BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6) are reported to selectively kill malignant cells. Most investigations, however, did not compare neoplastic with non-neoplastic cells from the same tissue type. Here we evaluate the effects of n-6 fatty acids on a non-neoplastic epithelium cell line (CAPE) and a spontaneous carcinoma cell line (CPA) derived from the canine prostate. METHODS: Cell lines were cultured in DME in the presence of fatty acids and their effects on cell proliferation monitored by coulter counting. Lipids were extracted and quantitized by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Cell proliferation was reduced more in CAPE. A neoplastic strain (CPA-GLA) tolerant to prolonged culture in 18:3n-6 was isolated. CPA grown in an 18:2n-6 or 18:3n-6 supplemented media accumulated 20:3n-6 and contained little 20:4n-6. CONCLUSIONS: Polyenoic n-6 fatty acids are not specifically inhibitory to neoplastic cells which exhibited a marked alteration in the metabolism of 20:4n-6.
BACKGROUND:Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6) are reported to selectively kill malignant cells. Most investigations, however, did not compare neoplastic with non-neoplastic cells from the same tissue type. Here we evaluate the effects of n-6 fatty acids on a non-neoplastic epithelium cell line (CAPE) and a spontaneous carcinoma cell line (CPA) derived from the canine prostate. METHODS: Cell lines were cultured in DME in the presence of fatty acids and their effects on cell proliferation monitored by coulter counting. Lipids were extracted and quantitized by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Cell proliferation was reduced more in CAPE. A neoplastic strain (CPA-GLA) tolerant to prolonged culture in 18:3n-6 was isolated. CPA grown in an 18:2n-6 or 18:3n-6 supplemented media accumulated 20:3n-6 and contained little 20:4n-6. CONCLUSIONS:Polyenoic n-6 fatty acids are not specifically inhibitory to neoplastic cells which exhibited a marked alteration in the metabolism of 20:4n-6.