Elaidic acid suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth through modulating the production of intestinal Ligilactobacillus murinus-derived spermidine.

ABSTRACT: Dietary intervention provides a novel approach for cancer therapy. Elaidic acid (EA), which accounts for 80-90% of total trans fatty acids in foods, has recently been found to exert anti-tumor effects. However, the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of EA remain elusive in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, targeted fatty acid metabolomics demonstrated that among 44 types of fatty acids, the concentration of EA decreased most significantly when comparing plasma from HCC patients with plasma from healthy people. Through in vivo assays using HCC orthotopic and xenograft mouse models, we further revealed that dietary EA attenuates HCC growth. Notably, when gut microbiota was depleted using a cocktail of antibiotics, the anti-tumor effect of EA was diminished, co

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12839069 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature