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Fish oil enhances targeted apoptosis during colon tumor initiation in part by downregulating Bcl-2

Mee Young Hong1, Robert S Chapkin, Laurie A Davidson

  • 1Faculty of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.

Nutrition and Cancer
|August 20, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Fish oil protects against colon cancer by increasing apoptosis, a programmed cell death. This effect is linked to fish oil

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Colon cancer is a significant health concern.
  • Fish oil has demonstrated protective effects against colon tumorigenesis.
  • Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-II are implicated in inhibiting apoptosis via bcl-2 induction in colon cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that fish oil's upregulation of apoptosis is associated with a downregulation of bcl-2.
  • To determine the correlation between bcl-2 expression and apoptosis in the colon.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which fish oil exerts its protective effects against colon tumorigenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to localize bcl-2 within the colonic crypt.
  • Immunoblot analysis of bcl-2 was performed on scraped colonic mucosa.
  • Tissues were collected from rats fed corn oil or fish oil diets at various time points post-carcinogen injection.

Main Results:

  • Bcl-2 expression decreased while apoptosis increased until 9 hours post-injection, showing a negative correlation.
  • Fish oil consumption significantly decreased bcl-2 expression (P < 0.05).
  • Fish oil consumption significantly increased apoptosis (P < 0.05) in the distal colon.

Conclusions:

  • Fish oil downregulates anti-apoptotic bcl-2 expression.
  • This downregulation of bcl-2 by fish oil is a key pathway mediating increased apoptosis.
  • Fish oil's ability to upregulate apoptosis by downregulating bcl-2 contributes to its protective role in colon tumorigenesis.

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