A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis on the Effect of Sesamol on the Two-Stages Fermentation of Aurantiochytrium sp. for Enhancing DHA Accumulation

Aurantiochytrium is a well-known long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) producer, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In order to reduce the cost or improve the productivity of DHA, many researchers are focusing on exploring the high-yield strain, reducing production costs, changing culture conditions, and other measures. In this study, DHA production was improved by a two-stage fermentation. In the first stage, efficient and cheap soybean powder was used instead of conventional peptone, and the optimization of fermentation conditions (optimal fermentation conditions: temperature 28.7 °C, salinity 10.7‱, nitrogen source concentration 1.01 g/L, and two-nitrogen ratio of yeast extract to soybean powder 2:1) based on response surface methodology resulted in a 1.68-fold increase in biomass concentration. In the second stage, the addition of 2.5 mM sesamol increased the production of fatty acid and DHA by 93.49% and 98.22%, respectively, as compared to the optimal culture condition with unadded sesamol. Transcriptome analyses revealed that the addition of sesamol resulted in the upregulation of some genes related to fatty acid synthesis and antioxidant enzymes in Aurantiochytrium. This research provides a low-cost and effective culture method for the commercial production of DHA by Aurantiochytrium sp.

Combined Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology Analysis Reveal the Effect of Rootstocks on Anthocyanins, Lipids, and Potential Pharmacological Ingredients of Tarroco Blood Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck)

The benefits of citrus fruits are strongly associated with their secondary metabolites. In this study, we conducted widely targeted metabolomics analyses to compare the variability of the ingredients in four scion-rootstock combinations. A total of 376 differential metabolites were obtained by a multivariate statistical analysis, and a KEGG pathway analysis showed that the enriched metabolic pathways were mainly related to the biosynthesis of flavonoids as well as lipid metabolism. The anthocyanin-targeted metabolomic features showed that cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-beta-D-glucoside), cyanidin 3-O-sophoroside, and cyanidin 3-O-xyloside were the pigments responsible for the red color of Tarocco. A lipid metabolomics analysis revealed that when Tarocco was hetero-grafted with rootstock H, there was an increase in the content of each lipid subclass, accompanied by an increase in the levels of unsaturated fatty acids, including polyunsaturated linoleic and linolenic acids, thus impacting the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. Additionally, we determined their antioxidant capacity ('Trifoliate orange' (Z) > 'Citrange' (ZC) > 'Hongju' (H) > 'Ziyang Xiangcheng' (X)) using in vitro assays. Finally, we utilized a network pharmacology analysis to explore the antioxidant mechanisms and potential pharmacological ingredients; we obtained 26 core targets proteins and 42 core metabolites associated with oxidative damage, providing a basis for future preventive and therapeutic applications of these metabolites.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid derived lipid mediators: a comprehensive update on their application in anti-cancer drug discovery

INTRODUCTION

ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have a range of health benefits, including anticancer activity, and are converted to lipid mediators that could be adapted into pharmacological strategies. However, the stability of these mediators must be improved, and they may require formulation to achieve optimal tissue concentrations.

AREAS COVERED

Herein, the author reviews the literature around chemical stabilization and formulation of ω-3 PUFA mediators and their application in anticancer drug discovery.

EXPERT OPINION

Aryl-urea bioisosteres of ω-3 PUFA epoxides that killed cancer cells targeted the mitochondrion by a novel dual mechanism: as protonophoric uncouplers and as inhibitors of electron transport complex III that activated ER-stress and disrupted mitochondrial integrity. In contrast, aryl-ureas that contain electron-donating substituents prevented cancer cell migration. Thus, aryl-ureas represent a novel class of agents with tunable anticancer properties. Stabilized analogues of other ω-3 PUFA-derived mediators could also be adapted into anticancer strategies. Indeed, a cocktail of agents that simultaneously promote cell killing, inhibit metastasis and angiogenesis, and that attenuate the pro-inflammatory microenvironment is a novel future anticancer strategy. Such regimen may enhance anticancer drug efficacy, minimize the development of anticancer drug resistance and enhance outcomes.

Role of dietary intake of specific polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on colorectal cancer risk in Iran

High-fat diets have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, and the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been reported to vary based on the length of PUFAs. We explored the association between dietary omega-6 and omega-3 PUFAs intake and CRC. We analyzed 865 CRC patients and 3206 controls from a case-control study of Iran (IROPICAN study). We used multivariate logistic regression models to calculate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between PUFAs intake and CRC risk. Our results showed that gamma-linolenic acid (18:3 n-6, GLA), arachidonic acid (20:4n-6, ARA), a-linolenic acid (Cis-18:3n-3, ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) consumption was not associated with the risk of CRC. However, the OR of linoleic acid (18: 2n-6, LA) intake was 1.47 (95% CI 1.01-2.14, p = 0.04) for proximal colon and that of docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3, DPA) intake was 1.33 (95% CI 1.05-1.69, p = 0.01) for rectum. This study indicates a high level of LA is associated with an increased risk of proximal colon cancer, and DPA intake was positively associated with rectum cancer risk. Furthermore, our study noted a high intake of n-6 (from vegetable oils) compared to n-3 PUFAs (from fish and seafood) in this population. Public awareness and government support is needed to increase fish and seafood production and consumption in Iran.

Lipid and Volatile Profiles of Various Goat Primal Cuts: Aspects of Nutritional Value and Flavor/Taste Attributes

The lipid and volatile profiles of goat primal cuts (shoulder, rib, loin, breast, and leg), as well as their potential impact on nutritional and flavor/taste attributes, were investigated. The breast cuts had the lowest protein but the highest fat content. Triacylglycerol was the predominant lipid in all cuts (82.22-88.01%), while the breast cuts had the lowest triacylglycerol and the highest diacylglycerol and free fatty acids. Also, the highest unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), both monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), was obtained in the breast cuts. These findings correlated well with the highest peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value. The volatile profiles of the various grilled cuts indicated that the breast and leg cuts had similar volatiles, with higher amounts of alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, and ester than others, which could explain the flavor oxidation by lipid and off-flavors in spoiled meat. While the shoulder, rib, and loin cuts had higher amounts of nitrogen-containing compounds. The highest sulfur-containing and hydrocarbon compounds were also observed in the shoulder cuts, which are mainly formed during the Maillard reaction and responsible for the cooked meat flavor. This investigation revealed that each cut of goat meat has a varied composition, especially in lipids and volatile compounds. Thus, meat quality differs in terms of nutritional aspects and flavor/taste characteristics, enabling consumers to select nutritious or proper cuts for their cooking to achieve the most satisfaction from goat meat consumption.

Understanding the Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Development and Prevention of Cancer

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), notably omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6), have received much attention owing to their multifaceted effects not only in the management of diverse pathological conditions but also in the maintenance of overall health of an individual. A disproportionately high n-6 to n-3 ratio contributes to the development of various disorders including cancer, which ranks as a leading cause of death worldwide with profound social and economic burden. Epidemiological studies and clinical trials combined with the animal and cell culture models have demonstrated the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs in reducing the risk of various cancer types including breast, prostate and colon cancer. The anti-cancer actions of n-3 PUFAs are mainly attributed to their role in the modulation of a wide array of cellular processes including membrane dynamics, apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, gene expression and signal transduction pathways. On the contrary, n-6 PUFAs have been shown to exert pro-tumor actions; however, the inconsistent findings and controversial data emphasize upon the need to further investigation. Nevertheless, one of the biggest challenges in future is to optimize the n-6 to n-3 ratio despite the genetic predisposition, age, gender and disease severity. Moreover, a better understanding of the potential risks and benefits as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the basic actions of these PUFAs is required to explore their role as adjuvants in cancer therapy. All these aspects will be reviewed in this chapter.

