Cancer Cell-Associated Fatty Acid Synthase Activates Endothelial Cells and Promotes Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer

Authors

Yekaterina Y. Zaytseva, University of KentuckyFollow
Victoria Allison Elliott, University of KentuckyFollow
Piotr G. Rychahou, University of KentuckyFollow
William Conan Mustain, University of KentuckyFollow
Ji Tae Kim, University of KentuckyFollow
Joseph Valentino, University of KentuckyFollow
Tianyan Gao, University of KentuckyFollow
Kathleen L. O'Connor, University of KentuckyFollow
Janna H. Neltner, University of KentuckyFollow
Eun Y. Lee, University of KentuckyFollow
Heidi L. Weiss, University of KentuckyFollow
B. Mark Evers, University of KentuckyFollow

Abstract

Upregulation of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key enzyme of de novo lipogenesis, is associated with metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms of regulation are unknown. Since angiogenesis is crucial for metastasis, we investigated the role of FASN in the neovascularization of CRC. The effect of FASN on tumor vasculature was studied in orthotopic CRCs, the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and Matrigel plug models using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy. Cell secretion was evaluated by ELISA and antibody arrays. Proliferation, migration and tubulogenesis of endothelial cells (ECs) were assessed in CRC-EC coculture models. In this study, we found that stable knockdown of FASN decreased microvessel density in HT29 and HCT116 orthotopic CRCs and resulted in 'normalization' of tumor vasculature in both orthotopic and CAM models. Furthermore, FASN regulated secretion of pro- and antiangiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Mechanisms associated with the antiangiogenic activity noted with knockdown of FASN included: downregulation of VEGF(189), upregulation of antiangiogenic isoform VEGF(165b) and a decrease in expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9. Furthermore, conditioned medium from FASN knockdown CRC cells inhibited activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and its downstream signaling and decreased proliferation, migration and tubulogenesis of ECs as compared with control medium. Together, these results suggest that cancer cell-associated FASN regulates tumor vasculature through alteration of the profile of secreted angiogenic factors and regulation of their bioavailability. Inhibition of FASN upstream of VEGF-A and other angiogenic pathways can be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent or inhibit metastasis in CRC.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-7-2014

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Carcinogenesis, v. 35, issue 6, p. 1341-1351.

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgu042

Funding Information

National Cancer Institute (P20 CA150343 to B.M.E., T32 CA165990 to B.M.E. and K.L.O., RO1 CA133429 to T.G., RO1 CA109136 to K.L.O.); the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01 DK048498 to B.M.E.).

Related Content

Supplementary Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 1–7 can be found at http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/.

Repository Citation

Zaytseva, Yekaterina Y.; Elliott, Victoria Allison; Rychahou, Piotr G.; Mustain, William Conan; Kim, Ji Tae; Valentino, Joseph; Gao, Tianyan; O'Connor, Kathleen L.; Neltner, Janna H.; Lee, Eun Y.; Weiss, Heidi L.; and Evers, B. Mark, "Cancer Cell-Associated Fatty Acid Synthase Activates Endothelial Cells and Promotes Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer" (2014). Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications. 125.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/markey_facpub/125