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Phospholipids and fatty acids in breast cancer tissue

  • Original Papers
  • Clinical Oncology
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Summary

The fatty acid composition of fractionated phospholipids and neutral lipids was analyzed in human breast cancer tissues and the surrounding, apparently healthy tissue. In the cancer tissues the relative amounts of unsaturated fatty acids were increased in all the phospholipid subclasses analyzed. The differences were more marked in phosphatidylethanolamine than in the other phospholipid fractions and, furthermore, the relative amount of phosphatidylethanolamine was increased in cancerous tissue. In blood-erythrocyte phospholipids, no differences in fatty acid composition could be found between breast cancer and control patients. The present study suggests that the lipid composition of cancerous breast tissues differs from that of the surrounding tissue and may be involved in carcinogenesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Turku, Finland

    K. Punnonen

  2. Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Turku, Finland

    E. Hietanen

  3. Department of Surgery, University Central Hospital of Tampere, Finland

    O. Auvinen

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital of Tampere, Finland

    R. Punnonen

Authors
  1. K. Punnonen
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  2. E. Hietanen
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  3. O. Auvinen
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  4. R. Punnonen
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Supported by grants from the J. Vainio Foundation and the Finnish Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture

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Punnonen, K., Hietanen, E., Auvinen, O. et al. Phospholipids and fatty acids in breast cancer tissue. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 115, 575–578 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391361

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391361

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