Proof of Principle Trial to Determine if Nutritional Supplement Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Can Modulate the Lipogenic Pathway in Breast Cancer Tissue

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is obtained in the human diet by consumption of foods containing ruminant fat. Milk and dairy products have shown the highest amounts of CLA. Clarinol (CLA), is considered a natural supplement and is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CLA is known to inhibit proliferation of human breast cancer cells and tumors in rodent breast cancer models and reduced Spot 14 (THRSP, S14) and Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) gene expression in breast cancer cells and tht the two major CLA isomers used in nutritional supplements (C9, t11 and t10, c12) were equipotent in reducing breast cancer cell growth. This study looks at the hypothesis that S14 expression is decreased by CLA and will characterize the major pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of CLA in newly diagnosed Breast cancer patients on Tumor tissue lipogenic pathway. FASN, S14 and Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL), Ki67 and apoptotic index expression will be assessed by quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) in initial breast cancer biopsies and compared to that in resected breast tumor tissue after the study subject has been taking CLA for ten to twenty-eight days. Tissue from adjacent breast adipocytes will also be analyzed to determine whether adipose tissue effects can serve as a surrogate marker for those in tumor tissue. A sample of the original biopsy will be compared to the tumor resection sample to determine the levels of CLA in the breast cancer cells.