ACETATE AND PROPIONATE POTENTIATE THE ANTIPROLIFERATIVE EFFECT OF BUTYRATE ON RBL-2H3 GROWTH

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.