Essential fatty acids: molecular and cellular basis of their anti-cancer action and clinical implications

Serum metabolome analysis by 1H-NMR reveals differences between chronic lymphocytic leukaemia molecular subgroups

“…58 Both products are released from solid tumours and exhibit the capacity to suppress immune cell function. [59][60][61] Decreased activity of pyruvate transaminase, which catalyses the interconversion of glutamate and pyruvate to a-ketoglutarate and alanine, may also account for the increased concentration of these metabolites in CLL patients. Increased serum pyruvate can also be caused by deficiencies in thiamine, the physiologically active form of which, thiamine pyrophosphate, acts as a coenzyme in pyruvate decarboxylation.…”

Effect of dietary GLA+/?tamoxifen on the growth, ER expression and fatty acid profile of ER positive human breast cancer xenografts

“…These include direct cytotoxicity via liberation of free radicals and lipid peroxides; up-regulation of cell surface adhesion molecules; inhibition of angiogenesis; induction of apoptosis; interaction with secondary messenger and cell-signalling pathways and modulation of cellular receptor structure and function including steroid hormone receptors. 3 A number of animal studies have demonstrated inhibitory effects of dietary supplementation of EFAs on experimental tumours. 4 -6 More recently, pilot clinical trials of GLA have achieved useful tumour regression and improved quality of life with negligible systemic toxicity in a variety of advanced solid malignancies.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] GLA and other EFAs have been shown to enhance the in vitro anti-cancer actions of radiotherapy and of cytotoxic drugs and may have beneficial role in the reversal of multi-drug resistance. 3 In the current work the effects of GLA combined with an endocrine agent in a hormonally responsive cancer have been explored. The xenograft study has been designed to complement a Phase II clinical trial in which the therapeutic and biological effects of oral GLA ϩ tamoxifen as primary therapy for endocrine-sensitive breast cancer have been compared with the effects of tamoxifen alone.…”

Influence of environmental and nutritional factors on salivary gland tumorigenesis with a special reference to dietary lipids

“…Among these, only linoleic acid (n-6) and a-linolenic acid (n-3) are essential fatty acids and must be incorporated through diet since they can not be synthesized by mammalian cells. Once ingested, EFA undergo chain elongations and desaturation to produce a variety of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the same family (Jiang et al, 1998). Figure 1 shows their metabolic pathways.…”