ROLE OF LIPOXYGENASES IN BREAST CANCER

Rama Natarajan and Jerry Nadler

Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism¹, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500, E. Duarte Road, Duarte, California 91010, USA.

Received 5/15/98 Accepted 5/29/98

2. INTRODUCTION

Human breast cancer cell proliferation involves a complex interaction between growth factors, steroid hormones and peptide hormones. However, the role of free lipids in these events is not very clear, although several several studies have suggested that fatty acids and other enzymatically oxidized lipids may play a significant role in the development and progression of breast cancer. Growth factors and hormones can activate several phospholipases leading to the release of lipids such as arachidonic acid, which in turn can be further metabolized by several pathways, including the lipoxygenase pathway. Lipoxygenase products have been shown to have potent inflammatory, growth, chemotactic and angiogenic effects in cells. They have also been implicated in the process of hematogenous metastasis. In the present manuscript, we have outlined the role of the lipoxygenase pathway and its products in breast cancer.