title: Immunomodulatory Effectiveness of Fish Oil and omega-3 Fatty Acids in Human Non-melanoma Skin Carcinoma Cells.
abstract: Fish oil is composed of various fatty acids among which omega-3 fatty acids are considered as most beneficial. The effects of fish oil on the activity of a topical anticancer drug, imiquimod, and the immunomodulatory activity of omega-3 fatty acids was investigated in human basal and squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Imiquimod-fish oil mixture exhibited higher carcinoma cell growth inhibition and immunomodulatory activity than imiquimod alone, especially against squamous cell carcinoma cells. Omega-3 fatty acids exhibited growth inhibition of both basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and modulated the immune response. Omega-3 fatty acids of fish oil serve as inducers of interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, and as suppressors of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which not only depress tumor growth but also adequately control the inflammatory side effects of imiquimod. Thus, imiquimod administration with fish oil could be beneficial for inhibition of non-melanoma skin carcinoma cells but further in vivo studies are needed to understand their role in skin cancer.
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan MALAYSIA.
authors.forename: Khurram
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: Mohd Cairul Iqbal
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mohd Amin
authors.forename: Ng Pei
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Mohd Hanif
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zulfakar
mesh_terms: D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000077271:Imiquimod