In normal tissues, energy-providing
lipids come principally from circulating
lipids. However, in growing
tumors, energy supply is mainly provided by
lipids coming from de novo synthesis. It is not surprising to see elevated expression of several lipogenic genes in
tumors from different origins. The role of lipogenic genes in the establishment of the primary
tumor has been clearly established. A large number of studies demonstrate a role of
fatty acid synthase in the activation of cell cycle and inhibition of apoptosis in
tumor cells. Other lipogenic genes such as the
acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the
stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) are highly expressed in primary
tumors and also appear to play a role in their development. However, the role of lipogenesis in the metastatic process is less clear. In the present review, we aim to present the most recent evidences for the key role of lipogenic
enzymes in the metastatic process and in epithelial to mesenchymal transition.