Eicosanoid synthesis in 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene‐induced mammary carcinomas in Sprague‐Dawley rats fed primrose oil, menhaden oil or corn oil diet

Abstract

The comparative effects of high‐fat diets (20%, w/w) on eicosanoid synthesis during mammary tumor promotion in 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)‐induced rats were studied using diets containing 20% primrose oil (PO), 20% menhaden oil (MO) or 20% corn oil (CO). Sprague‐Dawley rats fed the PO or MO diet had 21% or 24% fewer adenocarcinomas, respectively, than rats fed the CO diet. Histologically (i.e., mitotic figures, inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis), the CO‐fed rats exhibited the highest frequency of changes within tumors. Plasma fatty acid composition was significantly altered by diet, reflecting the composition of the oils which were being fed. Only the plasma of PO‐fed rats contained detectable levels of gamma‐linolenic acid (GLA). Arachidonic acid (AA) levels were significantly higher (p1 and LTB₄ was significantly (p<0.05) higher in PO‐fed rats than in CO‐fed or MO‐fed rats, although PGE values were significantly (p<0.05) higher in CO‐fed rats than in Mo or PO groups. The synthesis of eicosanoids in both mammary fat pads and mammary carcinomas of MO‐fed rats was lower (p<0.05) than in tissues of rats fed either CO or PO diets due to less AA precursor being fed and/or to competition between n−6 and n−3 fatty acids for cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. The ratios of monoenoic to dienoic eicosanoids in both mammary fat pads and mammary carcinomas were higher in the PO group than in the MO or CO groups. These results suggest that inclusion of GLA (PO feeding) or EPA and DHA (MO feeding) in the diet may decrease malignancy by altering eicosanoid profiles.