title: Effects of eicosatrienoic acid (20:3 n-9, Mead's acid) on some promalignant-related properties of three human cancer cell lines.
abstract: The essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) is a metabolic condition related to cancer development. We studied the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and eicosatrienoic acid (ETA, 20:3 n-9), an essential fatty acid (EFA) and non-EFA respectively, on tumour cells parameters linked to tumour progression and metastases. Human tumour cell lines (T-24 from urothelium, MCF-7 from breast and HRT-18 from colon) were used. EPA showed an anti-proliferative effect on the three lines. ETA showed the following effects: in T-24, the lipid peroxidation was decreased and E-cadherin was undetectable; in MCF-7, increased E-cadherin expression enhanced the lipid peroxidation and decreased cell proliferation; on HRT-18, the E-cadherin expression and lipid peroxidation diminished, whereas cell proliferation was increased. In conclusion, EFA (20:5 n-3) exhibited beneficial effects, whereas unusual ETA showed an opposite effect on some tumour parameters. The possible riskiness of EFA-deprivation, along with the potential of EFA as natural nutrapeutic products for human tumour prevention and treatment, makes EFA worthy of further consideration.
mesh_terms: D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000466:Alkadienes / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000466:Alkadienes; D015820:Cadherins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid; C010944:mead acid