Anti-Angiogenic and Cytotoxicity Effects of Selachyl Alcohol Analogues.

Background: The active ingredients in the shark liver oil (SLO) mixture were found to be a group of etherlinked glycerol known as alkylglycerols (AKGs). During the last century, initial clinical use of the SLO mixture was for treating leukemias and later preventing radiation sickness from cancer x-ray therapy. Selachyl alcohol is one of the most abundant AKGs in the SLO mixture and it displayed strong activity in reducing lung metastasis number on a model of grafted tumor in mice (Lewis lung carcinoma cells).

Multiple beneficial health effects of natural alkylglycerols from shark liver oil.

Alkylglycerols (alkyl-Gro) are ether lipids abundant in the liver of some elasmobranch fish species such as ratfishes and some sharks. Shark liver oil from Centrophorus squamosus (SLO), or alkyl-Gro mix from this source, have several in vivo biological activities including stimulation of hematopoiesis and immunological defences, sperm quality improvement, or anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activities. Several mechanisms are suggested for these multiple activities, resulting from incorporation of alkyl-Gro into membrane phospholipids, and lipid signaling interactions.

Which alkylglycerols from shark liver oil have anti-tumour activities?

Alkylglycerols (alkyl-Gro) are ether lipids abundant in shark liver oil (SLO), and oral SLO or alkyl-Gro mix from this source have several in vivo biological activities including stimulation of haematopoiesis an immunological defences, or anti-tumour and anti-metastasis activities in vivo. Composition of natural alkyl-Gro mix contains several alkyl-Gro varying by chain length and unsaturation, and individual anti-tumour activity of each molecule present in natural mix remained unknown. We synthesized six prominent constituents of natural alkyl-Gro mix, namely 12:0, 14:0 16:0, 18:0, 16:1 n-7, and 18:1 n-9 alkyl-Gro.

1-O-alkylglycerols reduce the stimulating effects of bFGF on endothelial cell proliferation in vitro.

1-O-alkylglycerols (alkyl-Gro) are natural etherlipids with multiple biological activities. We previously demonstrated that alkyl-Gro reduce endothelial permeability. Here we showed that alkyl-Gro reduced the basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF)-stimulated endothelial cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner.

Humoral defence improvement and haematopoiesis stimulation in sows and offspring by oral supply of shark-liver oil to mothers during gestation and lactation.

Shark-liver oil (SLO) contains two bioactive lipids: alkylglycerols and n-3 PUFA. Alkylglycerols have immunostimulating and haematopoietic properties, while n-3 PUFA are essential for optimal neonatal development. We investigated the beneficial effects of dietary supplementation with 32 g SLO/d to twelve pregnant and then lactating sows (from day 80 of pregnancy to weaning) on the growth and immune status of their offspring, compared with a control group.

Oral intake of shark liver oil modifies lipid composition and improves motility and velocity of boar sperm.

The natural ether-lipids 1-O-alkylglycerols (alkyl-Gro) from shark liver oil improve boar sperm motility and fertility in vitro. We examined the effects of oral shark liver oil on motility and velocity parameters of sperm together with modifications of lipid composition. Eleven boars were used as control and 11 were fed with 40 g/day for 28 days and sperm was collected on Days 0, 14 and 28 in control and treated groups.

Natural alkylglycerols restrain growth and metastasis of grafted tumors in mice.

Alkylglycerols are natural etherlipids abundant in shark liver oil (SLO) in a diacylated form. SLO is known to have antitumor properties and was recently described as an inhibitor of tumor neovascularization. However, most studies did not discriminate between the respective activities of alkylglycerols and of fatty acids, which both have potent biological properties.

Regulation of calcium signalling by 1-O-alkylglycerols in human Jurkat T lymphocytes.

We studied the role of natural occurring 1-O-alkylglycerols on the calcium signalling in Jurkat T-cells. Alkylglycerols evoked an increase in free intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2+]i, in a dose-dependent manner. When the experiments were performed in calcium-free buffer, the alkylglycerol response on the rise of [Ca2+]i was wholly abolished compared with the one in calcium-containing buffer, suggesting that these etherlipids induce a calcium influx by the opening of Ca2+ channels.

1-O-alkylglycerols improve boar sperm motility and fertility.

1-O-alkylglycerols are naturally occurring ether lipids with potent biological activities. They may interfere with lipidic signaling, and they amplify platelet-activating factor (PAF) biosynthesis in a monocyte cell line. The PAF is produced by mammalian sperm and is an important activator of sperm motility.