Hypertriglyceridemia in Ehrlich ascites carcinomatous mice: tumor and mouse strain differences

Perturbations of triglycerides but not of cholesterol metabolism are prevented by anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment in rats bearing an ascites hepatoma (Yoshida AH-130)

Rats transplanted with the ascites hepatoma Yoshida AH-130 developed a severely progressive cachexia, characterised by marked alterations in protein and lipid metabolism. In particular, high levels of serum triglycerides and free fatty acids were associated with altered levels and distribution of plasma cholesterol, with increased total and very low-density lipoprotein-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL-LDL) cholesterol and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The tumour cells showed high rates of cholesterol synthesis and elevated content of free and esterified cholesterol, whereas total cholesterol synthesis was reduced in the host liver. To determine whether these perturbations could be related to the elevation of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) previously shown in the AH-130 bearers (Tessitore L, Costelli P, Baccino FM 1993, Br J Cancer, 67, 15-23), either anti-TNF polyclonal antibodies or non-immune IgGs were injected daily after tumour transplantation. The anti-TNF treatment neither affected tumour growth nor prevented the serum cholesterol changes, while attenuating the hypertriglyceridaemia and the elevated serum free fatty acid levels. These data indicate that TNF does not appear to be directly involved in the altered cholesterol metabolism in AH-130 hosts, thus supporting the view that cholesterol metabolism and lipid metabolism are regulated differently during tumour growth.

Hypertriglyceridemia associated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha in hamster cheek-pouch carcinogenesis

We demonstrated for the first time that 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA)-treated hamsters showed hypertriglyceridemia followed by cachexia. Hypertriglyceridemia is believed to be caused in part by the decreased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. In addition, TNF-alpha action is associated with the LPL activity. Therefore, we determined the content of triglyceride (TG), LPL, and TNF-alpha in the serum from DMBA-treated hamsters. Elevated TG concentration in the serum of tumor-bearing hamsters was more remarkable and preceded the increase in other lipids, whereas the activity of LPL, the key enzyme of TG metabolism in vivo, was drastically reduced. TNF-alpha, known as an endogenous inhibitor of LPL activity, was detected in both the sera and the extract of tumors from DMBA-treated hamsters, whereas it was not detectable in any control samples. Pre-incubation of control sera with exogenous recombinant human TNF-alpha resulted in a potent inhibition of endogenous LPL activity in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Therefore, the presence of TNF-alpha might lead to the increase in plasma TG mediated by LPL in tumor-bearing hamsters.

Alterations of serum lipids and lipoproteins in breast cancer

Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels were quantified in Stage I and Stage IV breast cancer patients in order to evaluate the changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins in the early and advanced stages of the disease. When compared with data from age-matched healthy females, fasting serum triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol levels were found to be significantly increased and HDL cholesterol levels significantly decreased in patients with breast cancer. Furthermore, a significant increase in triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol and decreases in total, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels were demonstrated in patients with Stage IV disease when compared to those with Stage I breast cancer. No significant difference was found in total and LDL cholesterol between Stage I breast cancer patients and healthy controls.

Control of cachectin (tumor necrosis factor) synthesis: mechanisms of endotoxin resistance

Cachectin (tumor necrosis factor) is a macrophage hormone strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of endotoxin-induced shock. The availability of a DNA probe complementary to the cachectin messenger RNA (mRNA), as well as a specific antibody capable of recognizing the cachectin gene product, has made it possible to analyze the regulation of cachectin gene expression under a variety of conditions. Thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages obtained from mice contain a pool of cachectin mRNA that is not expressed as protein. When the cells are stimulated with endotoxin, large quantity of additional cachectin mRNA is produced, and immunoreactive cachectin is secreted. Macrophages from mice of the C3H/HeJ strain do not produce cachectin in response to endotoxin. A dual defect appears to prevent cachectin expression. First, a diminished quantity of cachectin mRNA is expressed in response to low concentrations of endotoxin. Second, a post-transcriptional defect prevents the production of cachectin protein. Macrophages from endotoxin-sensitive mice do not produce cachectin if they are first treated with dexamethasone, apparently for similar reasons. These findings give new insight into the nature of the C3H/HeJ mutation and suggest an important mechanism by which glucocorticoids may act to suppress inflammation.

