Positive Health Online

Abstract

YAMAMOTO and colleagues, Department of Pathology II, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan studied the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and an angiogenesis inhibitor (TNP-470) upon breast cancer cell growth in 4 human breast cancer cell lines.

Background

Methodology

The human breast cancer cell lines were MDA-MB-231, T-47D, MDF-7, KPL-1 and MKL-F.

Results

EPA and TNP-470 alone both demonstrated tumour growth inhibition in all five cell lines, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In combination, a synergistic effect was seen at high concentrations. EPA plus TNP-470 treatment provoked apoptosis, which was verified by the appearance of sub G1 populations, DNA fragmentation and cell morphology. In combination, expression of Bax and Bcl-xS, the apoptosis-enhancing proteins, was more up-regulated that of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, the apoptosis-suppressing proteins, was more down-regulated compared to the use of EPA orTNP-470 alone, suggesting that their synergistic effect was due to an acceleration of apoptosis.

Conclusion

References

Yamamoto D et al. Synergistic action of apoptosis induced by eicosapentaenoic acid and TNP-470 on human breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 55(2): 149-60. May 1999.

Comment

To a molecular biologist (as I am) it is extremely reassuring when researchers discover how nutrients such as EPA actually suppress cancer growth, at the molecular level. This will filter down into patient care, probably within a 5-year period, when it will probably be possible to induce apoptosis and cause the cancer cells to commit suicide.