Dietary (n-3) fatty acid and vitamin E interactions in rats: effects on vitamin E status, immune cell prostaglandin E production and primary antibody response.
To examine the interaction between dietary fat and vitamin E at the level of the rat immune system, a 2 x 3 factorial study was designed. Weanling female Sprague Dawley rats were fed for 8-9 wk diets that contained either corn oil (CO diet) or fish oil (FO diet) and one of three levels (30, 300, 900 mg/kg) of all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate. At the lowest level of dietary vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol content of splenocytes from FO-fed rats was approximately 40% lower (P less than 0.05) than in those from CO-fed rats. Supplementation with all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate elevated alpha-tocopherol in splenocytes from FO-fed rats but not in those from CO-fed rats, and reduced the relative proportion of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in the serum of CO-fed and FO-fed rats, respectively. Prostaglandin E production by isolated immune cells was not affected by all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation. However, feeding the FO diet consistently reduced prostaglandin E synthesis by 70-80% as compared with the CO diet. Antibody production against sheep RBC was highest in rats fed the FO diet supplemented with 900 mg all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg of diet. However, antibody response was not directly correlated to diet-induced changes in immune cell prostaglandin E production or alpha-tocopherol content. Our data suggest that there are significant interactions between vitamin E and (n-3) fatty acids that affect the immune system and that further research in this area is warranted.
Fritsche
K L
KL
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia 65211.
Cassity
N A
NA
Huang
S C
SC
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000906:Antibodies; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D014810:Vitamin E; D003314:Corn Oil