism, increased proliferation, escape from cell death, and hypoxia. Moreover, the potential of lipid droplets as markers of disease and targets for novel anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic therapies will be discussed.