ω3 Fatty acids increase spontaneous release of cytosolic components from tumor cells

Abstract

Mice fed menhaden (fish) oil or coconut oil-rich diets were inoculated intraperitoneally with a rapidly growing leukemia, T27A. After one week, the tumor cells were harvested, and⁵¹Cr was used to label intracellular molecules. Spontaneous release of⁵¹Cr was used as a measure of plasma membrane permeability. Compared to cells from mice fed coconut oil (rich in saturated fatty acids), tumor cells from mice fed menhaden oil (rich in long chain polyunsaturated ω3 fatty acids) showed an increased level of spontaneous⁵¹Cr release, which was exacerbated by increased temperature and reduced by extracellular protein. At physiological salt concentrations, the releated⁵¹Cr was detected in particles of ∼2700 daltons. Enhanced permeability correlated with the incorporation of dietary (fish oil) ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid into the tumor cells. The results demonstrate that ω3 fatty acids are incorporated into cellular constituents of tumor cells and change properties associated with the plasma membrane. This result suggests that dietary manipulation may be used to enhance tumor cell permeability and contribute to tumor eradication.