Protection mechanism of fatty acids for Cancer

A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas, have found out how omega-3 fatty acids might protect against colon cancer.Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have long been known to protect against colon cancer. They learned that the omega-3s block a molecule called protein kinase C beta II (PKCbII) - which is linked with abnormal cell division.

In this study, genetically-modified mice, which produce excess levels of PKCbII, were given a diet high in omega-3s. This measure was found to decrease the risk of these highly prone mice to that of normal animals. This new insight into how omega-3 fatty acids interfere with the mechanism of cancer could well lead to the development of effective protective strategies.