Targeting De Novo Cholesterol Synthesis as a Therapeutic Strategy for Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, but outcomes for high-risk patients remain dismal, underscoring the critical need for novel therapeutic strategies. Our study demonstrates that RMS exhibits elevated de novo cholesterol biosynthesis. Silencing key cholesterol biosynthesis genes, such as DHCR7, disrupts cell cycle progression by inducing G2/M phase arrest. Additionally, inhibiting this pathway triggers endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), and leads to apoptosis. These findings emphasize the essential role of de novo cholesterol synthesis in RMS and highlight a novel therapeutic strategy that targets this metabolic pathway to suppress tumor growth and promote apoptosis.