Electrophilic derivatives of omega-3 fatty acids counteract lung cancer cell growth

Purpose 17-oxo-DHA is an electrophilic keto-derivative of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) endogenously generated by cyclooxygenase-2 and a cellular dehydrogenase. 17-oxo-DHA displays anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective actions. DHA, alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy, displays antitumor activity. However, the effects of electrophilic keto-derivatives of DHA on cancer growth have never been evaluated. We investigated whether 17-oxo-DHA, alone or in combination with gemcitabine, displayed antitumor effects. Furthermore, we evaluated whether the enzyme 15-prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) was required for transducing the antitumor effects of DHA.