Chemical Composition, Lipid-Soluble Bioactive Compounds and Potential Health Benefits of the Moss Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw

Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. is the main species for Moss surveys (ICP Vegetation programme) in Southeastern Europe and is widely distributed in the region. In addition to their biomonitoring role, mosses are applied in some countries as a traditional medicine for the treatment of eczema, cuts, burns, eye diseases, etc. Therefore, the chemical and lipid composition of the moss H. cupressiforme is of interest to establish their possible application in different fields. The chemical composition of the moss was examined regarding total lipids, proteins, carbohydrates (i.e., fibres), ash, and moisture content. The main lipid-soluble bioactive components were determined as sterols, tocopherols, phospholipids and fatty acids. The major fatty acids were linoleic (14.9%), oleic (13.8%), palmitic (12.5%) and α-linolenic (11.3%) acids. Unsaturated fatty acids (56.4%) prevailed in the glyceride oil, in which the polyunsaturated ones constituted 32.5%. The lipid indices (atherogenicity, thrombogenicity, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, peroxidability, and oxidation stability index) were also theoretically calculated based on the fatty acid composition of the moss lipids to establish their health benefits and the rate of oxidation. The primary results of this study revealed H. cupressiforme to be a promising alternative source of bioactive compounds that could be implemented in supplements with health-promoting effects.

The associations of erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids with skeletal muscle loss: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may play a vital role in maintaining skeletal muscle mass in the aged population. This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between the concentrations of erythrocyte membrane PUFAs and age-related changes in skeletal muscle mass over an average 6.5 years of follow-up in a Chinese middle-aged and older adult population.

METHODS

A total of 1494 participants aged 57.4 ± 4.7 years were included in this study. Skeletal muscle mass was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Per year percent changes in the skeletal muscle index (Δ% SMI), appendicular skeletal muscle index (Δ% ASMI), and total body lean mass index (Δ% TBLMI) from baseline were calculated. Concentrations of total and individual cis-n-3 and cis-n-6 PUFAs of the erythrocyte membrane were determined using gas-liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Fully adjusted linear regression models showed that per unit increases in the concentrations of C18:2 n-6, C20:4 n-6, C22:4 n-6, and total n-6 PUFAs resulted in increases of 0.022%-0.155 % in the Δ% SMI (P for linearity: <0.001-0.006). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between the concentrations of C20:2 n-6, C22:5 n-3, C22:6 n-3, and total n-3 PUFAs and the Δ% SMI (P for non-linearity: <0.001-0.036). In addition, an inverted U-shaped curve was also detected for the relationships of the linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid ratio (P for non-linearity = 0.010) and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio (P for non-linearity = 0.013) with the Δ% SMI, with the Δ% SMI peaking at respective ratios of 124.96 and 3.69. Similar associations were revealed by the Bayesian kernel machine regression model. No interaction effect was detected between the individual PUFAs for the Δ% SMI in the bivariate exposure-response analysis. Overall, similar results were observed for the Δ% ASMI and Δ% TBLMI.

CONCLUSIONS

The associations between different individual PUFAs and age-related muscle loss in middle-aged and older adults may be different. Our results suggest that high concentrations of erythrocyte membrane n-6 PUFAs may be correlated with less skeletal muscle mass loss, whereas extremely high concentrations of n-3 PUFAs may be correlated with more muscle loss.

Effects of Supplementary Kelp Feeding on the Growth, Gonad Yield, and Nutritional and Organoleptic Quality of Subadult Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) with Soya Lecithin Intake History

A 23-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementary kelp feeding on the growth, gonad development, and nutritional and sensory properties of sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) with soya lecithin (SL) intake history. The feeding experiment was divided into experimental phase I and phase II. During phase I, 48 subadult sea urchins (initial weight: 6.28 ± 0.07 g) were fed one of the feeds with different levels of SL (0%, 1.6%, 3.2%) or kelp (Saccharina japonica) for 12 weeks. Then, all sea urchins were fed kelp for the next 11 weeks during the phase II. Each diet was randomly allocated to six cages of sea urchins. The results of phase I showed that weight gain rate (WGR), gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad sensory properties (color and texture), and essential amino acid (EAA) contents were not significantly affected by SL level in the feed groups. High level (3.2%) of SL suppressed gonad development of S. intermedius with retarded gametogenesis in the 3.2% SL group (stage Ⅱ) compared to those fed 0% and 1.6% SL groups (stage Ⅲ). Sea urchins fed dry feeds exhibited significantly lower WGR and values of color (redness and yellowness) and texture (hardness and gumminess) but higher contents of EAA in the gonads than those fed kelp. The n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) of gonads in the groups fed with dry feeds showed no significant differences, but were significantly lower than that of kelp group. At the end of phase II, the gonad yellowness and EPA content of gonads in all dry feed groups were significantly increased by supplementary kelp feeding, with a higher increase observed in S. intermedius with SL intake history, while arachidonic acid (ARA) content was significantly improved by supplementary kelp feeding in S. intermedius with SL intake history. Gonad texture was improved to some extent by supplementary kelp feeding. These results indicated that S. intermedius fed dry feeds showed significantly higher GSI and EAA but poorer organoleptic quality and lower n-3/n-6 PUFA and EPA than those fed kelp. Kelp supplementary feeding improved the fatty acid value and organoleptic quality of gonads, especially for the sea urchins with SL intake history.

Comprehensive analysis of the lysine succinylome in fish oil-treated prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer (PCa) poses a significant health threat to males, and research has shown that fish oil (FO) can impede PCa progression by activating multiple mitochondria-related pathways. Our research is focused on investigating the impact of FO on succinylation, a posttranslational modification that is closely associated with mitochondria in PCa cells. This study employed a mass spectrometry-based approach to investigate succinylation in PCa cells. Bioinformatics analysis of these succinylated proteins identified glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2 (GOT2) protein as a key player in PCa cell proliferation. Immunoprecipitation and RNA interference technologies validated the functional data. Further analyses revealed the significance of GOT2 protein in regulating nucleotide synthesis by providing aspartate, which is critical for the survival and proliferation of PCa cells. Our findings suggest that FO-dependent GOT2 succinylation status has the potential to inhibit building block generation. This study lays a solid foundation for future research into the role of succinylation in various biological processes. This study highlights the potential use of FO as a nutrition supplement for managing and slowing down PCa progression.

Nutritional value of different parts from sea eel (Astroconger myriaster) determined by untargeted-lipidomic approach

With the diversity of consumer demands for healthy food, stricter requirements have been put forward for the product quality of sea eel (Astroconger myriaster). From the common experience, remarkable differences could be observed between different parts of the sea eel. The textures, basic nutritional compositions, and lipid compositions from seven parts of sea eel were investigated to reach a comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional value. Sea eel was high-fat fish which contained 21.65% to 22.84% crude fat from part one to part seven. The seventh segment exhibited a lower moisture content (51.32%) and higher contents of protein (22.76%), ash (2.46%), carbohydrate (0.80%). The third and fourth parts remained higher hardness and good water-holding capacity. Sea eel had sixteen fatty acids, and the tail possessed a higher proportion of n - 3/n - 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Twenty-seven lipid species were determined in sea eel, and highly unsaturated fatty acids mainly stemmed from triglycerides, while saturated fatty acids mainly existed as diglycerides. Section six and seven were primarily diglycerides and monoglycerides. According to the characteristics of different parts, it can provide support for standardized segmentation of sea eel and quality control of different parts.

