Scientific Breakthrough Reveals Cancer Cells Reprogram Lung Lipids to Fuel Lethal Metastatic Growth

VIB-KU Leuven researchers find that blocking lung cell lipid production can stop cancer from spreading, offering a new path for targeted metastatic therapies.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 8:56 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie

Targeting Healthy Resident Cells to Disrupt the Metastatic Environment

New research published in Nature Cell Biology and Cancer Discovery has shifted the focus of oncology from the tumor itself to the surrounding healthy tissue. Scientists from the VIB–KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, working alongside the Francis Crick Institute, found that metastatic breast cancer cells survive in the lungs by hijacking resident alveolar type II cells. These resident cells, which normally maintain lung structure, are reprogrammed by the cancer to produce high volumes of lipids. Instead of merely consuming these fats for energy, the cancer cells use them as essential signals to thrive in a new environment. This discovery suggests that the next generation of cancer therapies may involve treating the healthy cells that support a tumor rather than solely attacking the malignancy.

Deciphering the Role of Alveolar Type II Cells in Tumor Survival

The study highlights a specific type of lung resident cell known as alveolar type II (AT2) cells as the primary facilitator of metastatic growth. While previous work by Professor Sarah-Maria Fendt established that these cells prepare the lungs for the arrival of cancer, this latest investigation clarifies their role after the metastasis has already been established. According to Dr. Xiao-Zheng Liu, a postdoctoral researcher at VIB-KU Leuven, cancer cells actively recruit and manipulate AT2 cells to serve as a biological supply chain. By reducing the quantity of lipids produced by these reprogrammed lung cells, the research team was able to significantly hinder further tumor expansion, proving that the local environment is just as vital as the cancer’s genetic makeup.

Beyond Energy Production Using Lipids as Molecular Signal Transmitters

A major finding of this collaborative effort is that lipids are not just high energy fuel sources for aggressive cells. The research conducted in the laboratory of Professor Fendt revealed that cancer cells utilize lipids to modify their own internal proteins, effectively changing their molecular profile to better suit the lung environment. Specifically, the study identified a lipid component called palmitate as the trigger for these molecular adaptations. Dr. Ming Liu explained that by studying this metabolic pathway, the team was able to identify how these lipids initiate the growth signals nec...