Plasma membrane lipid bilayer (PM) (PM)

The plasma membrane lipid bilayer is a fundamental biological structure composed of a double layer of phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins that defines the boundary of the cell and regulates the passage of molecules (Alberts B, et al., 2002, Molecular Biology of the Cell). In the context of oncology, the lipid bilayer of tumor cells often exhibits distinct characteristics compared to normal tissue, such as altered fluidity, changes in lipid composition, and the abnormal exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outer leaflet (Birge RB, et al., 2016, Cell Death & Differentiation). These differences allow for therapeutic strategies known as "membrane lipid therapy" (MLT), which aim to disrupt membrane integrity or modulate membrane-associated signaling pathways (Escribá PV, et al., 2015, Progress in Lipid Research). Drugs targeting the bilayer may act through physical disruption, pore formation, or by altering the recruitment of signaling proteins like Akt and Ras to the membrane surface (van Blitterswijk WJ & Verheij M, 2013, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta). This target is significant because it offers a way to bypass traditional protein-based drug resistance by focusing on the essential structural components of the cancer cell (Terés S, et al., 2012, Clinical Cancer Research).

Other names

Cell membraneCytoplasmic membranePhospholipid bilayerBiological membrane

Membrane lipid therapy (MLT) involves the regulation of membrane structure to modulate the activity of membrane-bound proteins and signaling pathways, or direct physical disruption leading to lysis (Escribá PV, et al., 2015, Progress in Lipid Research).