The dynamic behavior of lipid droplets in the pre-metastatic niche.

The pre-metastatic niche is a favorable microenvironment for the colonization of metastatic tumor cells in specific distant organs. Lipid droplets (LDs, also known as lipid bodies or adiposomes) have increasingly been recognized as lipid-rich, functionally dynamic organelles within tumor cells, immune cells, and other stromal cells that are linked to diverse biological functions and human diseases. Moreover, in recent years, several studies have described the indispensable role of LDs in the development of pre-metastatic niches. This review discusses current evidence related to the biogenesis, composition, and functions of LDs related to the following characteristics of the pre-metastatic niche: immunosuppression, inflammation, angiogenesis/vascular permeability, lymphangiogenesis, organotropism, reprogramming. We also address the function of LDs in mediating pre-metastatic niche formation. The potential of LDs as markers and targets for novel antimetastatic therapies will be discussed.