Whereas it has been well known that the blockade of fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key lipogenic enzyme, severely affects cancer cell metabolism and leads to death of the malignant cells, it was not clear, which of the many different reactions elicited by pharmacological inhibitors of FASN are essential for the anticancer effect and which are only side effects or even compensatory releif responses. In this project Thomas Grunt and his team could demonstrate that disruption of cell metabolism is only secondary consequence of the drug action, whereas deterioration of membrane compartments is the causal mechanism of the anticancer effect.

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