Supplementation of Dihomo-γ-Linolenic Acid for Pollen-Induced Allergic Symptoms in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) is an n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in mice and cell study. To date, however, no human intervention study has examined the effects of DGLA. Therefore, we investigated the effects of DGLA on pollen-induced allergic symptoms in healthy adults. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study comprising healthy Japanese men and women. Each subject received four 250 mg capsules providing 314 mg DGLA/day (DGLA group, n = 18) or olive oil (placebo group, n = 15) for 15 weeks. The primary outcomes, classification of the severity of allergic rhinitis symptoms (CSARS), and the Japanese Rhino-conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (JRQLQ) served as symptom scores during the pollen season. In the DGLA group, the cedar pollen associated symptoms of sneezing and a blocked nose in the CSARS were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). Significant trends were observed the symptoms of runny nose in the CSARS and total symptom score (TSS) in the JRQLQ for cedar pollen (p < 0.1). To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the effects of DGLA in humans, and the results suggest that DGLA is effective in reducing allergic symptoms caused by pollen.

Dietary omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids and risk of prostate cancer; Is there any potential interaction by organophosphate insecticides among the agricultural health study population

BACKGROUND

In the United States (US), the average annual increase in the incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) has been 0.5% between 2013 and 2017. Although some modifiable factors have been identified as the risk factors for PCa, the effect of lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids intake (N-6/N-3) remains unknown. Previous studies of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) reported a significant positive association between PCa and selected organophosphate pesticides (OPs) including terbufos and fonofos.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between N-6/N-3 and PCa and any interaction between N-6/N-3 and 2 selected OPs (i.e., terbufos and fonofos) exposure.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort study, was conducted on a subgroup of the AHS population (1193 PCa cases and 14,872 controls) who returned their dietary questionnaire between 1999 and 2003 MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: PCa was coded based on the International Classification of Diseases of Oncology (ICD-O-3) definitions and obtained from the statewide cancer registries of Iowa (2003-2017) and North Carolina (2003-2014).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to obtain the odds ratios adjusted (aORs) for age at dietary assessment (years), race/ethnicity (white, African American, other), physical activity (hours/week), smoking (yes/no), terbufos (yes/no), fonofos (yes/no), diabetes, lycopene intake (milligrams/day), family history of PCa, and the interaction of N-6/N-3 with age, terbufos and fonofos. Pesticide exposure was assessed by self-administrated questionnaires collecting data on ever/never use of mentioned pesticides during lifetime as a yes/no variable. Assessing the P value for the interaction between pesticides and N-6/N-3, we used the continuous variable of "intensity adjusted cumulative exposure" to terbufos and fonofos. This exposure score was based on duration, intensity and frequency of exposure. We also conducted a stratified regression analysis by quartiles of age.

RESULTS

Relative to the highest N-6/N-3 quartile, the lowest quartile was significantly associated with a decreased risk of PCa (aOR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.41-0.90), and quartile-specific aORs decreased toward the lowest quartile (Ptrend=<0.01). Based on the age-stratified analysis, the protective effect was only significant for the lowest quartile of N-6/N-3 among those aged between 48 and 55 years old (aORs=0.97, 95% CI, 0.45-0.55). Among those who were exposed to terbufos (ever exposure reported as yes in the self-report questionnaires), lower quartiles of N-6/N-3 were protective albeit nonsignificant (aORs: 0.86, 0.92, 0.91 in quartiles 1,2, and 3, respectively). No meaningful findings were observed for fonofos and N-6/N-3 interaction.

CONCLUSION

Findings showed that lower N-6/N-3 may decrease risk of PCa among farmers. However, no significant interaction was found between selected organophosphate pesticides and N-6/N-3.

Can Dietary Actives Affect miRNAs and Alter the Course or Prevent Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is a diet-related cancer. There is much research into the effects of nutrients on the prevention, modulation, and treatment of colorectal cancer. Researchers are trying to find a correlation between epidemiological observations indicating certain dietary components as the originator in the process of developing colorectal cancer, such as a diet rich in saturated animal fats, and dietary components that could eliminate the impact of harmful elements of the daily nutritional routine, i.e., substances such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, curcumin, or resveratrol. Nevertheless, it is very important to understand the mechanisms underlying how food works on cancer cells. In this case, microRNA (miRNA) seems to be a very significant research target. MiRNAs participate in many biological processes connected to carcinogenesis, progression, and metastasis. However, this is a field with development prospects ahead. In this paper, we review the most significant and well-studied food ingredients and their effects on various miRNAs involved in colorectal cancer.

Metabolic pathways enriched according to ERG status are associated with biochemical recurrence in Hispanic/Latino patients with prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The role of ERG-status molecular subtyping in prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa) is still under debate. In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) according to ERG-status to explore their enriched pathways and implications in prognosis in Hispanic/Latino PCa patients.

METHODS

RNA from 78 Hispanic PCa tissues from radical prostatectomies (RP) were used for RNA-sequencing. ERG_high /ERG_low tumor groups were determined based on the 1.5-fold change median expression in non-tumor samples. DEGs with a False Discovery Rate (FDR) < 0.01 and a fold change >2 were identified between ERG_high and ERG_low tumors and submitted to enrichment analysis in MetaCore. Survival and association analyses were performed to evaluate biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival.

RESULTS

The identification of 150 DEGs between ERG_high and ERG_low tumors revealed clustering of most of the non-BCR cases (60%) into de ERG_high group and most of the BCR cases (60.8%) in ERG_low group. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed a worst BCR-free survival for ERG_low patients, and a significant reduced risk of BCR was observed for ERG_high cases (OR = 0.29 (95%CI, 0.10-0.8)). Enrichment pathway analysis identified metabolic-related pathways, such as the renin-angiotensin system and angiotensin maturation system, the linoleic acid metabolism, and polyamines metabolism in these ERG groups.

CONCLUSIONS

ERG_low tumor cases were associated with poor BCR-free survival in our Hispanic/Latino patients, with metabolism-related pathways altered in the BCR progression.

IMPACT

Our findings suggest the need to dissect the role of diet, metabolism, and lifestyle as risk factors for more aggressive PCa subtypes.