Hyperlipidemia in tumor-bearing rats

Hyperlipidemia occurs in animals bearing tumors but the mechanism of its development is uncertain. We have measured triacylglycerol clearance and production rate in rats bearing a transplantable sarcoma. The plasma content of very-low-density lipoprotein triacylglycerol was increased in these tumor-bearing rats but our data excluded a primary clearance defect because the rate of triacylglycerol accumulation (mg/min) after Triton injection was equal to or greater than in normal control rats, except in cachectic rats with very large tumors. The fractional clearance of injected radioactive triacylglycerols was less in tumor-bearing rats than in controls, but the turnover (mg/min) was probably not decreased in the tumor-bearing rats because of their expanded plasma pool. Also inconsistent with a decreased turnover was our finding of a greater production of radioactive plasma triacylglycerols after injection of a tracer dose of radioactive free fatty acid, and unchanged production in Triton-treated rats. Therefore, in the fasted state, the hyperlipidemia of the tumor-bearing rats was associated with an unchanged or possibly an increased flux of hepatic triacylglycerols and a primary clearance defect was excluded. After fat-feeding, rats with tumors developed a higher post-prandial hyperlipidemia than control rats. Therefore, the clearance mechanism for the plasma triacylglycerols was close to saturation in the fasted state, and the added influx of exogenous triacylglycerols was removed less efficiently in the tumor-bearing rats.

Alterations in plasma lipoproteins and heparin-releasable lipase activities in mice bearing the GRSL ascites tumor

The lipoproteins in GR mice bearing the transplanted GRSL ascites tumor were characterized by density gradient ultracentrifugation and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In control mice the major proportion of the lipoproteins was found in the HDL density range, but on days 4 and 5 following tumor transplantation a gradual shift into the LDL density range was observed. At the same time the apolipoprotein E content increased at the expense of apolipoprotein A-I. VLDL became moderately elevated. On days 6 and 7 all lipoproteins except VLDL reached extremely low values. The C-apolipoproteins showed a remarkable shift in their relative proportions. Plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity showed no significant alteration in the course of tumor growth, but the triacylglycerol lipases in postheparin plasma were strongly decreased. Lipoprotein lipase had already started to decline on day 2 following tumor transplantation. However, when assayed in the presence of heat-inactivated control plasma, a decrease was not observed before day 5. This is suggestive of a depletion of a plasma cofactor preceding the final disappearance of the enzyme itself, and is compatible with the changing apolipoprotein C pattern. Hepatic lipase showed a 50% reduction between days 3 and 4. The lipoprotein alterations in tumor-bearing mice are explained as a direct consequence of the decreased lipase activities.

Influence of dietary lipid upon ultraviolet-light carcinogenesis

The effects of dietary lipid level, degree of saturation, and antioxidant supplements on ultraviolet-light (UV) carcinogenesis were studied in female albino hairless mice. Twelve groups of 42 animals each received a restricted, semipurified, isocaloric diet containing 4%, 12%, or 12% (60% hydrogenated) corn oil with or without antioxidants (2%, w/w). A regimen of escalating UV irradiation was employed until a cumulative dose of 142 J/cm2 had been delivered. Tumor development time in 50% of the population (TDT50) was derived from a cumulative distribution of time to tumor formation, which was estimated for all groups. Although there were no significant differences in TDT50s between animals receiving low and high unsaturated lipid dietary regimens, animals receiving hydrogenated corn oil demonstrated a significantly (p less than 0.01) greater TDT50 and fewer tumors per animal than those receiving either level of unsaturated corn oil. Antioxidants had no effect on TDT50s within any of the dietary groups. However, greater tumor multiplicity was observed in groups receiving unsaturated lipid and antioxidants. These data demonstrate that the degree of dietary lipid saturation modifies the carcinogenic response to UV and suggest that dietary lipid may modify the previously reported inhibitory effect of antioxidants on UV carcinogenesis. It may be concluded that adherence to dietary standards is as important as other experimental parameters when comparisons of UV effects are involved.

