Figure 2.

Schematic representation depicting the proximal metabolic interactions between adipocytes and breast cancer cells. Fatty acids are the unit molecules of fat, present in excess in the blood plasma of obese individuals. As free FAs can be toxic at higher concentrations, they are stored in the cytosolic lipid droplets of white adipocytes in the form of triglycerides following the triglyceride synthesis pathway. Due to excess energy demands and metabolic requirements, breast cancer cells can mobilize these stored fats from surrounding adipocytes and use them to compensate for their energy needs. Breast cancer cells use the fat in the form of fatty acids that are derived from the triglycerides stored in white adipocytes. Free fatty acids released from white adipocytes are then taken up by breast cancer cells through the transmembrane channel protein CD36A present on its cell surface. Apart from that, breast cancer cells are also able to generate fatty acids from blood-derived glucose following de novo lipogenesis pathways. Breast cancer cells then use the unit molecule of fatty acids to fulfill their ever-expanding metabolic needs, to synthesize new macromolecules and membrane lipids.