Abstract SY41-02: Epigenetic influence of our (fatty) diet on metastatic-initiating cells: Role of intra-tumor Schwann cells

Abstract

Abstract We have recently identified the cells uniquely responsible for the formation of metastasis in different types of human tumors. These cells have intriguing characteristics: i) they form primary lesions as efficiently as their tumor-initiating counterparts, but are exclusive in their ability to generate metastases; ii) they express the fatty acid translocase CD36, and are characterized by a unique lipid metabolic signature; iii) they are exquisitely sensitive to the levels of fat in circulation, and consequently, they relate the predisposition of metastasis directly to the content of dietary fat; iv) they are highly sensitive to CD36 inhibition, which almost completely abolishes their metastatic potential in preclinical models. In my talk, I will present our latest data on the molecular characterization of metastatic-initiating cells. I will place special emphasis showing how specific dietary lipids exert a striking long-term epigenetic effect over metastatic-initiating cells related to activation of intra-tumor Schwann cells, putting forward a novel concept of ¨metastatic epigenetic memory¨ elicited by our diet. Citation Format: Salvador Aznar-Benitah. Epigenetic influence of our (fatty) diet on metastatic-initiating cells: Role of intra-tumor Schwann cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr SY41-02.