Effect of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on growth and lipid composition of neoplastic and non-neoplastic canine prostate epithelial cell cultures

BACKGROUND Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐6) are reported to selectively kill malignant cells. Most investigations, however, did not compare neoplastic with non‐neoplastic cells from the same tissue type. Here we evaluate the effects of n‐6 fatty acids on a non‐neoplastic epithelium cell line (CAPE) and a spontaneous carcinoma cell line (CPA) derived from the canine prostate. METHODS Cell lines were cultured in DME in the presence of fatty acids and their effects on cell proliferation monitored by coulter counting. Lipids were extracted and quantitized by gas chromatography. RESULTS Cell proliferation was reduced more in CAPE. A neoplastic strain (CPA‐GLA) tolerant to prolonged culture in 18:3n‐6 was isolated. CPA grown in an 18:2n‐6 or 18:3n‐6 supplemented media accumulated 20:3n‐6 and contained little 20:4n‐6. CONCLUSIONS Polyenoic n‐6 fatty acids are not specifically inhibitory to neoplastic cells which exhibited a marked alteration in the metabolism of 20:4n‐6. Prostate 31:29–36, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.