Comparative membrane lipidomics of hepatocellular carcinoma cells reveals diacylglycerol and ceramide as key regulators of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and tumor growth


Azbazdar Y., Demirci Y., Heger G., Ipekgil D., Karabicici M., Ozhan G.

Molecular Oncology, cilt.17, sa.11, ss.2314-2336, 2023 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 17 Sayı: 11
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/1878-0261.13520
  • Dergi Adı: Molecular Oncology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.2314-2336
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: ceramide, comparative lipidome profiling, diacylglycerol, hepatocellular carcinoma, plasma membrane, Wnt/β-catenin pathway
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is largely associated with aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Nevertheless, how membrane lipid composition is altered in HCC cells with abnormal Wnt signaling remains elusive. Here, by exploiting comprehensive lipidome profiling, we unravel the membrane lipid composition of six different HCC cell lines with mutations in components of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, leading to differences in their endogenous signaling activity. Among the differentially regulated lipids are diacylglycerol (DAG) and ceramide, which were downregulated at the membrane of HCC cells after Wnt3a treatment. DAG and ceramide enhanced Wnt/β-catenin signaling by inducing caveolin-mediated endocytosis of the canonical Wnt-receptor complex, while their depletion suppressed the signaling activity along with a reduction of caveolin-mediated endocytosis in SNU475 and HepG2 cells. Moreover, depletion of DAG and ceramide significantly impeded the proliferation, tumor growth, and in vivo migration capacity of SNU475 and HepG2 cells. This study, by pioneering plasma membrane lipidome profiling in HCC cells, exhibits the remarkable potential of lipids to correct dysregulated signaling pathways in cancer and stop abnormal tumor growth.