Cells create their own fat molecules to build their plasma membranes and other structures. Researchers at the Salk Institute recently discovered a way to obstruct the process to suppress cancer cell growth.
Fatty acid synthesis involves a rate-limiting enzyme called acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Recently, researches use ACC as a drug target to impair fatty acid synthesis needed for growth and viability of cancer cells. They developed a compound called ND-646 which allosterically inhibit ACC enzymes, consequently fatty acid synthesis is halted.
The treatment of ND-646, shrank the tumor significantly in both animal models of cancer and in transplanted human lung cancer cells. Furthermore, when ND-646 is used in combination with carboplatin (an anti-cancer drug), more of the cells were affected and suppressed. The combination treatment selectively suppressed the cancer cells leaving the normal cells.