Lineolic acid (an omega-6 PUFA) confirmed as direct driver of many (all?) cancers
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It looks like medicine is finally starting to wake up to the fact that PUFA is anything but benign, let alone beneficial. For decades. the main rationale for recommending PUFA intake has been their ability lower serum cholesterol. However, multiple studies have shown that lower cholesterol is NOT a good predictor of whether somebody develops and/or dies from heart disease (CVD). In addition, multiple studies have shown that lower cholesterol is a very good predictor, often decades in advance, of developing cancer. More specifically, the studies found that a deliberately lowered cholesterol through the intake of statins is linked to higher cancer risk in the future. It seems plausible to extend the same connection to PUFA intake as well, as it is often marketed by the food and medical industry as a “dietary” or “natural” statin.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1934492/
Now, the study below has identified at least one mechanism through which the dominant dietary member of the PUFA family known as linoleic acid (LA) directly promotes growth and metastasis of the dreaded triple-negative breast cancer – a type of tumor that is highly aggressive, resistant to most types of treatment, and with a very poor prognosis. Apparently, LA promotes tumor growth by binding to and activating an enzyme called FABP5, which helps cells uptake PUFA from the bloodstream. While that enzyme can bind several fatty acids, its highest affinity is apparently for PUFA, and especially LA. In addition, expression of FABP5 has been found to be elevated in many other cancers, and its levels are highly correlated with poor prognosis. As such, PUFA is now directly implicated in driving the progression of many cancers. As the study itself states, LA consumption has skyrocketed since the 1950s, closely matching the increase in CVD and cancer rates, thus further corroborating its role as a dietary “pathogen”. While the study is, unsurprisingly, shying away from claiming that PUFA/LA can also cause cancer de-novo, the officially acknowledge role of PUFA (and LA specifically) as the main driver of inflammation leaves little doubt that LA is a true carcinogen, as chronic inflammation is now recognized as the main causal factor for developing any cancer (as well as virtually all chronic diseases). So, IMO it would not be unreasonable to change the title of the article to say that “PUFA is a major cause and driver of virtually all cancers”.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103628
“…Fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5, or epidermal FABP) is an intracellular chaperone of fatty acid molecules that regulates lipid metabolism and cell growth. In patient-derived tumours, FABP5 expression is increased up to tenfold, often co-expressed with other cancer-related proteins. High tumoral FABP5 expression is associated with poor prognosis. FABP5 activates transcription factors (TFs) leading to increased expression of proteins involved in tumorigenesis. Genetic and pharmacological preclinical studies show that inhibiting FABP5 reduces protumoral markers, whereas elevation of FABP5 promotes tumour growth and spread. Thus, FABP5 might be a valid target for novel therapeutics. The evidence base is currently strongest for liver, prostate, breast, and brain cancers, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which could represent relevant patient populations for any drug discovery programme.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40080571/
“…An ingredient found in common cooking oils may be linked to an aggressive form of breast cancer according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine. The study, published in Science in March, shows that linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid most prevalent in vegetable and seed oils, may promote the growth of an aggressive subtype of breast cancer called triple-negative breast cancer. TNBC is more invasive and has a higher risk of recurrence than other breast cancer subtypes.”
“…Generally speaking, linoleic acid is an essential nutrient needed to build cell membranes, protect skin, and support heart health. However, the study notes that since the 1950s, linoleic acid consumption has increased significantly as cooking oils have become commonplace in fried and ultra-processed foods. These findings are believed to be the first to raise concerns about the fatty acid’s potential link to disease.”
“…We now know that linoleic acid feeds cancer cell growth in a very specific way,” said Dr. John Blenis, the study’s senior author and a cancer researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine, to the New York Post. He explained this study was significant as it “sheds light on how to define which patients might benefit from specific nutritional recommendations….As for what vegetable and seed oils are high in linoleic acid, sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and cottonseed oil all make the list. Linoleic acid is also found in nuts, seeds, meats and eggs but in much smaller amounts.”