Polyunsaturated fatty acids induce ovarian cancer cell death through ROS-dependent MAP kinase activation

Free fatty acids not only play a role in cell membrane construction and energy production but also exert diverse cellular effects through receptor and non-receptor mechanisms. Moreover, epidemiological and clinical studies have so far suggested that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) could have health benefits and the advantage as therapeutic use in cancer treatment. However, the underlying mechanisms of PUFA-induced cellular effects remained to be cleared. Here, we examined the effects of ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs on cell death in ovarian cancer cell lines. ω-3 PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and ω-6 PUFA, γ-linolenic acid (γ-LNA) induced cell death in KF28 cells at the levels of physiological concentrations, but not HAC2 cells. Pharmacological and biochemical analyses demonstrated that cell death induced by DHA and γ-LNA was correlated with activation of JNK and p38 MAP kinases, and further an upstream MAP kinase kinase, apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, which is stimulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, an antioxidant vitamin E attenuated PUFA-induced cell death and MAP kinase activation. These findings indicate that PUFA-induced cell death involves ROS-dependent MAP kinase activation and is a cell type-specific action. A further study of the underlying mechanisms for ROS-dependent cell death induced by PUFAs will lead to the discovery of a new target for cancer therapy or diagnosis.