The dietary fatty acid, arachidonic acid, has been found to activate several protein kinase signaling pathways in human breast tumor cells. These pathways include both mitogen activated protein kinases, such as MKK6 and p38, as well as protein kinase C, protein kinase D and the RhoA GTPase. Each of these pathways is critical for the final alterations in cell behavior, such as increased cell-matrix adhesion and cell invasion, which are dependent on the reorganization of the actin cytoskleton and the activation of integrins, and cell surface receptors for matrix proteins such as collagen IV.
Model for activation of cell adhesion pathways by dietary fatty acids.

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