DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID IS A POTENT INHIBITOR OF RAT UTERINE STROMAL CELL-PROLIFERATION

The effect of different families of fatty acids on the proliferation of rat uterine stromal cells (U-III) was studied, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exerted a strong and dose-dependent inhibitory effect (IC50 similar to 2 mu M), whereas arachidonic acid (AA) stimulated U-III cell proliferation at the optimal concentration of 10 mu M. Oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids were ineffective from 0.1 to 10 mu M. The inhibitory effect of DHA was independent of the eicosanoid biosynthesis and lipid peroxidation, since it was not reversed by the addition of the antioxidant BHT and no significant production of oxidized species from DHA occurred in our culture conditions. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.