BioCentury
ARTICLE | Targets & Mechanisms

EETing away at metastasis

January 12, 2012 8:00 AM UTC

U.S. researchers have shown that antagonizing epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, a type of fatty acid metabolite, reduces tumor growth and metastasis in mice.1 The challenge will be finding a dose that has the desired effect without impairing the function of the cardiovascular system.

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) result from the metabolism of arachidonic acid. They are produced and secreted by endothelial cells and target the vasculature, where they have vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory and proangiogenic effects2 (see "EETs in cancer")...