Anti-cancer effects of a new docosahexaenoic acid monoacylglyceride in lung adenocarcinoma

Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov. 2013 Sep;8(3):319-34. doi: 10.2174/1574891x113089990032.

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite advances in research, diagnosis and treatment, lung cancer remains a highly lethal disease, often diagnosed at advanced stages and with a very poor prognosis. Therefore, new strategies for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer are urgently needed. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-tumorigenic effects of docosahexaenoic acid monoacylglyceride (MAG-DHA), a newly patented DHA derivative in lung adenocarcinoma. Our results demonstrate that MAG-DHA treatments decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cells whereas MAG-DHA treatment did not induce apoptosis of normal bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. MAG-DHA decreased NFκB activation leading to a reduction in COX-2 expression level in both A549 cells and lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Furthermore, MAG-DHA treatment increased PTEN expression and activation concomitant with a decrease in AKT phosphorylation levels and enhanced apoptosis. Oral administration of MAG-DHA significantly reduced tumor growth in a mouse A549 xenograft model. Lastly, MAG-DHA markedly decreased COX-2 and enhanced PTEN protein expression in tumor tissue sections. Altogether, these data provide new evidence regarding the mode of action of MAG-DHA and strongly suggest that this compound could be of clinical interest in cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung
  • Administration, Oral
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Middle Aged
  • Monoglycerides / pharmacology*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Monoglycerides
  • NF-kappa B
  • docosahexaenoic acid monoacylglyceride
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • PTGS2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human