Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
10:39
Using Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells to Teach Core Biology Concepts: A Simple Lab Module
Published on: June 18, 2015
Fish oil regulates cell proliferation, protect DNA damages and decrease HER-2/neu and c-Myc protein expression in rat
Sangita Manna1, M Janarthan, Balaram Ghosh
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University 188, Raja S.C. Mallick Road, P.O. Box 17028, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|February 9, 2010
Summary
Dietary fish oil supplementation significantly reduced DNA damage and inhibited key markers of cell proliferation and oncogenesis in a rat model of mammary cancer. This suggests n-3 PUFA can prevent DNA damage and mammary carcinogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nutritional Science
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Mammary carcinogenesis is a significant health concern.
- Dietary factors play a crucial role in cancer development and prevention.
- Fish oil, rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), is investigated for its potential health benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of dietary fish oil (MaxEPA) on DNA-strand breaks.
- To assess the effect of fish oil on cell proliferation markers.
- To examine the influence of fish oil on anti-apoptotic protein expression in rat mammary carcinogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-one female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for DNA-strand breaks and immunohistochemical studies.
- Mammary carcinogenesis was induced using 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene (DMBA).
- Rats were administered either fish oil or corn oil daily via oral gavage.
Main Results:
- Fish oil treatment significantly protected against single-strand breaks (SSBs) by 56.1% (P < 0.05).
- Corn oil treatment increased SSBs by 72.3% (P < 0.05) compared to the DMBA control.
- Fish oil significantly decreased Ki-67, HER-2/neu, and c-Myc expression, while corn oil increased them.
Conclusions:
- Dietary n-3 PUFA demonstrates a preventive role against DNA damage.
- Fish oil supplementation shows potential in inhibiting mammary carcinogenesis.
- These findings support the use of n-3 PUFA as a chemopreventive agent.
Related Concept Videos
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The mTOR pathway or the...
02:38Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...