Essential fatty acid consumption and risk of breast cancer

Growth inhibitory and anti-metastatic activity of epithelial cell adhesion molecule targeted three-way junctional delta-5-desaturase siRNA nanoparticle for breast cancer therapy

8-Hydroxyoctanoic acid (8-HOA) produced through cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) catalyzed dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) peroxidation in delta-5-desaturase inhibitory (D5D siRNA) condition showed an inhibitory effect on breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. However, in vivo use of naked D5D siRNA was limited by off-target silencing and degradation by endonucleases. To overcome the limitation and deliver the D5D siRNA in vivo, we designed an epithelia cell adhesion molecule targeted three-way junctional nanoparticle having D5D siRNA. In this study, we have hypothesized that 3WJ-EpCAM-D5D siRNA will target and inhibit the D5D enzyme in cancer cells leading to peroxidation of supplemented DGLA to 8-HOA resulting in growth inhibitory effect in the orthotopic breast cancer model developed by injecting 4T1 cells. On analysis, we observed a significant reduction in tumor size and metastatic lung nodules in animals treated with a combination of 3WJ-EpCAM-D5D siRNA and DGLA through activating intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway and by reducing endothelial-mesenchymal damage.

In vivo determination of human breast fat composition by ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 T

The role of diet and fat consumption in the pathogenesis of breast cancer is an important subject. We report a method for noninvasive determination of lipid composition in human breast by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 7 T. Two respiratory-triggered TE-averaged stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) acquisitions were performed on the adipose tissue of 10 healthy volunteers where the second acquisition had all gradients inverted. This acquisition protocol allows the suppression of modulation sidebands that complicate spectral analysis at the short TE(avg) = 24.5 ms. The entire acquisition takes ∼10 min. Ten lipid peaks were typically resolved. T(1) and T(2) were also measured and used to correct the peak intensities. The calculated average lipid composition for saturated was 28.7 ± 8.4%, monounsaturated, 48.5 ± 7.9%, and polyunsaturated, 22.7 ± 3.1%, in close agreement with reported values from subcutaneous adipose measurements. Intrasubject variability was 2.0, 1.6, and 3.6% for the saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fractions, respectively. In conclusion, we have shown that a chemical analysis of lipids in breast tissue can be determined quite simply, quickly, and noninvasively by proton MRS at 7 T.

Herbs or Natural Products That May Cause Cancer and Harm: Part Four of a Four-Part Series

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To provide evidence-based research information about 27 herbs and natural products that have the potential to cause cancer and harm.

DATA SOURCES

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database and Lawrence Review of Natural Products Monograph System. Information about these herbs has been found in evidence-based studies cited in the references.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Early research shows that some herbs and natural products appear to have the potential to cause cancer and harm. Oncology nurses who receive this information can become resources for patients and other healthcare professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumers and healthcare professionals are wise to weigh the benefits or risks and possibly limit or avoid the use of these products.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

The table and text in this article are presented as quick resources for healthcare professionals working in clinical oncology.

Differential modulation by dietary n-6 or n-9 unsaturated fatty acids on the development of two murine mammary gland tumors having different metastatic capabilities

It is widely known that dietary lipids can modify the ability of different cancers to grow up and metastasize, especially mammary gland tumors. However, it is still unclear whether n-6 fatty acids behave as tumor promoters in this gland cell population. The effect of different nutritional polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on tumor growth parameters of two transplantable murine mammary gland adenocarcinomas of low and high metastatic ability was tested on hosts fed diets with corn oil (CO) rich in 18:2n-6, evening primrose oil (EPO) containing 18:3n-6 (GLA) and a third formula supplemented with olein (O) 18:1n-9, which induces an essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD). Tumor growth parameters were not adversely affected in the corn oil group with respect to stock-fed controls. Furthermore, metastatic spreading diminished in this group. EPO showed a moderate antitumor activity whereas the n-9-enriched diet showed no clear-cut effects. In both mammary gland tumors, n-6 fatty acid-rich lipids formulae, containing GLA and linoleic acid, were not tumor promoters. On the contrary, both exhibited anticancer activity.