Dietary Essential Fatty Acids Are Required for Maintenance and Induction of Prolactin Receptors

Abstract

There is a positive correlation between incidence of mammary carcinoma and dietary fat intake. Diets which enhance tumor formation include the essential fatty acids (EFA), linoleic and linolenic acids. Some mammary tumors are stimulated to grow by high concentrations of prolactin. Essential fatty acids may alter hormonal effects by modulating the prolactin receptor present on the surface of target cells. Such modifications of the hormone-receptor axis could alter the response of the cell to normal concentrations of hormones within the body and may provide a partial explanation of the role of diet in the development of mammary carcinoma. Mice maintained on diets lacking the essential fatty acids exhibited a progressive decrease with time in number of prolactin receptors detectable in their hepatic microsomal membranes. These deficient animals were insensitive to induction of receptor by treatment with exogenous prolactin. The quality of dietary lipids apparently modifies the prolactin receptor in vivo.