Cancer Cell Plasma Membrane Phospholipids

Cancer cell plasma membrane phospholipids are a class of lipid molecules that form the structural bilayer of the plasma membrane in cancer cells. These phospholipids not only provide physical integrity to the cell but also play critical roles in signaling, metabolism, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment. The composition and distribution of these lipids are often altered in cancer cells compared to normal cells, contributing to oncogenic processes such as proliferation, survival, immune evasion, and metastasis. Key phospholipid types include Phosphatidylcholine (PC), Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), Phosphatidylserine (PS), and Phosphatidylinositol (PI) derivatives. Alterations in cancer cells include increased total phospholipid content, enhanced de novo synthesis, and shifts in fatty acid composition toward greater saturation. These alterations contribute to signaling platforms, immune evasion, and offer potential therapeutic targets through inhibition of biosynthetic enzymes/pathways, drugs that bind externalized PS, or modulation of lipid raft formation.

Other names

Tumor cell membrane lipidsCancer cell phospholipids

Inhibition of phospholipid biosynthesis, disruption of lipid rafts, targeting externalized phosphatidylserine