Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most malignant gynecological tumor. Previous studies have reported that metabolic alterations resulting from deregulated lipid metabolism promote ovarian cancer aggressiveness. Lipid metabolism involves the oxidation of fatty acids, which leads to energy generation or new lipid metabolite synthesis. The upregulation of fatty acid synthesis and related signaling promote tumor cell proliferation and migration, and, consequently, lead to poor prognosis. Fatty acid-mediated lipid metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (TME) modulates tumor cell immunity by regulating immune cells, including T cells, B cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells, which play essential roles in ovarian cancer cell survival. Here, the types and sources of fatty acids and their interactions with the TME of ovarian cancer have been reviewed. Additionally, this review focuses on the role of fatty acid metabolism in tumor immunity and suggests that fatty acid and related lipid metabolic pathways are potential therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
Highlights
Fatty acids are important energy sources and structural components of cells in most species, including humans
This review focuses on the role of fatty acid metabolism and its interaction with the tumor microenvironment (TME) of ovarian cancer
Fatty acid metabolism is markedly altered in rapidly proliferating tumor cells, which results in increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production [23,24]
Summary
Fatty acids are important energy sources and structural components of cells in most species, including humans. The inhibition of fatty acid oxidation increases the sensitivity of chemo-resistant cancer cells to mTORC1 inhibitors and paclitaxel in lung adenocarcinoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia [18,19,20]. Recent studies have demonstrated that regulatory T cells within tumors exhibit upregulated lipid contents, which resulted from the upregulation of glycolysis to support fatty acid synthesis and cell expansion [22]. These findings suggest that fatty acids alter tumor immunity by modulating the TME, which may be a promising therapeutic target in cancer immunotherapy. The therapeutic potential of fatty acid-associated lipid metabolism for ovarian cancer has been discussed
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
