SCD1 drives bladder cancer progression and trametinib sensitivity

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common malignancy of the urinary system. Despite advancements in novel targeted therapies and immunotherapy, the majority of patients remain incurable, and disease progression frequently occurs after treatment. Therefore, identifying new therapeutic strategies is crucial. Fatty acids are essential components of cell structure, playing roles in energy storage and serving as signaling molecules. In tumor tissues, due to abnormal blood vessel development, cancer cells primarily rely on de novo fatty acid synthesis to meet the demands of growth and proliferation. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) is a key enzyme, widely recognized as a potential therapeutic target in various cancers. SCD1 promotes the synthesis of cell membranes by converting saturated fatty acids into monounsaturated fatty acids, thus supporting tumor cell growth. In this study, we conducted bioinformatics analysis using public datasets (including bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq) and immunohistochemical examination of BCa tissues. Our findings reveal that SCD1 is specifically expressed in BCa cells and is associated with poor tumor grade and prognosis. Furthermore, drug sensitivity predictions and validations suggest that SCD1 enhances the sensitivity of BCa cells to trametinib. Therefore, SCD1 offers a promising new avenue for the early diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and optimization of personalized treatment strategies for BCa.