The proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase c-SRC facilitates glioblastoma progression by remodeling fatty acid synthesis

Increased fatty acid synthesis benefits glioblastoma malignancy. However, the coordinated regulation of cytosolic acetyl-CoA production, the exclusive substrate for fatty acid synthesis, remains unclear. Here, we show that proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase c-SRC is activated in glioblastoma and remodels cytosolic acetyl-CoA production for fatty acid synthesis. Firstly, acetate is an important substrate for fatty acid synthesis in glioblastoma. c-SRC phosphorylates acetyl-CoA synthetase ACSS2 at Tyr530 and Tyr562 to stimulate the conversion of acetate to acetyl-CoA in cytosol. Secondly, c-SRC inhibits citrate-derived acetyl-CoA synthesis by phosphorylating ATP-citrate lyase ACLY at Tyr682. ACLY phosphorylation shunts citrate to IDH1-catalyzed NADPH production to provide reducing equivalent for fatty acid synthesis. The c-SRC-unresponsive double-mutation of ACSS2 and ACLY significantly reduces fatty acid synthesis and hampers glioblastoma progression. In conclusion, this remodeling fulfills the dual needs of glioblastoma cells for both acetyl-CoA and NADPH in fatty acid synthesis and provides evidence for glioma treatment by c-SRC inhibition.