Lipoxygenase inhibition in prostate cancer

Multiple population-based studies show an increased risk of prostate cancer in populations that consume large amounts of animal fat. However, the mole cular mechanisms linking dietary fat to prostate cancer biology remain obsc ure. Animal fats are typically rich sources of arachidonic acid and this fa tty acid is converted to a wide range of powerful compounds including leuko trienes, prostaglandins, etc. We have shown that PC3 and LNCaP convert arac hidonic acid to the 5-lipoxygenase product, 5-HETE. When the formation of 5 -HETE is blocked, human prostate cancer cells enter apoptosis in less than 1 h and are dead within 2 h. Exogenous 5-HETE can rescue these cancer cells . These findings indicate that 5-HETE is a potent survival factor for human prostate cancer cells.