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2000
Volume 20, Issue 3
  • ISSN: 1574-8928
  • E-ISSN: 2212-3970

Abstract

Background

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a sub-population of cancer cells present in many kinds of malignant tumors that have the potential for self-proliferation and differentiation. These cells have been demonstrated as the main cause of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Strong evidence indicates that CSCs prefer reprogrammed fatty acid β-oxidation over oxidative phosphorylation for sustaining energy supply. Although mitochondrial dynamics participate in the regulation of cancer stemness, the correlation between the inhibition of mitochondrial fission and the regulation of lipid metabolism in CSCs remains poorly understood.

Methods

The human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) cell lines CAL27 and SAS were used to obtain the CSCs by 3D Spheroid Culture. Then, western blot methods, RT-PCR and flow cytometry analysis were used to identify the TSCC CSCs. Next, Immunofluorescence method, transmission electron microscopy detection and western blot methods were used to evaluate the mitochondrial morphology and the quantity of lipid droplets (LDs). Lastly, lipidomic analysis was applied to explored the lipidomic alterations of TSCC CSCs with different mitochondrial morphology.

Results

Here, we show that the quantity of lipid droplets containing intracellular triglyceride (TG) can be decreased by regulating mitochondrial morphology. Lipidomic analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) also compared alterations in lipid metabolites in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) CSCs, TSCC cells (non-CSCs), and CSCs with different mitochondrial morphology. Discriminant lipids of statistical significance were successfully annotated, including phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), sphingomyelins (SMs), triacylglycerols (TGs), phosphatidylglycerols (PGs), phosphatidylserines (PSs), lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), and lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LPEs).

Conclusion

This study provides a deeper insight into the alterations of lipid metabolism associated with TSCC CSCs, non-CSCs and CSCs regulated by mitochondrial dynamics and thus serves as a guide toward novel targeted therapies.

© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers
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2025-09-21

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Regulating Lipid Metabolism via Mitochondrial Dynamics in Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cancer Stem Cells
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery 20, 445 (2025); https://doi.org/10.2174/0115748928275772231226063458
/content/journals/pra/10.2174/0115748928275772231226063458
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  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keyword(s): cancer stem cells; lipid droplets; lipid metabolism; lipid metabolite; mitochondrial dynamics; Tongue squamous cell carcinoma

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