Diets enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) may protect against breast cancer but biochemical mechanisms are unclear. Our studies showed that the n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) up-regulated syndecan-1 (SDC-1) in human breast cancer cells, and we tested the hypothesis that DHA-mediated up-regulation of SDC-1 induces apoptosis.

The newly defined eicosatetraenoates (ETEs), 5-oxoETE and 5-oxo-15(OH)-ETE, share structural motifs, synthetic origins, and bioactions with leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ). All three eicosanoids stimulate Ca 2؉ transients and chemotaxis in human neutrophils (PMN). However, unlike LTB 4 , 5-oxoETE and 5-oxo-15(OH)-ETE alone cause little degranulation and no superoxide anion production. However, we show herein that, in PMN pretreated with granulocyte-macrophage or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF or G-CSF), the oxoETEs become potent activators of the last responses. The oxoETEs also induce translocation of secretory vesicles from the cytosol to the plasmalemma, an effect not requiring cytokine priming. To study the mechanism of PMN activation in response to the eicosanoids, we examined the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ). PMN expressed three proteins (40, 42, and 44 kDa) that reacted with anti-MAPK antibodies. The oxoETEs, LTB 4 , GM-CSF, and G-CSF all stimulated PMN to activate the MAPKs and cPLA 2 , as defined by shifts in these proteins' electrophoretic mobility and tyrosine phosphorylation of the MAPKs. However, the speed and duration of the MAPK response varied markedly depending on the stimulus. 5-OxoETE caused a very rapid and transient activation of MAPK. In contrast, the response to the cytokines was rather slow and persistent. PMN pretreated with GM-CSF demonstrated a dramatic increase in the extent of MAPK tyrosine phosphorylation and electrophoretic mobility shift in response to 5-oxoETE. Similarly, 5-oxoETE induced PMN to release some preincorporated [ 14 C]arachidonic acid, while GM-CSF greatly enhanced the extent of this release. Thus, the synergism exhibited by these agents is prominent at the level of MAPK stimulation and phospholipid deacylation. Pertussis toxin, but not Ca 2؉ depletion, inhibited MAPK responses to 5-oxoETE and LTB 4 , indicating that responses to both agents are coupled through G proteins but not dependent upon Ca 2؉ transients. 15-OxoETE and 15(OH)-ETE were inactive while 5-oxo-15(OH)-ETE and 5(OH)-ETE had 3-and 10-fold less potency than 5-oxoETE, indicating a rather strict structural specificity for the 5-keto group. LY 255283, a LTB 4 antagonist, blocked the responses to LTB 4 but not to 5-oxoETE. Therefore, the oxoETEs do not appear to operate through the LTB 4 receptor. In summary, the oxoETEs are potent activators of PMN that share some but not all activities with LTB 4 . The response to the oxoETEs is greatly enhanced by pretreatment with cytokines, indicating that combinations of these mediators may be very important in the pathogenesis of inflammation.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and androgen receptor (AR) pathways play pivotal roles in prostate cancer progression. Therefore, agents with dual-targeting ability may have important therapeutic potential. Decorin, a proteoglycan present in the tumor microenvironment, is known to regulate matrix assembly, growth factor binding, and receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Here, we show that in prostate-specific Pten(P-/-) mice, a genetically defined, immune-competent mouse model of prostate cancer, systemic delivery of decorin inhibits tumor progression by targeting cell proliferation and survival pathways. Moreover, in human prostate cancer cells, we show that decorin specifically inhibits EGFR and AR phosphorylation and cross talk between these pathways. This prevents AR nuclear translocation and inhibits the production of prostate specific antigen. Further, the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt cell survival pathway is suppressed leading to tumor cell apoptosis. Those findings highlight the effectiveness of decorin in the presence of a powerful genetic cancer risk and implicate decorin as a potential new agent for prostate cancer therapy by targeting EGFR/AR-PI3K-Akt pathways.

Evidence indicates that diets enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but biochemical mechanisms are unclear. Syndecan-1 (SDC-1), a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, supports the integrity of the epithelial compartment. In tumor cells of epithelial lineage, SDC-1 is generally downregulated. This may result in perturbation of homeostasis and lead to progression of malignancy. Our studies have shown that the n-3 PUFA species, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), increases SDC-1 expression in prostate tissues of Pten knockout (Pten(P-/-)) mice/cells and human prostate cancer cells. We have now determined that DHA-mediated up-regulation of SDC-1 induces apoptosis. Bovine serum albumin-bound DHA and exogenous human recombinant SDC-1 ecotodomain were delivered to PC3 and LNCaP cells in the presence or absence of SDC-1 small interfering (si)RNA. In the presence of control siRNA, both DHA and SDC-1 ectodomain induced apoptosis, whereas SDC-1 silencing blocked DHA-induced but not SDC-1 ectodomain-induced apoptosis. Downstream effectors of SDC-1 signaling linked to n-3 PUFA-induced apoptosis involved the 3'-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1)/Akt/Bad integrating network. A diet enriched in n-3 PUFA decreased phosphorylation of PDK1, Akt (T308), and Bad in prostates of Pten(P-/-) mice. Similar results were observed in human prostate cancer cells in response to DHA and SDC-1 ectodomain. The effect of DHA on PDK1/Akt/Bad signaling was abrogated by SDC-1 siRNA. These findings define a mechanism by which SDC-1-dependent suppression of phosphorylation of PDK1/Akt/Bad mediates n-3 PUFA-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer.

Human polymorphonuclear neutrophils rapidly incorporated radiolabeled platelet-activating factor, 1-O-Ihexadecyl-9, 10-3H21-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (I3HIPAF), and then metabolized it into its sn-2-fatty acyl derivative.

Challenge of human neutrophils prelabeled with [3H] arachidonate and [14C] palmitate or [14C]-stearate with opsonized zymosan or the Ca2+ ionophores A23187 or Ionomycin caused the release of [3H], but not [14C], fatty acid. With the ionophores, but not zymosan, considerable conversion of the [3H] arachidonate to hydroxyeicosatetraenoates occurred. Although various isomers were recovered, the 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoate appeared to be the major product. In these experiments, no [14C] products were detected such as lysophospholipid, diglyceride or monoglyceride. Although no definite statement can be made about the mechanism of release of arachidonate, our data are most easily interpreted as the result of the action of a phospholipase A2.

Omega-3 (or n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their metabolites are natural ligands for peroxisome proliferator receptor activator (PPAR)γ and, due to the effects of PPARγ on cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation, are potential anticancer agents. Dietary intake of omega-3 PUFAs has been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers in human populations and in animal models. In vitro studies have shown that omega-3 PUFAs inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells through various pathways but one of which involves PPARγ activation. The differential activation of PPARγ and PPARγ-regulated genes by specific dietary fatty acids may be central to their distinct roles in cancer. This review summarizes studies relating PUFAs to PPARγ and cancer and offers a new paradigm relating an n-3 PUFA through PPARγ to the expression of the cell surface proteoglycan, syndecan-1, and to the death of cancer cells.

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