FASN and CD36 predict survival in rituximab-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common lymphoid malignancy, as it accounts for approximately one third of all patient cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma have markedly different treatment outcomes, suggesting a need for reliable prognostic factors and novel therapeutic approaches. De novo fatty acid synthesis is an important metabolic driver of tumor in multiple malignancies. In this retrospective study, we analyzed expression of fatty acid synthase (a key enzyme in de novo fatty acid synthesis), Spot 14 (thyroid hormone responsive Spot 14, a nuclear protein that promotes expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis), and CD36 (the cell surface channel for exogenous fatty acid uptake) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and their clinical significance. We observed that overexpression of fatty acid synthase is negatively associated with overall survival (p = 0.001) and progression-free period (p = 0.004) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Multivariate analysis showed that fatty acid synthase overexpression is an independent prognostic marker of aggressive clinical course. For the first time, we report CD36 as an independent protective factor in patients treated with rituximab. Thus, fatty acid synthase and CD36 expression may serve as prognostic markers to predict response to treatment and survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. Fatty acid synthase may also be a potential therapeutic target in lymphoid malignancies.