title: Cancer cachexia and tumor growth reduction in Walker 256 tumor-bearing rats supplemented with N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for one generation.
abstract: In this study we investigated the effect of lifelong supplementation of the diet with coconut oil (CO, rich in saturated fatty acids) or fish oil (FO, rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFAs) on tumor growth, animal survival, and metabolic indicators of cachexia in adult rats. Female Wistar rats were supplemented with CO or FO prior to mating and then throughout pregnancy and gestation, and then the male offspring were supplemented from weaning until 90 days of age. Then they were inoculated subcutaneously with Walker 256 tumor cells. Tumor weight at 14 days in control rats (those fed standard chow) was approximately 20 g. These animals displayed cancer cachexia, which was characterized by loss of weight, hypoglycemia, hyperlacticidemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, and depletion of glycogen stores. Supplementation of the diet with CO did not change these parameters, except that there was a smaller decrease in serum triacylglycerol concentration. Supplementation of the diet with FO significantly decreased tumor growth (by approximately 60%), increased survival (50% at 30 days postinoculation vs. 30% in the controls and 13.5% in the CO group), and prevented the fall in body weight. Furthermore, FO supplementation partly abolished the fall in serum glucose, totally prevented the elevation in serum lactate concentrations, partly prevented the hypertriacylgylcerolemia, and preserved tissue glycogen stores. Lifelong consumption of FO, rich in n-3 PUFAs, protects against tumor growth and cancer cachexia and improves survival.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, 81531-971 Curitiba, Pr, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valéria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Togni
authors.forename: Claudia C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Folador
authors.forename: O Tchaikovski
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.forename: Júlia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aikawa
authors.forename: Ricardo K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Fábio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Edgair F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Calder
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.forename: Luiz C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002100:Cachexia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D002279:Carcinoma 256, Walker / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015996:Survival Rate; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; C077446:Pikasol; D019344:Lactic Acid; D006003:Glycogen