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Anticancer Effects of Essential Fatty Acids

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Pancreatic Disease

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Abstract

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) consist of two groups of fatty acids (n-6 or omega-6, derived from linoleic acid (LA) and n-3 or omega-3, derived from alpha-linolenic acid (LNA)) that cannot be synthesised de novo, and thus must be supplied in the diet. Once supplied, these fatty acids can be elongated and/or desaturated to produce other fatty acids within that omega family (Figure 1). EFAs are important structural constituents of all cellular membranes. Changes in plasma membrane fatty acid composition can affect the fluidity of the membrane and ion or substrate transport into the cells, the activity of membrane-associated enzymes and the functioning of receptors and/or signal transduction processes. EFAs are also the precursors of eicosanoids: prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes; and are necessary to maintain the impermeability barrier of the skin and for cholesterol transport and metabolism.

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Authors
  1. D. Ravichandran
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  2. C. D. Johnson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Southampton General Hospital, University Surgical Unit, Tremona Road, SO1 6HU, Southampton, UK

    C. D. Johnson MChir, FRCS (Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon, Faculty of Medicine) (Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Surgeon, Faculty of Medicine)

  2. Surgical Unit, Royal Infirmary, 16 Alexandra Parade, G4 OSF, Glasgow, UK

    C. W. Imrie ChB, FRCS (Consultant Surgeon) (Consultant Surgeon)

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Ravichandran, D., Johnson, C.D. (1999). Anticancer Effects of Essential Fatty Acids. In: Johnson, C.D., Imrie, C.W. (eds) Pancreatic Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0801-6_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0801-6_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1205-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-0801-6

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