A Comparison of the Cytotoxic Effects of Fatty Acids on In Vitro Breast and Prostate Cell Lines
August 2016
TLDR DHA derivatives, especially didocosahexaenoin, effectively kill prostate cancer cells and may offer a safer cancer treatment option.
The study compared the cytotoxic effects of various fatty acid derivatives on in vitro breast (MCF7) and prostate (PC3) cell lines. It was found that DHA derivatives, particularly the sn-1,3-diglyceride form known as didocosahexaenoin, were the most effective in terms of cytotoxicity, especially against PC3 prostate carcinoma cells. Didocosahexaenoin exhibited an IC50 of 3.82 ± 0.51 μM on PC3 cells after 96 hours of exposure and demonstrated a 3.26-fold selectivity for cancerous PC3 cells over normal PNT2 prostate cells. The mechanism of action involved the induction of apoptosis through the activation of caspase3/7 and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species.