Effect of conjugated linoleic acid mixture supplemented daily after carcinogen application on linoleic and arachidonic acid metabolites in rat serum and induced tumours

• The effect of CLA on eicosanoid levels in carcinogen-treated rats was studied.
• 15-HETE, 12-HETE, 5-HETE, 13-HODE, 9-HODE and PGE2 were analysed.
• CLA affects linoleic and arachidonic acid metabolites in serum and tumours.
• Adverse effect eicosanoid ratios are better indicators of pathological processes.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is thought to exert anticarcinogenic, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory and weight loss effects. The impact on eicosanoid biosynthesis may be one of the mechanisms of its action. The aim of this study was to establish whether CLA mixture supplemented daily after administration of carcinogen (7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, DMBA) influenced the concentration of linoleic and arachidonic acid metabolites: 13- or 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids (13-, 9-HODE) and 15-, 12- or 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (15-, 12- or 5-HETE) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in rat serum and DMBA-induced tumours. The correlations between polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and HETE and HODE contents in serum were also investigated.Female Sprague–Dawley rats divided into three groups according to the diet (1% Bio-C.L.A., 2% Bio-C.L.A. and plant oil in the control group) were used in the study. On the 50th day of life some of the animals in every dietary group were administered DMBA to induce tumours. Since that day, the rats were fed one of the above-mentioned diets. After 15 weeks the animals were sacrificed and blood and tumours were collected. HETE and HODE were extracted using a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method on C18 columns and analysed with LC-MS/MS.The results of our study showed that CLA daily supplementation after carcinogen administration influence LA and AA metabolite levels in serum and tumours. However, the ratios of eicosanoids having opposite effects (e.g. 12-HETE/15-HETE), not concentrations of particular compounds, appear to be better indicators of pathological processes.