Fatty acids and their lipid mediators in the induction of cellular apoptosis in cancer cells

The oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic and linoleic acid through enzymes like lipoxygenases (LOXs) are common and often leads to the production of various bioactive lipids that are important both in acute inflammation and its resolution and thus in disease progression. Amongst the several isoforms of LOX that are expressed in mammals, 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) has shown to be crucial in the context of inflammation. Moreover, being expressed in cells of the immune system, as well as in epithelial cells; the enzyme has been shown to crosstalk with a number of important signalling pathways. Mounting evidences from recent reports suggest that 15-LOX has anti-cancer activities which are dependent or independent of its metabolites, and is executed through several downstream pathways like cGMP, PPAR, p53, p21 and NAG-1. However, it is still unclear whether the up-regulation of 15-LOX is associated with cancer cell apoptosis. Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), on the other hand, is a mitochondrial flavoenzyme which is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and inflammation and in many other neurological disorders. MAO-A has also been reported as a potential therapeutic target in different types of cancers like prostate cancer, lung cancer etc. In this review, we discussed about the role of fatty acids and their lipid mediators in cancer cell apoptosis. Here we particularly focused on the contribution of oxidative enzymes like 15-LOX and MAO-A in mediating apoptosis in lung cancer cell after fatty acid induction.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Rubber Seed Oil in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW 267.4 Macrophages

Rubber seed oil (RSO) is a typical PUFA-enriched plant oil, but it has not been widely used as a healthy edible oil resource due to the lack of understanding of its nutritional values, health biological effects, and action mechanisms. This work was conducted to characterize the basic physicochemical properties, evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and explore the involved mechanisms of RSO in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In the present study, the basic physicochemical parameters of RSO indicated that RSO has good qualities as a potential edible plant oil resource. In LPS-induced macrophages, RSO supplementation displayed a significant antioxidant effect by decreasing ROS and MDA levels as well as elevating T-AOC. In addition, RSO supplementation showed an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing the production of NO, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α while promoting the production of IL-10. Moreover, RSO supplementation decreased the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, iNOS, and MCP-1 genes while increasing the mRNA expression of the IL-10 gene. Furthermore, RSO supplementation increased Nrf2 protein expression and up-regulated antioxidant genes (HO-1 and NQO-1), which was accompanied by the decrease in TLR4 protein expression and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation as well as IκBα phosphorylation. This study provided some insight into the applications of RSO as a healthy edible oil resource.

The Influence of Butter and Oils on Oxidative Reactions during In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of Meat and Fish

Oxidative reactions during cooking and gastrointestinal digestion of meat and fish lead to the formation of various lipid- and protein oxidation products, some of which are toxic. In the present study, it was investigated how the addition of 3% butter or oils affect lipid- and protein oxidation during cooking and in vitro digestion of meat (chicken thigh, chicken breast, beef) and fish (mackerel, cod). These muscle foods were selected based on their differences in heme-Fe and PUFA contents, and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, and therefore varying potential to form oxidation products during digestion. Without additional fat, mackerel digests displayed the highest n-3 PUFA oxidation (4-hydroxy-2-hexenal, propanal, thiobarbituric reactive acid substances), and chicken digests the highest n-6 PUFA oxidation (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, hexanal), whereas both lipid- and protein oxidation (protein carbonyl compounds) were low in cod and beef digests. Lipid oxidative reactions were generally not altered by the addition of butter to any muscle matrix, whereas the addition of fish oil and safflower oil in different ratios (3:0, 2:1, 1:2, 0:3) as n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA source respectively, stimulated oxidative reactions, especially during digestion of beef. Since beef was considered the muscle matrix with the highest potential to stimulate oxidation in the added fat substrate, in a second experiment, beef was cooked and digested with 3% butter or seven commercial vegetable oils (sunflower-, maize-, peanut-, rapeseed-, olive-, rice bran- or coconut oil), all labeled ‘suitable for heating’. No relevant oxidative reactions were however observed during digestion of beef with any of these commercial vegetable oils.

Impact of lifestyle in prostate cancer patients. What should we do?

Objective:

This review aimed to analyze interventions raised within primary and tertiary prevention concerning the disease's incidence, progression, and recurrence of Prostate Cancer (PCa). Priority was given to the multidisciplinary approach of PCa patients with an emphasis on modifiable risk factors.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a comprehensive literature review in the following databases: Embase, Central, and Medline. We included the most recent evidence assessing cohort studies, case-control studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews published in the last five years. We only included studies in adults and in vitro or cell culture studies. The review was limited to English and Spanish articles.

Results:

Preventive interventions at all levels are the cornerstone of adherence to disease treatment and progression avoidance. The relationship in terms of healthy lifestyles is related to greater survival. The risk of developing cancer is associated to different eating habits, determined by geographic variations, possibly related to different genetic susceptibilities.

Discussion:

PCa is the second most common cancer in men, representing a leading cause of death among men in Latin America. Prevention strategies and healthy lifestyles are associated with higher survival rates in PCa patients. Also, screening for anxiety and the presence of symptoms related to mood disorders is essential in the patient's follow-up concerning their perception of the condition.

Correlative Analysis of Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake in Men on Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influence of targeted serum vitamin-D level and omega-6:3 fatty-acid ratio on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in men with prostate cancer managed with active surveillance by providing a nutritional intervention and vitamin supplementation.

METHODS

Sixty-eight patients with biopsy-proven National Comprehensive Cancer Network very-low or low-risk prostate cancer were enrolled in the prostate cancer nutrition and genetics clinic at the Cleveland Clinic from July 2013-December 2019. Patients adhered to a specific dietary regimen devoid of animal-based products and foods containing omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The supplement regimen consisted of: Omega-3 PUFAs 720mg (3/day); curcumin 2000 mg/day; vitamin D3 dose titrated to achieve serum level of 60 ng/ml; and vitamin B-complex 1000 mg (4 times weekly). Patients underwent periodic monitoring of PSA, serum vitamin D, and PUFA levels and had frequent follow-up with the nutritionist which included a food frequency questionnaire. Interval prostate biopsy was performed as clinically indicated and/or at 9 months.

RESULTS

The mean and 95% confidence interval of PSA slope and Vitamin D serum levels slope were 0.11 (0-0.25) ng/mL/month and 4.65 (3.09-5.98) ng/mL/month, respectively. Patients with higher initial vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have a downward PSA trend (OR = 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.04-4.01, P = .04). Fifty-five patients underwent follow-up biopsy, all showing no progression of disease. Three patients had loose bowel movements that required omega-3 and or curcumin dose adjustments.

CONCLUSION

Intensive nutritional intervention with Vitamin D and Omega-3 PUFA supplementation may benefit men on active surveillance for prostate cancer and further studies are warranted.

A comprehensive review of cereal germ and its lipids: Chemical composition, multi-objective process and functional application

Cereal germ (CG), a by-product of grain milling, has drawn much attention in the food industry because of its nutritional and functional advantages. Nowadays, the utilization of cereal germ from animal feeds to foodstuff is a popular trend. CGs have high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their lipids (43.9-64.9% of total fatty acids), but they are also induced to oxidative rancidity under the catalytic reaction of enzymes. Chemical and structural properties of lipids in CGs are affected by different treatments. Thermal and non-thermal effects prevent lipid oxidation or promote lipid combination with starch/protein in CG. Thus, the functional properties and final quality of CG are directly changed. In this review, the chemical composition and application of CGs especially the endogenous lipids are summarized and the effects of various processes on CG lipids/matrices are discussed for CG future development.

Investigating the effects of two novel 4-MMPB analogs as potent lipoxygenase inhibitors for prostate cancer treatment

Background

Lipoxygenases are one of the critical signaling mediators which can be targeted for human prostate cancer (PC) therapy. In this study, 4-methyl-2-(4-methylpiperazinyl)pyrimido[4,5-b]benzothiazine (4-MMPB) and its two analogs, 4-propyl-2-(4-methylpiperazinyl)pyrimido[4,5-b]benzothiazine (4-PMPB) and 4-ethyl-2-(4-methylpiperazinyl)pyrimido[4,5-b]benzothiazine (4-EMPB), were proposed to have anti-tumor properties in prostate cancer.

