EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS ON RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE AND PLC ACTIVITIES IN EMT6 CELLS

The effects of omega 3 fatty acids and epidermal growth factor (EGF) o n the activity of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and phospholipase C ( phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific PLC) were examined in EMT6 cells. T he non-omega 3 treated, non-EGF stimulated cells served as controls. T reatment of the EMT6 cells with omega 3 fatty acids resulted in a 62% increase in RTK activity and a 67% increase in PI-specific PLC activit y. When EGF was added to incubations for RTK activity, it stimulated t he RTK activity 40% in the control cells and 130% in the omega 3-treat ed cells. When EGF was added to incubations for PI-specific PLC activi ty, a 54% increase in PI-specific PLC activity was observed in control cells and a 94%, increase in the omega 3-treated cells. Thus, treatin g EMT6 cells with omega 3 fatty acids seems to increase RTK activity a nd PI-specific PLC activity to a similar extent, but has differential effects on the ability of these enzyme activities to tie stimulated by EGF. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.