The effect of omega fatty acids oral administration on apoptotic regulatory proteins in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma under chemotherapy: A double-blind clinical trial study

Background & Aims: The use of some active factors in diet is regarded as an attractive approach to prevent and to treat certain types of cancers. Accordingly, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PUFAs oral administration along with chemotherapeutic agent on the level of cellular apoptotic regulatory proteins in cancer cells of individuals with gastric cancer in order to identify the apoptotic changes. Materials & Methods: This study was a Clinical Trial in which the target group consisted of the patients with gastric cancer who were recognized for the first time and cured under chemotherapy. Thirty-four patients were chosen and categorized randomly into two groups. Case group includes the patients taking PUFAs along with the chemotherapeutic agents. In control group, individuals were under the same chemotherapy protocol without taking PUFAs. Biopsy samples of tumor were taken from the patients before and after chemotherapy. The Bcl-2, Bcl-XL Bid, and Bad gene expression were determined by Real-Time PCR. Also, those proteins upon biopsy samples were surveyed by Frozen Section method. Results: In case group, Bcl-2 and BclXL gene expression and protein levels decreased significantly in comparison with those of the control group. While Bid and Bad gene expression and protein levels increased significantly in comparison with those of the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that use of PUFAs as supplement with Cis-platinum may be useful to stimulate more pro-apoptotic proteins in gastric cancer cells. Consequently, this offers an effective treatment to patients with gastric cancer to respond to chemotherapy.

Pro-apoptotic Proteins, Anti-Apoptotic Proteins, Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids, Gastric Cancer, Chemoresistance