Mg. Vecchia et al., ACETATE AND PROPIONATE POTENTIATE THE ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT OF BUTYRATE ON RBL-2H3 GROWTH, General pharmacology, 29(5), 1997, pp. 725-728
1. The effect of acetate, propionate, and butyrate separately and comb
ined on RBL-2H3 (a rat basophilic leukemic cell type) proliferation du
ring 24, 48, and 72 hr was examined, Also, the effect of a mixture of
the three volatile fatty acids on proliferation of HeLa-155 (a human a
denocarcinoma), C57 B1/6J (a mouse melanoma), and MCF-7 (human breast
tumor) during 8 days was investigated. 2. Acetate and propionate per s
e did not present any effect on RBL-2H3 growth during 72 hr, however,
when acetate and propionate were added together a significant inhibiti
on of this cell growth was found; 18% for 48 and 37% for 72 hr. The ad
dition of butyrate to the culture medium caused a 75% decrease in the
rate of this cell growth either after 48 and 72 hr. This effect of but
yrate was pronounced by acetate (86% and 90% for 48 and 72 hr, respect
ively), propionate (87% for 48 and 93% for 72 hr), and acetate and pro
pionate together (76% for 48 and 92% for 72 hr). 3. Daily addition of
a mixture of the short-chain fatty acids (10 mM acetate, 2 mM propiona
te and 1.5 mM butyrate) markedly decreased the number of cells after 8
days: 58% for RBL-2H3, 42% for HeLa-155, 91% for C57 B1/6J and 55% fo
r MCF-7. 4. These results support the proposition that a fiber rich di
et that leads to great production of butyrate but also of propionate a
nd acetate would be more effective to prevent the occurrence of colore
ctal cancer than the administration of this short-chain fatty acid giv
en alone. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.