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Polyunsaturated fatty acids alter profibrogenic outcomes of bleomycin treatment
Author(s) -
Baybutt Richard,
Herndon Betty,
Bruening Christine,
Quinn Tim,
Molteni Agostino
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a1139-a
Subject(s) - bleomycin , fish oil , polyunsaturated fatty acid , eicosapentaenoic acid , docosahexaenoic acid , pulmonary fibrosis , fibrosis , saline , corn oil , medicine , chemistry , fatty acid , biology , endocrinology , pharmacology , biochemistry , chemotherapy , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
Bleomycin is effective in cancer treatment by induction of both single and double strand DNA cleavage. Double‐strand breaks, increased in high oxygen, may be responsible for bleomycin’s pulmonary fibrosis, paired with decreased host antioxidant defenses. This study investigated mechanisms by which polyunsaturated fatty acids alter profibrogenic outcomes of bleomycin treatment. Omega‐3 dietary fatty acids were administered to adult male rats: 13% fish oil (n=12) or 7% fish oil (n=12), high in major antioxidants eicosapentaenoic (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The third group (n=12) received flax seed oil, high in linolenic acid. Half of the groups received bleomycin and half saline. Positive and negative controls received corn oil plus bleomycin (n=6) or saline (n=6). Pathology was scored by experiment‐blind experts. Fish oil protected lungs from bleomycin fibrosis, p<0.001, with 7% giving the best result. Flax oil showed less pulmonary protection, p=0.03. Livers of rats receiving bleomycin were significantly protected from fibrosis by all fatty acid treatments (p<0.001), flax oil showing the best result. Negative controls revealed no fibrosis. Omega‐3 dietary fatty acids protected against bleomycin‐induced fibrosis in both lungs and livers. One of the more interesting findings was that flax oil’s alpha linolenic acid showed better protection against bleomycin toxicity in the liver compared to 7% and 13% fish oils, a protection not seen in lung. Data suggest that the liver protection relates to hepatic metabolism of alpha linolenic acid.