Influence of liposomes rich in unsaturated or saturated fatty acids on the growth of human xenotransplanted mammary carcinomas and on the levels of heart type fatty acid binding protein.

A panel of 4 human mammary carcinomas passaged in nude mice were subjected to intraperitoneal application of cholesterol-free liposomes enriched with linoleic (unsaturated fatty acid) or stearic acid (saturated fatty acid). The liposomes were examined with regard to their influence on the tumor growth and level of heart type fatty acid binding protein (FABP). Liposomes with different fatty acid composition influenced the growth of mammary carcinomas 3366, BO, 4000 and 4151 in distinct ways. Liposomes with a high content of stearic acid significantly inhibited the growth of mammary carcinomas 3366 and BO, whereas mammary carcinomas 4000 and 4151 were not affected. The growth of mammary carcinoma 3366 was moderately increased after supplementation of liposomes rich in linoleic acid, the tumor BO was significantly inhibited and the growth of MaCa 4000 and 4151 was unchanged. Liposome treatment led to a significant increase in heart type FABP in mammary carcinomas 3366 and BO regardless of whether the animals were treated with liposomes rich in stearic or linoleic acid. Such significant changes of FABP level could not be observed in mammary carcinomas 4000 or 4151. We suggest that the lipid-mediated growth modulation seems to be dependent on an increase of heart type FABPs in these tumor models.