Fluorescence polarization as a parameter of plasma lipids in patients with hematologic malignancies

Abnormal diphenylhexatriene fluorescence polarization measurements (FP values) of plasma have previously been reported in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, the biological significance of this measurement is unclear. We have prospectively studied plasma from 39 patients with leukemia and lymphoma as well as normal donors for total cholesterol, total triglyceride, and lipoprotein-cholesterol fractions, and correlated these values with measured FP values. Total triglyceride, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, and FP values were all strongly correlated with clinical and biochemical measures of tumor burden and varied directly with the presence of malignancy. Although the presence of abnormal FP values was confirmed in patients with leukemia and lymphoma, it was not a particularly sensitive measure for minimal tumor and it appeared to correlate directly with other measures of lipids and cholesterol, particularly triglyceride. It is suggested that further studies of conventional plasma lipids and lipoproteins be pursued in order to elucidate the apparently pervasive alterations in lipid metabolism present in these patients.

Plasma lipid alterations in leukemia and lymphoma

Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were studied at presentations in 25 patients with acute leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. All patients demonstrated an abnormally in at least one plasma lipid fraction, and most exhibited a predictable pattern of lipid alterations that consisted of extremely low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (median [Xm] = 23), elevated triglyceride (Xm = 165) and elevated very-low-density lipoprotein (Xm = 26). Patients restudied during remission demonstrated a return to normal values. The degree of lipid abnormality was directly related to the underlying tumor burden and particularly to the presence of bone marrow involvement. However, even patients with minimal tumor bulk demonstrated plasma lipid abnormalities. The results suggest that an abnormality in systemic lipid metabolism, possibly in triglyceride clearance, is present in these patients and that its incidence in this population is high.

Essential and nonessential fatty acid oxidation in mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma

We tested the hypothesis that mobilized (essential) free fatty acids (FFA) are spared from oxidation in cancer-bearing animals. We injected tracers [1-14C] linoleate, [1-14C] palmitate and NaH14CO3 intravenously as single rapid doses in separate groups of mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) and controls, and measured breath 14CO2. The data from NaH14CO3 injections were used to develop kinetic, compartmental models of the HCO3--CO2 systems. These models were integrated with our earlier model of plasma FFA turnover for control and EAT-bearing mice. The integrated multicompartmental models were then fitted to breath 14CO2 data from mice injected with tracer FFA to compare the rates of FFA oxidation. FFA were not spared from an oxidative fate in our cancer-bearing vs normal animals; moreover, essential FFA were not preferentially spared from oxidation compared to non-essential FFA in the cancer-bearing mice.

Changes in host animal plasma lipids during hepatoma growth

The concentrations of the major neutral lipid and phospholipid classes in the plasma of rats bearing hepatoma 7288CTC were determined at various times after transplantation. The fatty acid composition of each lipid class was also analyzed quantitatively as tumor growth progressed. Generally, most lipid classes exhibited a slight decrease between the third and sixth day after transplantation, returned to near normal levels by the 15th day, increased dramatically and peaked between the 24th and 27th days before plummeting sharply. At peak concentrations, triglycerides were increased 5 times the normal levels, whereas cholesterol, cholesterly esters and phosphatidylcholines were increased 3-fold. The percentage of hexadecenoates decreased in all lipid classes as tumor growth progressed and generally, stearate levels increased. In addition to monounsaturated fatty acids, lysophosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylcholines showed relatively large decreases in the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids with increased tumor growth. These results indicate that hepatoma 7288CTC can cause perturbation of host animal plasma lipids in the early stages of growth which precedes the massive hyperlipidemia. The interpretation of these results suggests that the early changes in plasma lipids may result from alterations in the normal lipid metabolism of the host, and the hyperlipidemia that develops later may result from the mobilization of lipids to compensate for the altered metabolism.

