Effect of dietary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on development of azaserine-induced preneoplastic lesions in rat pancreas

• Published in: JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute Vol. 81; no. 11; p. 858
• Main Authors: O'Connor, T P, Roebuck, B D, Peterson, F J, Lokesh, B, Kinsella, J E, Campbell, T C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 07.06.1989
• Subjects: Animals; Azaserine - adverse effects; Cell Membrane - analysis; Corn Oil - adverse effects; Dietary Fats, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythrocytes - analysis; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Fish Oils - adverse effects; Male; Pancreatic Neoplasms - chemically induced; Precancerous Conditions - chemically induced; Rats
• ISSN: 0027-8874
• DOI: 10.1093/jnci/81.11.858

We examined the effect of varying the ratio of dietary omega-3 (omega 3) to omega-6 (omega 6) on the development of pancreatic preneoplastic lesions in male Wistar rats given azaserine at 14 days of age. As the ratio of dietary omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids increased in a diet totaling 20% by weight of fat, the development of preneoplastic atypical acinar cell nodules (AACNs) at 4 months after dosing with azaserine decreased significantly. In addition, serum levels of prostaglandin thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2, and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha decreased significantly. The fatty acid composition of the rbc membrane was also significantly influenced by the ratio of dietary omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. In a second experiment, we examined the effect of dietary intervention with a different type of fat (corn oil or menhaden oil) 2 months into the 4-month postdosing period on AACN development at the end of the post-dosing period. Intervention of the omega 6 fatty acid-rich diet with the omega 3 fatty acid-rich diet significantly decreased focal development. The opposite was true when intervention involved substituting the omega 3 fatty acid-rich diet with the omega 6 fatty acid-rich diet.