Browsing by Author "Mackay, Emily"

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    Fatty acid synthesis in colorectal cancer: characterization of lipid metabolism in serum, tumour, and normal host tissues
    (2015-05-01) Mackay, Emily; Bathe, Oliver; Weljie, Aalim
    Reprogrammed energy metabolism is now listed as one of the central hallmarks of cancer cells. Aberrant fatty acid metabolism contributes to tumourigenesis through provision of substrates for membrane synthesis, signalling molecules, and synthesis of complex lipids. In this thesis, the role of fatty acid metabolism is explored in the context of colorectal cancer. Metabolomics techniques were employed to characterize fatty acid metabolites in serum, and lipogenic gene expression was quantified in tumour and normal tissues to investigate host response to cancer. Fatty acid metabolite abundance was increased in the serum of individuals with colorectal cancer, and a growth factor signalling axis and lipogenic transcription factor upstream of the endogenous fatty acid synthesis pathway were increased in colorectal liver metastases. It was concluded that liver metastases have an effect on growth factor production in the hepatic microenvironment, leading to increased signalling through a pathway that activates the lipogenic transcription factor that regulates fatty acid synthesis.