title: Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on rectal mucosal cell proliferation in subjects at risk for colon cancer.
abstract: The effects of 12 weeks of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on rectal mucosal proliferation were assessed with [3H]thymidine autoradiography in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 20 patients with sporadic adenomatous colorectal polyps. In the group of 10 that received fish oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid (4.1 g/day) and docosahexaenoic acid (3.6 g/day), the mean percentage of replicative "S"-phase cells in the upper part of colonic crypts (considered a reliable marker of colon cancer risk) significantly dropped from the baseline level after only 2 weeks of treatment and remained lower throughout the study period; no change in upper-crypt labeling was observed in the 10 placebo patients. Rectal mucosal eicosapentaenoic acid content increased in fish oil patients, whereas arachidonic acid levels decreased. The fish oil-induced kinetic changes represent contraction of the proliferative compartment to the levels of a low-risk population and may be related to omega-3 fatty acid effects on the arachidonic prostaglandin pathway. In this short-term trial, fish oil appeared to exert a rapid effect that may protect high-risk subjects from colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Armelao
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Bartoli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ficarelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Percesepe
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Vitis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sofo
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Rapaccini
mesh_terms: D001345:Autoradiography; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000178:diet therapy*; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology*; D016196:S Phase / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid