2006-02-10 10:16:19 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, to culture media causes prostate cancer cells to grow twice as fast as usual, according to a report in the February 1st issue of Cancer Research.

“Investigating the reasons for this rapid growth, we discovered that the omega-6 was turning on a dozen inflammatory genes that are known to be important in cancer,” lead author Dr. Millie Hughes-Fulford, from the San Francisco VA Medical Center, said in a statement.

Further analysis indicated that arachidonic acid was activating these genes through a PI3-kinase pathway known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of cancer.

Adding an NSAID or a PI3-kinase inhibitor to the culture media blocked the arachidonic acid-induced proliferation of prostate cancer cells, the findings indicate.

In light of the current findings, Dr. Hughes-Fulford said she now avoids cooking with corn oil, which is known to be high in omega-6 fatty acids. “I’m not a physician, and do not tell people how to eat, but I can tell you what I do in my own home. I use only canola oil and olive oil.”

Cancer Research, Feb 1, 2006.
Arachidonic Acid Activates Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Signaling and Induces Gene Expression in Prostate Cancer
Millie Hughes-Fulford1,2,3, Chai-Fei Li, Jim Boonyaratanakornkit and Sina Sayyah
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Northern California Institute for Research and Education; and University of California, San Francisco, California

News Source: Reuters Health