Positive Health Online

Abstract

FINSTAD and colleagues, Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo, and The Norwegian Radium Hospital write that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may reduce cell multiplication in normal and transformed white blood cells. The authors studied the sensitivity of leukaemia cell lines to PUFA.

Background

Methodology

14 different leukaemia cells lines were assessed for sensitivity to PUFA by measuring cell number following 3 days of incubation. Effects upon cell viability were assessed by studying cell membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation and cell morphology.

Results

10 of the 14 examined cell lines were sensitive to 30, 60 and/or 120 microM of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid, whereas 4 cell lines were resistant. Sensitivity to PUFA was not associated with cell lineage, clinical origin or specific mRNA pattern of bcl-2 and c-myc. The sensitive cell lines Raji and Ramos died by necrosis and apoptosis, respectively, during incubation with EPA, whereas the viability of the resistant U-698 cell line was unaffected. The effects of EPA upon Raji cells was counteracted by vitamin E, demonstrating that lipid peroxidation was involved. Apoptosis induced by EPA in Ramos cells was unaffected by vitamin E as well as eicosanoid synthesis inhibitors.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that a majority of leukaemia cell lines are sensitive to PUFA. This sensitivity may be caused by induction of apoptosis or necrosis by very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

References

Finstad HS et al. Multiplication and death-type of leukemia cell lines exposed to very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Leukemia 12(6): 921-9. Jun 1998.