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n-3 PUFAs: an Elixir in Prevention of Colorectal Cancer

  • Molecular Biology (S Anant, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Colorectal Cancer Reports

Abstract

Dietary fats especially essential unsaturated fatty acids have been proven to be major determinants in cancer progression and propagation. Epidemiological and experimental data indicates that consumption of higher amounts of n-6 PUFAs with respect to n-3 PUFAs increases the predisposition to various diseases including colon cancer. The chemopreventive effect of n-3 PUFAs has been ascribed to the replacement of n-6 PUFAs in cell membrane-associated lipid rafts. The change in architecture of their lipid rafts influences the behavior of membrane-bound proteins and receptors, and thereby, modulation of various signalling cascades regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and other pathways involved in carcinogenesis. Altered signalling pathways can maintain the intestinal homeostasis by hampering the expression of the genes involved in inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of colon cancer. These properties of n-3 PUFAs make them a potential candidate for cancer chemoprevention. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanism of action of n-3 PUFAs on the chemoprevention of colon cancer.

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Renuka Malik, Sandeep Kumar, Bhoomika Sharma, Prerna Sharma, and Navneet Agnihotri declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences, Panjab University, Block-2, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014, India

    Renuka, Sandeep Kumar, Bhoomika Sharma, Prerna Sharma & Navneet Agnihotri

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  1. Renuka
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Renuka, Kumar, S., Sharma, B. et al. n-3 PUFAs: an Elixir in Prevention of Colorectal Cancer. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep 11, 141–149 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-015-0268-3

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