Effects of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA, on hematological malignancies: a systematic review
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have well established anti-cancer properties. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are among this biologically active family of macromolecules for which various anti-cancer effects have been explained. These PUFAs have a high safety profile and can induce apoptosis and inhibit growth of cancer cells bothin vitroandin vivo, following a partially selective manner. They also increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents by increasing the sensitivity of different cell lines to specific anti-neoplastic drugs. Various mechanisms have been proposed for the anti-cancer effects of these omega-3 PUFAs; however, the exact mechanisms still remain unknown. While numerous studies have investigated the effects of DHA and EPA on solid tumors and the responsible mechanisms, there is no consensus regarding the effects and mechanisms of action of these two FAs in hematological malignancies. Here, we performed a systematic review of the beneficial effects of EPA and DHA on hematological cell lines as well as the findings of relatedin vivostudies and clinical trials. We summarize the key underlying mechanisms and the therapeutic potential of these PUFAs in the treatment of hematological cancers. Differential expression of apoptosis-regulating genes and Glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gp-x4), varying abilities of different cancerous and healthy cells to metabolize EPA into its more active metabolites and to uptake PUFAS are among the major factors that determine the sensitivity of cells to DHA and EPA. Considering the abundance of data on the safety of these FAs and their proven anti-cancer effects in hematological cell lines and the lack of related human studies, further research is warranted to find ways of exploiting the anticancer effects of DHA and EPA in clinical settings both in isolation and in combination with other therapeutic regimens.
Date Issued
2018-02-05
Date Acceptance
2018-01-21
Citation
Oncotarget, 2018, 9 (14), pp.11858-11875
ISSN
1949-2553
Publisher
Impact Journals
Start Page
11858
End Page
11875
Journal / Book Title
Oncotarget
Volume
9
Issue
14
Copyright Statement
© Moloudizargari et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 3.0 (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author
and source are credited.
License 3.0 (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author
and source are credited.
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29545942
PII: 24405
Subjects
apoptosis
docosahexaenoic acid
eicosapentaenoic acid
fish oil
omega-3
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States