Oleic acid (OA)

Fatty acids, primarily oleic acid (C18:1), are essential structural cofactors in HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells) and related protein-lipid complexes (Svanborg et al., 2003). In these complexes, the fatty acid binds to a partially unfolded state of a protein, such as alpha-lactalbumin, stabilizing a conformation that possesses selective tumoricidal activity (Fast et al., 2005). The fatty acid is not a therapeutic target itself; rather, it is a critical constituent of the drug complex that enables interaction with and disruption of tumor cell membranes (Mossberg et al., 2010). Once the complex is internalized, it interacts with various intracellular targets, including histones and mitochondria, to induce programmed cell death in a wide variety of cancer cells while sparing healthy, differentiated cells (Svanborg et al., 2003). Research indicates that the specific stereochemistry and chain length of the fatty acid are vital for the stability and potency of the HAMLET-like complexes (Fast et al., 2005). These complexes represent a novel approach to cancer therapy, utilizing the synergistic properties of common biological molecules in non-native states.

Other names

cis-9-Octadecenoic acidC18:1cis-Vaccenic acidHAMLET-associated fatty acidCofactor in HAMLET-like complexes

The fatty acid acts as a structural cofactor that stabilizes the partially unfolded state of alpha-lactalbumin, creating a complex that selectively binds to and disrupts tumor cell membranes and induces apoptosis (Svanborg et al., 2003; Fast et al., 2005).