Methods

After synthesizing the compounds, cytotoxic effects of 4-MMPB and its two analogs against PC-3 cancerous and HDF normal cells were investigated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and then mechanism of cell death was assessed by flow cytometry. Finally, the anti-tumor effects of the mentioned compounds were investigated in an immunocompromised C57BL/6 mouse model.

Results

4-PMPB and 4-EMPB had similar anti-cancer effects on PC-3 cells as compared with 4-MMPB, while they were not effective on normal cells. Moreover, apoptosis and ferroptosis were the main mechanisms of induced cell death in these cancerous cells. Furthermore, in vivo results indicated that both analogs had similar anti-cancer effects as 4-MMPB, leading to delayed tumor growth without any noticeable side effects in weight loss and histological investigations.

Conclusion

Thus, our results suggest that specific targeting of lipoxygenases via 4-MMPB analogs can be considered as a treatment of choice for PC therapy, although it requires further investigations.

Arachidonic acid induces ER stress and apoptosis in HT-29 human colon cancer cells

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have important functions in biological systems. The beneficial effects of dietary PUFAs against inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders have been shown. Studies using cancer cells have presented the anti-tumorigenic effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3 PUFA, while arachidonic acid (AA), an n-6 PUFA, has been shown to elicit both pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects. In the current study, the anti-tumorigenic effects of AA were evaluated in HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Upon adding AA in the media, more than 90% of HT-29 cells died, while the MCF7 cells showed good proliferation. AA inhibited the expression of SREBP-1 and its target genes that encode enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis. As HT-29 cells contained lower basal levels of fatty acid synthase, a target gene of SREBP-1, than that in MCF7 cells, the inhibitory effects of AA on the fatty acid synthase levels in HT-29 cells were much stronger than those in MCF-7 cells. When oleic acid (OA), a monounsaturated fatty acid that can be synthesized endogenously, was added along with AA, the HT-29 cells were able to proliferate. These results suggested that HT-29 cells could not synthesize enough fatty acids for cell division in the presence of AA because of the suppression of lipogenesis. HT-29 cells may incorporate more AA into their membrane phospholipids to proliferate, which resulted in ER stress, thereby inducing apoptosis. AA could be used as an anti-tumorigenic agent against cancer cells in which the basal fatty acid synthase levels are low.

Docosahexaenoic acid differentially modulates the cell cycle and metabolism- related genes in tumor and pre-malignant prostate cells

Prostate cancer (PCa) has different molecular features along progression, including androgen profile, which is associated to therapy inefficiency leading to more aggressive phenotype. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic properties in different cancers associated to cell metabolism modulation. The latter is of particular interest since metabolic reprogramming is one of PCa hallmarks, but is not clear how this occurs among disease progression. Therefore, we evaluated DHA antiproliferative potential in distinct androgenic backgrounds associated to metabolism modulation and androgen-regulated genes. For this purpose, pre-malignant PNT1A and tumor AR-positive 22rv1, and AR-negative PC3 cells were incubated with DHA at 100 μM-48 h. DHA reduced at least 26% cell number for all lineages due to S-phase decrease in AR-positive and G2/M arrest in AR-negative. Mitochondrial metabolic rate decreased in PNT1A (~38%) and increased in tumor cells (at least 40%). This was associated with ROS overproduction (1.6-fold PNT1A; 2.1 22rv1; 2.2 PC3), lipid accumulation (3-fold PNT1A; 1.8 22rv1; 3.6 PC3) and mitochondria damage in all cell lines. AKT, AMPK and PTEN were not activated in any cell line, but p-ERK1/2 increased (1.5-fold) in PNT1A. Expression of androgen-regulated and nuclear receptors genes showed that DHA affected them in a distinct pattern in each cell line, but most converged to metabolism regulation, response to hormones, lipids and stress. In conclusion, regardless of androgenic or PTEN background DHA exerted antiproliferative effect associated to cell cycle impairment, lipid deregulation and oxidative stress, but differentially regulated gene expression probably due to distinct molecular features of each pathologic stage.

Human DECR1 is an androgen-repressed survival factor that regulates PUFA oxidation to protect prostate tumor cells from ferroptosis

Fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) is the main bioenergetic pathway in human prostate cancer (PCa) and a promising novel therapeutic vulnerability. Here we demonstrate therapeutic efficacy of targeting FAO in clinical prostate tumors cultured ex vivo, and identify DECR1, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme for oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as robustly overexpressed in PCa tissues and associated with shorter relapse-free survival. DECR1 is a negatively-regulated androgen receptor (AR) target gene and, therefore, may promote PCa cell survival and resistance to AR targeting therapeutics. DECR1 knockdown selectively inhibited β-oxidation of PUFAs, inhibited proliferation and migration of PCa cells, including treatment resistant lines, and suppressed tumor cell proliferation and metastasis in mouse xenograft models. Mechanistically, targeting of DECR1 caused cellular accumulation of PUFAs, enhanced mitochondrial oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, and induced ferroptosis. These findings implicate PUFA oxidation via DECR1 as an unexplored facet of FAO that promotes survival of PCa cells.

Dietary Intake of N-3 and N-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Cancer: Meta-Analysis of Data from 32 Studies

BACKGROUND

Large epidemiological studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the relationship between polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and cancers. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to examine the link between dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs and cancer risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a search on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Studies that reported adjusted relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations of interest were included.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies involving 1,445,732 participants were included. Colorectal, breast and prostate cancer had been analyzed in our study. Specifically, for colorectal cancer, total n-3 PUFAs, marine n-3 PUFAs, α-linolenic acids (ALA) and n-6 PUFAs were not associated with the risk of it (RR 1.04, 95%CI 0.85-1.28; RR 0.99, 95%CI 0.89-1.09; RR 1.05, 95%CI 0.93-1.19; RR 1.02, 95%CI 0.94-1.11, respectively). For breast cancer, only marine n-3 PUFAs, but not total n-3 PUFAs, ALA, and n-6 PUFAs, was associated with a lower risk of it (RR 0.70, 95%CI 0.55-0.91). For prostate cancer, ALA and n-6 PUFAs also have no association with the risk of it.

CONCLUSIONS

Most subtypes of PUFAs are probably not related to cancers. However, additional high-quality trials are warranted to corroborate the findings of this meta-analysis.

Prospective clinical trial examining the impact of genetic variation in FADS1 on the metabolism of linoleic acid- and ɣ-linolenic acid-containing botanical oils

BACKGROUND

Unexplained heterogeneity in clinical trials has resulted in questions regarding the effectiveness of ɣ-linolenic acid (GLA)-containing botanical oil supplements. This heterogeneity may be explained by genetic variation within the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene cluster that is associated with circulating and tissue concentrations of arachidonic acid (ARA) and dihomo-ɣ-linolenic acid (DGLA), both of which may be synthesized from GLA and result in proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory metabolites, respectively.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to prospectively compare the capacity of a non-Hispanic white cohort, stratified by FADS genotype at the key single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs174537, to metabolize 18-carbon omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs in borage oil (BO) and soybean oil (SO) to GLA, DGLA, and ARA.

