Modulation of arachidonic acid distribution by conjugated linoleic acid isomers and linoleic acid in MCF-7 and SW480 cancer cells

The relationship between growth and alterations in arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism in human breast (MCF-7) and colon (SW480) cancer cells was studied. Four different fatty acid preparations were evaluated: a mixture of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers (c9,t11, t10,c12, c11,t13, and minor amounts of other isomers), the pure c9,t11-CLA isomer, the pure t10,c12-CLA isomer, and linoleic acid (LA) (all at a lipid concentration of 16 microg/mL). 14C-AA uptake into the monoglyceride fraction of MCF-7 cells was significantly increased following 24 h incubation with the CLA mixture (P < 0.05) and c9,t11-CLA (P < 0.02). In contrast to the MCF-7 cells, 14C-AA uptake into the triglyceride fraction of the SW480 cells was increased while uptake into the phospholipids was reduced following treatment with the CLA mixture (P < 0.02) and c9,t11-CLA (P < 0.05). Distribution of 14C-AA among phospholipid classes was altered by CLA treatments in both cell lines. The c9,t11-CLA isomer decreased (P < 0.05) uptake of 14C-AA into phosphatidylcholine while increasing (P < 0.05) uptake into phosphatidylethanolamine in both cell lines. Both the CLA mixture and the t10,c12-CLA isomer increased (P < 0.01) uptake of 14C-AA into phosphatidylserine in the SW480 cells but had no effect on this phospholipid in the MCF-7 cells. Release of 14C-AA derivatives was not altered by CLA treatments but was increased (P < 0.05) by LA in the SW480 cell line. The CLA mixture of isomers and c9,t11-CLA isomer inhibited 14C-AA conversion to 14C-prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by 20-30% (P < 0.05) while increasing 14C-PGF2alpha by 17-44% relative to controls in both cell lines. LA significantly (P < 0.05) increased 14C-PGD2 by 13-19% in both cell lines and increased 14C-PGE2 by 20% in the SW480 cell line only. LA significantly (P < 0.05) increased 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoate by 27% in the MCF-7 cell line. Lipid peroxidation, as determined by increased levels of 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-epi-PGF2alpha), was observed following treatment with c9,t11-CLA isomer in both cell lines (P < 0.02) and with t10,c12-CLA isomer in the MCF-7 cell line only (P < 0.05). These data indicate that the growth-promoting effects of LA in the SW480 cell line may be associated with enhanced conversion of AA to PGE2 but that the growth-suppressing effects of CLA isomers in both cell lines may be due to changes in AA distribution among cellular lipids and an altered prostaglandin profile.