Suppression of growth by dietary fish oil of human breast carcinomas maintained in three different strains of immune‐deficient mice

Abstract

It has been reported that high levels of dietary fish (menhaden) oil, compared with corn oil, suppress the growth of MDA‐MB231 and MCF‐7 human breast carcinomas maintained in female athymic nude (T lymphocyte‐deficient) mice. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dietary fish (menhaden) oil, compared with corn oil, can also suppress the growth of these carcinomas when maintained in female beige‐XID‐athymic nude (T lymphocyte‐ and NK/LAK cell‐deficient) mice and in female severe combined immune‐deficient (SCID) mice (total lack of functional T and B lymphocytes). Results clearly show that dietary fish (menhaden) oil can significantly (p < 0.05) suppress the growth of these carcinomas in the beige‐XID‐athymic nude mouse and the SCID mouse. Such results provide evidence that the growth suppression of MDA‐MB231 and MCF‐7 human breast carcinomas, induced by dietary fish oil, is not mediated by immune system mechanisms involving T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and/or NK/LAK cells.