Regulation of nuclear membrane architecture and cell proliferation by CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT)

Cancer cells have unusual metabolism of sugars, fats and amino acids that allows then to survive and grow rapidly into tumours. This rapid metabolism of fat is proposed to allow cancer cells to make more membranes that are required for growth and cell division. One such fatty molecule that makes up the majority of membranes is phosphatidylcholine or 'PC'. We will examine how cancer cells make PC compared to normal cells, and whether the altered metabolism of PC in cancer cells is responsible for their unusually rapid growth and ability to grow under conditions that kill normal cells. These studies will provide fundamental insights into the relationship between fat metabolism and cell growth that could be used in the treatment or management of cancer.