Augmented Global Protein Acetylation Diminishes Cell Growth and Migration of Cholangiocarcinoma Cells

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the bile ducts and is particularly common in East Asia and Thailand. The effectiveness of current treatment options is significantly reduced due to the wide variety of CCA types and the fact that it is often diagnosed late. This study examined how inhibiting an enzyme called ACC1 influences the acetylation (a type of chemical modification) of proteins in CCA cells. Researchers used two methods: genetic techniques to reduce ACC1 levels and a drug called ND-646 to block ACC1 activity. In both cases, they observed an increase in protein acetylation, which was associated with reduced growth and spread of the cancer cells. The findings suggest that increasing protein acetylation can help reduce the progression of CCA. Specifically, targeting ACC1 or enzymes that remove acetyl groups from proteins (like KDAC) could slow down the growth and migration of CCA cells by affecting the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. These results point to ACC1 and KDAC as potential targets for developing new CCA treatments.