Knockdown delta-5-desaturase in breast cancer cells that overexpress COX-2 results in inhibition of growth, migration and invasion via a dihomo-γ-linolenic acid peroxidation dependent mechanism.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the inducible COX form, is a bi-functional membrane-bound enzyme that typically metabolizes arachidonic acid (downstream ω-6 fatty acid) to form 2-series of prostaglandins known to be involved in cancer development. Overexpression of COX-2 has been found in a majority of breast carcinomas, and has also been associated with increased severity and the development of the metastasis. Our lab recently demonstrated that COX-2 can also metabolize dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, a precursor of ω-6 arachidonic acid) to produce an anti-cancer byproduct, 8-hydroxyoctanoic acid (8-HOA) that can inhibit growth and migration of colon and pancreatic cancer cells. We thus tested whether our strategy of knocking down delta-5-desaturase (D5D, the key enzyme that converts DGLA to arachidonic acid) in breast cancer cells overexpressing COX-2 can also be used to promote 8-HOA formation, thereby suppressing cancer growth, migration, and invasion.

SiRNA and shRNA transfection were used to knock down D5D expression in MDA-MB 231 and 4 T1 cells (human and mouse breast cancer cell lines expressing high COX-2, respectively). Colony formation assay, FITC Annexin V/PI double staining, wound healing and transwell assay were used to assess the effect of our strategy on inhibition of cancer growth, migration, and invasion. GC/MS was used to measure endogenous 8-HOA, and western blotting was performed to evaluate the altered key protein expressions upon the treatments.

We demonstrated that D5D knockdown licenses DGLA to inhibit growth of breast cancer cells via promoting formation of 8-HOA that can inhibit histone deacetylase and activate cell apoptotic proteins, such as procaspase 9 and PARP. Our strategy can also significantly inhibit cancer migration and invasion, associated with altered expression of MMP-2/- 9, E-cadherin, vimentin and snail. In addition, D5D knockdown and DGLA supplementation greatly enhanced the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil on breast cancer growth and migration.

Consistent to our previous studies on colon and pancreatic cancer, here we demonstrate again that the high level of COX-2 in breast cancer cells can be capitalized on inhibiting cancer growth and migration. The outcome of this translational research could guide us to develop new anti-cancer strategy and/or to improve current chemotherapy for breast cancer treatment.