METHODS

Healthy adults (n = 64) participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover intervention. Individuals received encapsulated BO (Borago officinalis L.; 37% LA and 23% GLA) or SO [Glycine max (L.) Merr.; 50% LA and 0% GLA] for 4 wk, followed by an 8-wk washout period, before consuming the opposite oil for 4 wk. Serum lipids and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein) were assessed for both oil types at baseline and during weeks 2 and 4 of the intervention.

RESULTS

SO supplementation failed to alter circulating concentrations of any n-6 long-chain PUFAs. In contrast, a modest daily dose of BO elevated serum concentrations of GLA and DGLA in an rs174537 genotype-dependent manner. In particular, DGLA increased by 57% (95% CI: 0.38, 0.79) in GG genotype individuals, but by 141% (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) in TT individuals. For ARA, baseline concentrations varied substantially by genotype and increased modestly with BO supplementation, suggesting a key role for FADS variation in the balance of DGLA and ARA.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study clearly suggest that personalized and population-based approaches considering FADS genetic variation may be necessary to optimize the design of future clinical studies with GLA-containing oils. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02337231.

Metabolic indices of polyunsaturated fatty acids: current evidence, research controversies, and clinical utility

The n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are among the most studied nutrients in human metabolism. In the past few decades, prospective studies and controlled trials have supported the view that the effects of these essential fatty acids are clinically relevant. PUFA profiles in different blood compartments are reflections of both diet and metabolism, and their levels may be related to disease risk. Despite widespread interest, there is no consensus regarding which biomarkers best reflect PUFA status in the body. The measurement of PUFA levels is not straight-forward, and a wide variety of indices have been used in clinical studies, producing conflicting results. A major source of heterogeneity among studies is associated with research design, sampling, and laboratory analyses. To date, the n-3 index, n-6/n-3 ratio, and arachidonic acid (AA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratio are the most promising biomarkers associated with PUFA metabolism. Although hotly debated, these indices may be considered at least markers, if not risk factors, for several diseases, especially cardiovascular events and brain disorders. Here, we summarize the most updated evidence of n-3 and n-6 PUFA effects on human health, reviewing current controversies on the aforementioned indices and whether they can be considered valuable predictors of clinical outcomes.

Role of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in fetal programming

Maternal nutrition plays a critical role in fetal development and can influence adult onset of disease. Linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) are major omega-6 (n-6) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), respectively, that are essential in our diet. LA and ALA are critical for the development of the fetal neurological and immune systems. However, in recent years, the consumption of n-6 PUFA has increased gradually worldwide, and elevated n-6 PUFA consumption may be harmful to human health. Consumption of diets with high levels of n-6 PUFA before or during pregnancy may have detrimental effects on fetal development and may influence overall health of offspring in adulthood. This review discusses the role of n-6 PUFA in fetal programming, the importance of a balance between n-6 and n-3 PUFAs in the maternal diet, and the need of further animal models and human studies that critically evaluate both n-6 and n-3 PUFA contents in diets.

Anticancer activities of fatty acids and their heterocyclic derivatives

Traditional chemotherapy relies on the premise that rapidly proliferating cancer cells are more likely to be killed by a cytotoxic agent, but in reality, the long-standing problem of chemotherapy is the lack of tumor-specific treatments. Apart from the impact on tumor cells, the drugs' major limitation is their severe adverse side effects on normal cells and tissues. Nutritional and epidemiological studies have indicated that cancer progression is correlated with the consumption of fatty acids, but the exact mechanisms still remain unknown. In the first part of our review, we discussed the beneficial effects of free fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated) on the progress of carcinogenesis in different tumor cell lines. We presented various mechanisms proposed in the literature, which explain the possible impact on the cells metabolism. The second part describes modifications of different fatty acids with existing anticancer drugs and heterocyclic moieties by condensation reactions. Such conjugations increased the tissue selectivity and made chemotherapy potentially more effective and less toxic in in vivo and in vitro studies. This fatty acid modifications, which change the activity of compounds, their uptake selectivity and alter drug delivery methods, may be the key to unlocking true medical potential of fatty acids.

Evaluation of linseed oil oleogels to partially replace pork backfat in fermented sausages

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, fat replacement in meat products is a matter of concern in the meat industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of pork backfat with two oleogels of linseed in dry-cured sausages.

RESULTS

Five batches of dry-cured sausages were prepared with two oleogels, a mixture of γ-oryzanol and β-sitosterol (SO) and beeswax (B), at two levels of replacement (20% and 40%) (SO-20, SO-40, B-20, and B-40, respectively) and a control batch. The fatty acid profile improved in terms of nutrition: the polyunsaturated fatty acid / saturated fatty acid (PUFA/SFA) and n-6/n-3 ratio was about 1.41 and 0.93 for the higher levels of replacement, SO-40 and B-40, respectively. Quality parameters such as pH and color also changed with the inclusion of oleogels, resulting in changes in the sensory quality.

CONCLUSION

Oleogels based on linseed enabled the replacement of pork backfat in fermented sausages. Depending on the level of fat substitution, such oleogels could replace fat in dry-cured sausages at the industrial level. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Strategy towards Replacing Pork Backfat with a Linseed Oleogel in Frankfurter Sausages and its Evaluation on Physicochemical, Nutritional, and Sensory Characteristics

Different health institutions from western countries ha-ve recommended a diet higher in polyunsaturated fats, especially of the n-3 family. However, this is not a trivial task, especially for meat-processing sectors. The objective of this work was to assess the influence of replacing pork backfat with linseed oleogel on the main quality parameters of frankfurters. The frankfurters were formulated by the pork backfat replacement of 0% (control), 25% (SF-25), and 50% (SF-50), using a linseed oleogel gelled with beeswax. The determination of quality parameters (pH, colour, chemical composition, and texture parameters), the fatty acid profile, and the sensory evaluation was carried out for each batch. The fatty acid profile was substantially improved, and the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content was reduced from 35.15g/100g in control sausages to 33.95 and 32.34g/100 g in SF-25 and SF-50, respectively, and more balanced ratios n-6/n-3 were achieved. In addition, the sausages with linseed oleogel also decreased the cholesterol content from 25.08 mg/100 g in control sausages to 20.12 and 17.23 mg/100 g in SF-25 and SF-50, respectively. It may therefore be concluded that these innovative meat products are a healthier alternative. However, sensory parameters should be improved in order to increase consumer acceptability, and further research is needed.

Effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on proliferation and survival of prostate cancer cells

Progression of prostate cancer to lethal forms is marked by emergence of hormone-independent proliferation of the cancer cells. Nutritional and epidemiological studies have indicated that prostate cancer progression is correlated with the consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). To shed additional light on the cell-level mechanisms of the observed correlation, we compared the sensitivity of hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer cells to growth medium supplementation with free PUFAs in a cell proliferation and viability assay. Our data show that the hormone-dependent cells are comparatively insensitive to various PUFAs, at the same time as the growth and viability of hormone-independent cells lines are strongly inhibited by most of the tested PUFAs, whether n–3 or n–6. We speculate that this difference may be at least partially responsible for the observed effects of specific dietary lipids in prostate cancer. The new data strengthen the case for dietary intervention as part of potential new therapeutic strategies seeking to impede prostate cancer progression.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Survey in Men under Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer: from Intake to Prostate Tissue Level

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids (ω3), particularly long-chain ω3 (LCω3), have protective effects against prostate cancer (PCa) in experimental studies. Observational studies are conflicting, possibly because of the biomarker used. This study aimed at evaluating associations between grade reclassification and ω3 levels assessed in prostatic tissue, red blood cells (RBC), and diet. We conducted a validation cross-sectional study nested within a phase II clinical trial. We identified 157 men diagnosed with low-risk PCa who underwent a first active surveillance repeat prostate biopsy session. Fatty acid (FA) intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and their levels measured in prostate tissue and RBC. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression. At first repeat biopsy session, 39 (25%) men had high-grade PCa (grade group ≥2). We found that high LCω3-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) level in prostate tissue (odds ratio (OR) 0.25; 95% (confidence interval (CI) 0.08–0.79; p-trend = 0.03) was associated with lower odds of high-grade PCa. Similar results were observed for LCω3 dietary intake (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.11-0.83; p-trend = 0.02) but no association for RBC. LCω3-EPA levels in the target prostate tissue are inversely associated with high-grade PCa in men with low-risk PCa, supporting that prostate tissue FA, but not RBC FA, is a reliable biomarker of PCa risk.

