The cytotoxicity of gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3n-6) against rat hepatoma AH-109A cells and the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on its toxicity were examined in culture. The proliferation of AH-109A cells, evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, was significantly suppressed by gamma-linolenic acid above 5 micrograms/ml concentration in serum-free culture medium. However, its toxicity was reduced by supplement of BSA. Similar observation of reduced toxicity by BSA was shown by the method of trypan blue dye exclusion and a colony formation assay. The cytotoxicity of gamma-linolenic acid was correlated closely with the concentration of unbound (free) gamma-linolenic acid. Production of thiobarbituric acid reactive material, one of the indicators of lipid peroxidation, was stimulated by gamma-linolenic acid and inhibited by BSA. These results suggested that the presence of albumin suppressed the cytotoxicity of the free fatty acid.
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Hayashi et al. (1990) studied this question.
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