Positive Health Online

Abstract

KONTOGIANNEA and colleagues, Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada investigated the effect of membrane omega-3 fatty acid alterations on hepatic endothelial cell adhesion .

Background

Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to inhibit colon carcinogenesis . Adhesion of human colorectal carcinoma (HCRC) cells to hepatic endothelial cells is an important step in the metastatic cascade . However, the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on hepatic metastasis formation are not completely understood.

Methodology

CX-1 cells (a moderately differentiated HCRC cell line known to produce hepatic metastases in an athymic mouse intrasplenic injection model) were grown in medium enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Membrane-free fatty acid modifications were confirmed by gas chromatography (docosahexanoic acid: 4.761 nmol/106 cells versus 0.057 nmol/106 cells for controls). Human umbilical vein and hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells were used in the binding assays. Adhesion assays were performed using (51)Cr-labelled cells to tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-stimulated endothelial cell monolayers. Presence of sialyl-Lewis(x), the receptor involved in endothelial adhesion on the surfaces of control and fatty acid-modified cells, was determined by immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

Membrane omega-3 fatty acid modification reduced the binding of CX-1 cells to both human umbilical vein and hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells from 38.4% to 11.58 (p<0.01) and also decreased the expression of the sialyl-Lewis(x) receptor .

Conclusion

Omega-3 fatty acids may be protective against the formation of hepatic metastases . The mechanism may be decreased endothelial cell adhesion due to decreased expression of the endothelial receptor sialyl-Lewis(x) .

References

Kontogiannea M et al. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease endothelial adhesion of human colorectal carcinoma cells. The Journal of Surgical Research 92 (2): 201-5. Aug 2000.