A metabolic crosstalk between liposarcoma and muscle sustains tumor growth

Dedifferentiated (DD-LPS) and Well-differentiated (WD-LPS) liposarcoma are characterized by a systematic amplification of the MDM2 oncogene. We recently demonstrated that p53-independent metabolic functions of chromatin-bound MDM2 (C-MDM2) are exacerbated in LPS and mediate an addiction to serine metabolism in order to sustain tumor growth. Here, we show that metabolic cooperation between LPS and distant muscle, which raise serine and glycine blood levels, is essential for LPS tumor growth. By releasing IL-6, tumor influence distant muscle to upregulate their serine synthesis machinery. Blocking IL-6 secretion or treating LPS cells with FDA approved IL-6 inhibitor, decreased serine production and impaired tumor proliferation. These data reveal IL-6 as a central tumorkine in metabolic crosstalk between tissues and identifies IL-6 as a plausible treatment for LPS patients.