Inhibition of Pancreatic Carcinoma Growth Through Enhancing ω-3 Epoxy Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Profile by Inhibition of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase

BACKGROUND/AIM

Cytochrome P450 epoxygenase is a major enzyme involved in the metabolism of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to produce biologically active ω-3 epoxy fatty acids (ω-3 epoxides). In general, all epoxy PUFAs including ω-3 epoxides are quickly metabolized/inactivated by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) to form diol products. The aims of this study were to determine the effect and mechanism of fat-1 transgene, and ω-3 PUFA combined with sEH gene knockout or inhibitor on inhibiting pancreatic cancer and the related mechanisms involved.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PK03-mutant Kras^G12D murine pancreatic carcinoma cells were inoculated into mouse models including fat-1, sEH^-/- and C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed with AIN-76A diet with or without ω-3 PUFA supplementation or treated with sEH inhibitor. In addition to tumor growth (tumor size and weight), cell proliferation, mutant Kras-mediated signaling, inflammatory reaction and angiogenesis were analyzed immunohisto-chemically and by western blot assay. ω-3 PUFA metabolism, particularly focusing on ω-3 epoxy fatty acids (ω-3 epoxides), was measured using a liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach.

RESULTS

Significant decreases of weight and size of the PK03 pancreatic carcinoma were observed in the fat-1 transgenic mice treated with sEH inhibitor compared to those of C57BL/6J control mice fed with AIN-76A diet (weight: 0.28±0.04 g vs. 0.58±0.06 g; size: 187.0±17.5 mm³ vs. 519.3±60.6 mm³). In a separate experiment, sEH^-/- mice fed ω-3 PUFA supplement and C57BL/6J mice treated with sEH inhibitor and fed ω-3 PUFA supplement exhibited a significant reduction in the weight and size of the pancreatic carcinoma compared to C57BL/6J control mice (weight: 0.26±.26 g and 0.39±.39 g vs. 0.69±0.11 g, respectively; size: 274.2±36.2 mm³ and 296.4±99.8 mm³ vs. 612.6±117.8 mm³, respectively). Moreover, compared to the pancreatic tumors in C57BL/6J control mice, the tumors in fat-1 transgenic mice treated with sEH inhibitor showed a significant less inflammatory cell infiltrate (62.6±9.2/HPF (high power field) vs. 8.0±1.2/HPF), tumor cell proliferation (48.5±1.7% vs. 16.5±1.6%), and angiogenesis (micro-vessel density (MVD): 35.0±1.0 vs. 11.1±0.5) immunohistochemically, as well as significantly increased caspase-3 labeled apoptosis (0.44±0.06% vs. 0.69±0.06%, respectively). Using western blot approach, significant inhibition of mutant Kras-activated signals including phosphorylated Serine/threonine kinases (cRAF), Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were identified in pancreatic carcinoma of fat-1 transgenic mice treated with sEH inhibitor. Eicosanoic acid metabolic profiling of the serum specimens detected a significant increase of the ratios of epoxides to dihydroxy fatty acid (DiHDPE) for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and epoxides/dihydroxy octadecenoic acid (DiHOME) for arachidonic acid (ARA) and linoleic acid (LA), as well as a significant increase of epoxy metabolites of DHA, EPA, ARA and LA in fat-1 transgenic mice treated with a sEH inhibitor.

CONCLUSION

ω-3 epoxy products from ω-3 PUFA metabolism play a crucial role in inhibiting pancreatic cancer growth, and use of ω-3 PUFAs combined with sEH inhibition is a strategy with high potential for pancreatic cancer treatment and prevention.

Dietary inflammatory index (DII) and risk of prostate cancer in a case-control study among Black and White US Veteran men

BACKGROUND:

We hypothesized a pro-inflammatory diet would be associated with higher prostate cancer (PC) risk.

METHODS:

We prospectively recruited incident PC cases (n=254) and controls (n=328) at the Durham Veteran Affairs, from 2007–2018. From a self-completed 61-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, we calculated dietary inflammatory index (DII®) scores with and without supplements. We examined the association between DII scores with and without supplements and overall PC risk using logistic regression and risk of low-grade PC (grade group 1) and high-grade PC (grade group 2–5) with multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS:

Cases were more likely to be Black (58% vs. 42%), had higher PSA (6.4 vs. 0.8 ng/ml), lower BMI (29.1 vs. 30.6 kg/m²) and were older (64 vs. 62 years) versus controls (all p<0.01). Both black controls and cases had higher DII scores with and without supplements, though the DII scores with supplements in controls was not significant. On multivariable analysis, there were no associations between DII with or without supplements and overall PC risk (p-trend=0.14, p-trend=0.09, respectively) or low-grade PC (p-trend=0.72, p-trend=0.47, respectively). Higher DII scores with (p-trend=0.04) and without supplements (p =0.08) were associated with high-grade PC, though the association for DII without supplements was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS:

A pro-inflammatory diet was more common among Black men and associated with high-grade PC in our case-control study. The degree to which a pro-inflammatory diet contributes to PC race disparities warrants further study. If confirmed, studies should test whether a low inflammatory diet can prevent high-grade PC, particularly among Black men.

Targeting lipid mediators in cancer biology

Bioactive lipids are essential components of human cells and tissues. As discussed in this review, the cancer lipidome is diverse and malleable, with the ability to promote or inhibit cancer pathogenesis. Targeting lipids within the tumor and surrounding microenvironment may be a novel therapeutic approach for treating cancer patients. Additionally, the emergence of a novel super-family of lipid mediators termed specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) has revealed a new role for bioactive lipid mediators in the resolution of inflammation in cancer biology. The role of SPMs in cancer holds great promise in our understanding of cancer pathogenesis and can ultimately be used in future cancer diagnostics and therapy.

Soybean isoflavones improve the health benefits, flavour quality indicators and physical properties of grass carp (Ctenopharygodon idella)

Health benefits, flavour quality indicators and physical properties were analysed after feeding grass carp graded concentrations of soybean isoflavones (SIF) (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg/kg) for 60 days. The results demonstrated that optimal dietary SIF supplementation improved the protein and total PUFA content, especially healthcare n-3 PUFA (C18: 3n-3, EPA and DHA), and increased the flavour-related free amino acid [especially umami amino acid] and 5'-inosine monophosphate content, improving the health benefits and flavour quality indicators in the muscle of grass carp. In addition, optimal dietary SIF supplementation (25 or 50 mg SIF/kg diet) enhanced some physical properties [water-holding capacity and tenderness] and increased the collagen content; however, it reduced cathepsin activity and apoptosis. SIF supplementation enhanced the glutathione content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (except CuZnSOD) by regulating their gene expression. The gene expression could be regulated by NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling in the muscle of grass carp. We demonstrated that optimal dietary SIF supplementation elevated the health benefits, flavour quality indicators and physical properties of fish muscle.

