Abstract 2581: Fatty acid synthase regulates expression of Notum in colorectal cancer
Authors: Kelson Courtney Olivia , Drury James , He Daheng , Wang Chi , Zaytseva Yekaterina 
Published: April 2023

Background: Upregulation of lipid synthesis has been associated with poor clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC). Fatty acid synthase (FASN) synthesizes 16-carbon fatty acid palmitate which can be utilized for post-translational modifications of various proteins. Notum, a palmitoleoyl-protein carboxylesterase, is involved in the negative regulation of the Wnt signaling via its role in de-palmitoylation of Wnt ligands and has been identified as a marker for poor prognosis in CRC. However, the crosstalk between FASN and Notum has not been reported. Our preliminary data suggest that FASN regulates β-catenin signaling and Notum expression. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to elucidate (I) the mechanisms of how FASN regulates expression of Notum and (II) the contribution of the FASN/Notum axis to CRC.

Methods: Tumor and normal intestinal organoids were established from transgenic mice models, ApcMin and Apc/VillinCre-ERT2, with inducible hetero- and homozygous deletion of FASN. The effect of genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of FASN on organoid growth and viability was assessed by 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) and TVB-3664 (a FASN inhibitor) treatments, respectively. LIVE/DEAD™ Viability/Cytotoxicity Cell Viability Kit and Cell Titer-Glo® 3D Cell Viability Assays were used for quantitative analysis of growth and viability. HCT116, NTC and FASN shRNA, and SW480, control and FASN overexpression, cells were used for analysis.

Results: ERT2-mediated deletion of Apc leads to upregulation of FASN and Notum expression in mouse intestinal tissues and organoids. RNA-seq analysis of adenomas from Apc/VillinCre mice showed that hetero- and homozygous germline deletion of FASN is associated with a significant decrease in the number of adenomas, expression of Notum and CRC stem cell markers. Using qRT-PCR and Western blot, we confirmed that FASN downregulation is associated with a decrease in active β-catenin, Notum, and stem cell markers. Consistently with Apc/VillinCre model, downregulation of FASN results in a decrease in bud formation in Apc/VillinCre-ERT2 organoids, and viability and size in ApcMin organoids. Furthermore, overexpression of FASN increases the levels of active and total β-catenin, Notum, and stem cell markers expression in SW480 cells. In contrast, shRNA-mediated deletion of FASN decreases expression of Notum in HCT116 cells.

Conclusion: Downregulation of FASN leads to a decrease in expression of Notum and is associated with morphological changes and a significant decrease in viability in organoid models. Conversely, FASN overexpression upregulates Notum expression suggesting a potential cross-talk between de novo lipid synthesis and Notum. Delineating the role of FASN regulation of stemness via altered β-catenin signaling and expression of Notum and other stem cell markers will provide the rationale for targeting the FASN/Notum axis as a preventative or early-stage therapeutic approach in CRC.

Citation Format: Courtney Olivia Kelson, James Drury, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Yekaterina Zaytseva. Fatty acid synthase regulates expression of Notum in colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2581.