Silvério R, et al. – The main aim of this study was to define the expression of the lipolysis–related proteins in the white adipose tissue of cachectic cancer patients. The outcomes highlighted that cachexia induces important morphological, molecular, and humoral alterations in the white adipose tissue, which are specific to the stage of the syndrome.

Methods

• They divided patients from the University Hospital into three groups: control, cancer cachexia (CC), and weight-stable cancer patients (WSC).
• They have also examined an experimental model of cachexia (Walker 256 carcinosarcoma) to gain greater insight into adipose tissue wasting during cancer cachexia progression
• They categorized animals into: control, intermediate cachexia (IC) and terminal cachexia (TC).
• Researchers evaluated subcutaneous white adipose tissue of patients and epidydimal white adipose tissue of animals regarding molecular aspects by determining the protein content and gene expression of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58), perilipin 1, leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).

Results

• They observed augmented lipolysis in CC associated with increased HSL expression, as well as upregulation of ATGL expression and reduction in perilipin 1 content. In IC, there was an imbalance in the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory factors.
• The results showed that changes at the end-stage of cachexia were even more profound, and there was a reduction in the expression of almost all proteins analyzed in the animals.