Methods for inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation in cancer cells

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of decreasing proliferation of adenocarcinoma cells, or of inducing apoptosis of adenocarcinoma cells, or of inducing differentiation of adenocarcinoma cells into non-cancerous cells. The methods include contacting a sample comprising adenocarcinoma cells with a compound having the formula (“Formula I”): CH3—(CH2)n—CH═CH—(CH2)m—COOH) wherein n is an integer from 0 to 15, m is an integer from about 1 to 16, and the sum of m and n is an integer from 6 to 16, or a pharmaceutically acceptable ester, salt, amide, solvate, or metabolite thereof. Also disclosed are methods for treating adenocarcinoma in a subject. The methods include administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound having Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable ester, salt, amide, solvate, or metabolite thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.