The Effect of Silencing Fatty Acid Elongase 4 and 6 Genes on the Proliferation and Migration of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cells show some alterations in lipid metabolism, including an increased fatty acid elongation. This study was focused on investigating the effect of a small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated decrease in fatty acid elongation on CRC cells’ survival and migration. In our study, the elongase 4 (ELOVL4) and elongase 6 (ELOVL6) genes were observed to be highly overexpressed in both the CRC tissue obtained from patients and the CRC cells cultured in vitro (HT-29 and WiDr cell lines). The use of the siRNAs for ELOVL4 and ELOVL6 reduced cancer cell proliferation and migration rates. These findings indicate that the altered elongation process decreased the survival of CRC cells, and in the future, fatty acid elongases can be potentially good targets in novel CRC therapy.

Editorial for the Special Issue “Current Research on Cancer Biology and Therapeutics”

“…These previous studies have opened new lines of research on targetable molecules to explore promising antitumor therapeutic strategies. The researchers participating in this Special Issue have also focused their studies on the non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms involved in the treatment of drug-resistant melanoma [ 8 ]; on the silencing of fatty acid elongase 4 and 6 genes, using small interfering RNAs, against colorectal tumor cells [ 9 ]; on the clinical importance of circulating microRNAs in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [ 10 ]; and on the antitumor efficacy of oncolytic vaccinia viruses harboring lectins against hepatocellular carcinoma [ 11 ].…”

“…This Special Issue presents three antitumor strategies against colorectal cancer [ 2 , 3 , 9 ]. The group of Jang from the College of Korean Medicine (Seoul, Republic of Korea) has shown that acetylcorynoline, in a dose-dependent manner, blocked tumor cell growth by promoting apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human colon cancer cells; decreased the protein expression of oncogenic genes; inhibited the expression of c-myc via MID1-interacting protein 1/CCR4-NOT transcription complex subunit 2; and, in combination therapy with low doses of 5-fluorouracil and doxorubicin (currently administered in clinical practice), acetylcorynoline exerted a synergic antitumor action [ 2 ].…”

“…BaP1 is a promising antitumor lysosomal-targeting candidate, and the lysosome membrane permeabilization strategy is a promising therapeutic tool against one of the most mortal cancers, colorectal cancer, which additionally shows a high incidence. The third therapeutic strategy reported in this Special Issue against colorectal cancer, which showed increased fatty acid elongation, was the silencing of the fatty acid elongase 4 and 6 genes after using small interfering RNAs [ 9 ]. An increase in very-long chain fatty acids has been previously reported in the sera and tissues of patients suffering from colorectal cancer [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”