Effects of lovastatin on the fatty acid desaturation in a human lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma grown in nude mice

The effect of lovastatin, a hypocholesterolemic drug, on tumor growth and desaturase activity was studied in a human lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma (HLMC) grown in nude mice. After administration of a diet supplemented with 25 mg% (w/w) lovastatin for 30 days the growth of HLMC was not inhibited. Liver and tumor phospholipid/cholesterol ratio was increased in lovastatin group but serum cholesterol was unaffected. Treatment with lovastatin increased delta 5 and delta 9 desaturation in tumor microsomes, whereas delta 6 desaturation did not change in tumors of treated mice. The changes were not reflected in the fatty acid composition of total tumor lipids.