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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

induced modulation, membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids, chemotherapeutic intervention, cancer

College

Life Sciences

Department

Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have several integral functions in the human body. In addition to playing essential structural, metabolic, and cell-signaling roles, fatty acids may be involved in the onset of cancer. The fatty acid profile of a cell, which is defined as the relative ratios of individual fatty acids as compared to the entire cellular fatty acid content, is known to play a direct role in controlling gene expression and the protection of cells from oxidative damage caused by bodily inflammatory responses. It is known that cancer cells have modulated membrane fatty acid profiles, differing gene expression, and increased inflammatory protection compared to normal cells. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that cancer cells are more resistant than normal cell lines to the oxidative damage caused by lipid peroxidation. Among the theories for this phenomenon is that many known lines of cancer cells have decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, which decreases the possible sites of oxidative attack. In fact, it has been documented that cells with increased PUFA content also have elevated levels of lipid peroxidation. Finally, antioxidants, particularly those of the family of vitamin E, have shown to protect cells with elevated levels of linoleic acid from lipid peroxidation through direct association with that particular fatty acid in the cellular membrane.

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Microbiology Commons

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