The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction

Abstract Background In cervical cancer (CC), Double C2 Like Domain Beta (DOC2B) functions as a metastatic suppressor. The present study aims to determine whether ectopic expression of DOC2B causes global metabolomic changes in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and corresponds with its tumor suppressive p...

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Main Authors: Sangavi Eswaran, Roshan Mascarenhas, Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Cell Communication and Signaling
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02218-8
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author Sangavi Eswaran
Roshan Mascarenhas
Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
author_facet Sangavi Eswaran
Roshan Mascarenhas
Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
author_sort Sangavi Eswaran
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In cervical cancer (CC), Double C2 Like Domain Beta (DOC2B) functions as a metastatic suppressor. The present study aims to determine whether ectopic expression of DOC2B causes global metabolomic changes in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and corresponds with its tumor suppressive properties. Methods Using a retroviral method, we first ectopically expressed DOC2B in SiHa cells, which do not normally express DOC2B. Results We observed that ectopically expressed DOC2B significantly altered the global metabolite profile of EVs. Metabolomics identified significant enrichment of palmitoylcarnitine (PC) in EVs upon ectopic expression of DOC2B. We identified that SiHa and HeLa cells exhibited greater cytotoxicity to PC than gingival fibroblast, HaCaT, Cal27, and MCF7. PC treatment reduced the growth, proliferation, and migration of SiHa and HeLa cells, via increasing apoptosis and decreasing S-Phase cells. PC treatment resulted in morphological alterations, decreased length and number of filopodia, and expression of proteins related to cell cycle progression, proliferation, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Further, PC treatment caused mitochondrial morphological changes, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreased mtDNA content. The decreased GSH activity, glucose consumption rate, and lactate production upon PC treatment suggest that PC can induce metabolic reprogramming in CC cells. Increased oxidative stress, calcium overload, lipid droplet accumulation, mitochondrial lipotoxicity, and mitophagy suggest that PC can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) treatment reversed the cytotoxic effect of PC, via decreasing lipid peroxidation rate and increasing GSH activity. PC treatment enhanced the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in CC. Conclusion DOC2B restoration or the use of PC may be employed as a novel therapeutic approach for CC.
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spelling doaj-art-1300455ebaa442e6937da47bb582e3dc2025-08-20T03:52:24ZengBMCCell Communication and Signaling1478-811X2025-05-0123112410.1186/s12964-025-02218-8The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunctionSangavi Eswaran0Roshan Mascarenhas1Shama Prasada Kabekkodu2Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFaculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle UniversityDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationAbstract Background In cervical cancer (CC), Double C2 Like Domain Beta (DOC2B) functions as a metastatic suppressor. The present study aims to determine whether ectopic expression of DOC2B causes global metabolomic changes in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and corresponds with its tumor suppressive properties. Methods Using a retroviral method, we first ectopically expressed DOC2B in SiHa cells, which do not normally express DOC2B. Results We observed that ectopically expressed DOC2B significantly altered the global metabolite profile of EVs. Metabolomics identified significant enrichment of palmitoylcarnitine (PC) in EVs upon ectopic expression of DOC2B. We identified that SiHa and HeLa cells exhibited greater cytotoxicity to PC than gingival fibroblast, HaCaT, Cal27, and MCF7. PC treatment reduced the growth, proliferation, and migration of SiHa and HeLa cells, via increasing apoptosis and decreasing S-Phase cells. PC treatment resulted in morphological alterations, decreased length and number of filopodia, and expression of proteins related to cell cycle progression, proliferation, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Further, PC treatment caused mitochondrial morphological changes, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreased mtDNA content. The decreased GSH activity, glucose consumption rate, and lactate production upon PC treatment suggest that PC can induce metabolic reprogramming in CC cells. Increased oxidative stress, calcium overload, lipid droplet accumulation, mitochondrial lipotoxicity, and mitophagy suggest that PC can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) treatment reversed the cytotoxic effect of PC, via decreasing lipid peroxidation rate and increasing GSH activity. PC treatment enhanced the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in CC. Conclusion DOC2B restoration or the use of PC may be employed as a novel therapeutic approach for CC.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02218-8Cervical cancerDOC2BPalmitoyl carnitineLipotoxicityReactive oxygen speciesMitochondria
spellingShingle Sangavi Eswaran
Roshan Mascarenhas
Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
Cell Communication and Signaling
Cervical cancer
DOC2B
Palmitoyl carnitine
Lipotoxicity
Reactive oxygen species
Mitochondria
title The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_full The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_fullStr The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_full_unstemmed The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_short The ester derivative Palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_sort ester derivative palmitoylcarnitine abrogates cervical cancer cell survival by enhancing lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction
topic Cervical cancer
DOC2B
Palmitoyl carnitine
Lipotoxicity
Reactive oxygen species
Mitochondria
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02218-8
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