Fig. 3. FASN promotes cell proliferation.

FASN participates in the elaboration of lipid rafts required for signaling-associated receptors including the oncogenic receptors HER2 and EGFR. Thus, a positive feedback is ON as these receptors drive FASN expression via the activation of the MAPK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways. PI3K and mTOR govern the expression of the transcription factor SREBP-1 which in turn induces FASN expression. mTOR also regulates FASN mRNA translation. In addition, FASN favors indirectly EGFR palmitoylation which prevents its inhibition by TKI. Finally, FASN promotes stemness and therefore cell proliferation.