Changes in lipids composition and metabolism in colorectal cancer: a review

Altered metabolism of lipids is currently considered a hallmark characteristic of many malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Lipids are a large group of metabolites that differ in terms of their fatty acid composition. This review summarizes recent evidence, documenting many alterations in the content and composition of fatty acids, polar lipids, oxylipins and triacylglycerols in CRC patients' sera, tumor tissues and adipose tissue. Some of altered lipid molecules may be potential biomarkers of CRC risk, development and progression. Owing to a significant role of many lipids in cancer cell metabolism, some of lipid metabolism pathways may also constitute specific targets for anti-CRC therapy.

A prospective study of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids intake and lung cancer risk

Animal studies have shown that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory properties. Results from epidemiologic studies on specific types of PUFAs for lung cancer risk, however, are inconclusive. We prospectively evaluated the association of specific types of dietary PUFA intakes and lung cancer risk in two population-based cohort studies, the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) and Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS) with a total of 121,970 study participants (i.e., 65,076 women and 56,894 men). Dietary fatty acid intakes were derived from data collected at the baseline using validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Cox proportional hazards model was performed to assess the association between PUFAs and lung cancer risk. Total, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid intakes were not significantly associated with lung cancer risk. Total PUFAs intake was inversely associated with lung cancer risk [HRs and respective 95% CIs for quintiles 2-5 vs quintile 1: 0.84 (0.71-0.98), 0.97 (0.83-1.13), 0.86 (0.74-1.01) and 0.85 (0.73-1.00), ptrend  = 0.11]. However, DHA intake was positively associated with lung cancer risk [HRs and 95% CIs: 1.01 (0.86-1.19), 1.20 (1.03-1.41), 1.21 (1.03-1.42) and 1.24 (1.05-1.47), ptrend  = 0.001]. The ratio of n-6 PUFAs to n-3 PUFAs (i.e., 7:1) was inversely associated with lung cancer risk, particularly among never-smokers and adenocarcinoma patients. Total PUFAs and the ratio between n-6 PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs were inversely associated with lung cancer risk. This study highlights an important public health impact of PUFA intakes toward intervention/prevention programs of lung cancer.

Metabolomics investigation of dietary effects on flesh quality in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

Background

The ultrahigh density intensive farming model of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) may elicit growth inhibition, decrease flesh quality, and increase disease susceptibility of fish. The degradation in quality and excessive fat accumulation in cultured C. idellus have long been attributed to possible alterations in the lipid metabolism of fish muscle tissues as a result of overnutrition from artificial diets. To investigate the effects of different diets on fish muscle quality, a large-scale metabolomics study was performed on 250 tails of C. idellus.

Findings

The experimental fish were divided into four groups based on sex and diet—female artificial feed (FAF), female grass feed, male artificial feed (MAF), and male grass feed (MGF). After a 113-day rearing period, the artificial feed (AF) group showed a significantly higher total mass of muscle fat (P < 0.01), with the FAF group being the highest. Metabolomics profiling based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed distinctive patterns of clustering according to the four groups. Overall, artificial feeding was associated with higher concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid, whereas grass feeding was associated with elevated n-3 unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) such as eicosapentaenoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and gamma-linolenic acid. Artificial feeding also resulted in significant increased docosahexaenoic acid in MAF muscle than in MGF fish, whereas there was no significance in the comparison of female samples. Metabolic pathway analyses using both targeted and untargeted approaches consistently revealed that arachidonic acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways were significantly different between AF and grass fed groups.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that grass is a better source of dietary fatty acid and protein when compared to artificial feed. Grass feeding could effectively lower triglycerides in serum, reduce fat accumulation, and alter lipid compositions in fish muscle by increasing the concentrations of n-3 UFAs, leading to better nutrition and health.

Effect of dietary components on miRNA and colorectal carcinogenesis

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers diagnosed and among the commonest causes of cancer-related mortality globally. Despite the various available treatment options, millions of people still suffer from this illness and most of these treatment options have several limitations. Therefore, a less expensive, non-invasive or a treatment that requires the use of dietary products remains a focal point in this review.

Main body

Aberrant microRNA expression has been revealed to have a functional role in the initiation and progression of CRC. These has shown significant promise in the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC, owing to their unique expression profile associated with cancer types and malignancies. Moreover, microRNA therapeutics show a great promise in preclinical studies, and these encourage further development of their clinical use in CRC patients. Additionally, emerging studies show the chemo-preventive potential of dietary components in microRNA modulation using several CRC models. This review examines the dietary interplay between microRNAs and CRC incidence. Improving the understanding of the interactions between microRNAs and dietary components in the carcinogenesis of CRC will assist the study of CRC progression and finally, in developing personalized approaches for cancer prevention and therapy.

Conclusion

Although miRNA research is still at its infancy, it could serve as a promising predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC. Given the ever-expanding number of miRNAs, understanding their functional aspects represents a promising option for further research.

Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids: Dietary sources, metabolism, and significance - A review

Linoleic acid (LA) (n-6) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) (n-3) are essential fatty acids (EFAs) as they cannot be synthesized by humans or other higher animals. In the human body, these fatty acids (FAs) give rise to arachidonic acid (ARA, n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, n-3) that play key roles in regulating body homeostasis. Locally acting bioactive signaling lipids called eicosanoids derived from these FAs also regulate diverse homeostatic processes. In general, ARA gives rise to pro-inflammatory eicosanoids whereas EPA and DHA give rise to anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. Thus, a proportionally higher consumption of n-3 PUFAs can protect us against inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other chronic diseases. The present review summarizes major sources, intake, and global consumption of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs. Their metabolism to biosynthesize long-chain PUFAs and eicosanoids and their roles in brain metabolism, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and bone health are also discussed.

Dietary n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the FADS gene, and the risk of gastric cancer in a Korean population

n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs are reported to have immunomodulatory effects, but few studies have examined these functions. Thus, we examined whether dietary n-3 and n-6 PUFAs are associated with the risk of gastric cancer and further investigated whether fatty acid desaturases 1 and 2 (FADS1 and FADS2) modify this association. In a case-control study, 1,464 participants (402 cases and 1,062 controls) were enrolled. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was utilized to measure dietary PUFA intake. Genotyping was performed using the Axiom® Exome 319 Array. Multivariable logistic models were established after adjusting for confounding variables. The risk of gastric cancer was significantly decreased among participants who had the highest tertile intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3 PUFA, even after adjusting for covariates [odds ratios (OR) = 0.72, 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) = 0.53-0.99]. However, no significant interaction according to FADS1 rs174546 or FADS2 rs174583 was observed. In conclusion, we observed a significant inverse association between dietary DHA and the risk of gastric cancer but found that FADS1 rs174546 and FADS2 rs174583 did not modify the association between dietary n-3 or n-6 PUFAs and gastric cancer risk.