Lipid composition of Morris hepatoma 5123c, and of livers and blood plasma from host and normal rats

The lipid composition of Morris hepatoma 5123c was analyzed together with that of liver and blood plasma from both normal and tumor-bearing rats. The results showed that the liver of tumor-bearing rats contained higher amounts of glycerides, choelsteryl esters, free fatty acids and phospholipids than the liver of normal rats. In the blood plasma of tumor-bearing rats, there was an increase of free cholesterol and triglycerides; this latter difference, however, was not statistically significant. Acyl chain changes in the liver of tumor-bearing rats consisted of an increase of palmitic and oleic acids and a decrease of stearic and arachidonic acids in phosphatidylinositol. Morris hepatoma 5123c contained a lower amount of triglycerides than the livers (both host and normal) and showed a significant decrease of total phospholipids when compared to the host liver. The major acyl chain changes found in Morris hepatoma 5123c compared with both normal and host rat livers were: a) a higher percentage of arachidonic acid together with a lower proportion of palmitic acid in cholesteryl esters; b) an increase of stearic and arachidonic acids and a decrease of palmitic acid in triglycerides; and c) a higher level of palmitic and oleic acids associated with a lower percentage of stearic and C22 polyunsaturated acids in phosphatidylcholine.

Lipid composition of Yoshida ascites hepatoma and of livers and blood plasma from host and normal rats

The lipid composition of Yoshida ascites hepatoma cells was analyzed together with that of ascitic plasma and of livers and blood plasma from host and normal rats. In comparison to normal livers, host livers showed no significant differences in the content of the various lipid classes, but contained a higher percentage of palmitic acid and a lower proportion of arachidonic acid in the major phospholipid classes. In addition, tumor growth induced a marked hypertriglyceridemia in host animals; changes in the concentration of other plasma lipid classes were not statistically significant. The ascitic plasma contained small amounts of lipids mainly constituted by cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. Yoshida hepatoma cells contained less phospholipids in comparison to both host and normal liver, while the increased level of triglycerides and the decrease of free fatty acids were not statistically significant. Hepatoma cells showed appreciable amounts of ether-linked lipids associated in part to neutral lipids (as glyceryl ether diesters) and, in part, to ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides. The alkyl groups in GEDE as well as in ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides were mainly constituted by C16:0 and C18:0 followed by C18:1. The alk-1-enyl groups in ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides were C16:0 and C18:0 with only a minor proportion of C18:1. In comparison to both host and normal liver, Yoshida hepatoma cells showed significant changes in the fatty acid composition of neutral lipids and phospholipids. Some of the major changes consisted of an increase of monoenoic acids associated with a decrease of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylinositol.

The role of dietary fat and hepatic triglyceride secretion in cancer-induced hypertriglyceridemia

Growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma induces hyperlipemia in mice. In the present study using male Swiss-Webster mice, we examined whether the usual elevations of plasma triglyceride levels in cancerous mice would occur in the absence of dietary fat. Hypertiglyceridemia developed at a similar rate and to a comparable degree in tumerous mice eating a fat-free (58% glucose) diet and in those fed Purina chow. Maximal hyperlipidemia was observed on day 6 or day 8 in tumorous mice fed either diet. To determine whether the endogenous cancer-induced hyperlipidemia was due to hypersecretion of triglycerides by the liver, triglyceride secretion rates were studied 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days after tumor inoculation using Triton WR-1339. The secretory rates did not increase prior to or during the development of hypertriglyceridemia in tumorous mice and were not significantly different from those of control mice. On days 10 and 12, triglyceride secretion actually decreased in tumorous mice. Other possible causes for hypertriglyceridemia are discussed in light of the present findings of undetectable differences in triglyceride secretion rates accompanying growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice.