REGULATION OF THE EXPRESSION OF E-CADHERIN ON HUMAN CANCER-CELLS BY GAMMA-LINOLENIC ACID (GLA)

E-cadherin is a cell to cell adhesion molecule which acts as a suppres sor of metastasis. This study examined the effect of gamma-linolenic a cid (GLA), a n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on the expression of E-ca dherin in human cancer cells. Western blotting studies demonstrated th at treatment of cells with GLA for 24 h increased the expression of E- cadherin in lung, colon, breast, melanoma, and liver cancer cells, but not in endothelial cells and fibroblasts. The results were confirmed by immunocytochemistry. In contrast, two other n-6 fatty acids, Linole ic acid and arachidonic acid, failed to induce these changes. The incr eased expression of E-cadherin was correlated with reduced in vitro in vasion and increased aggregation, indicating that the increased E-cadh erin expression induced by GLA was biologically active. These data add GLA to the short list of E-cadherin up-regulatory factors. The up-reg ulation of E-cadherin expression in human cancer cells may contribute to the anticancer properties of GLA.