title: Effects of fish oil on graft arteriosclerosis and MHC class II antigen expression in rat heterotopic cardiac allografts.
abstract: The effect of fish oil on accelerated graft coronary arteriosclerosis was assessed in Lewis to Brown-Norway rat heterotopic cardiac allografts. Twelve Brown-Norway rats were supplemented with 2 ml/kg/day of fish oil (68.3 mg eicosopentaenoic acid and 47.5 mg decosahexaenoic acid per milliliter). Eleven additional animals, receiving an isocaloric amount of safflower oil, served as control. All diets began 1 week before operation. Immunosuppression was obtained with low-dose cyclosporine (2 mg/kg/d). When killed (100 days), there were no significant differences in percentage weight gain, graft function, or histologic rejection score. Although lipid profiles were comparable, total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein ratio was marginally higher in animals treated with fish oil (p = 0.069). Mean percentage luminal occlusion (before and after correcting for differences in size between coronary vessels analyzed) and average intimal thickness were similar between animals treated with fish oil and safflower oil as assessed by computer-assisted digitized, morphometric planimetry. In all allografts, donor interstitial dendritic cells were repopulated with recipient dendritic cells. The major histocompatibility complex class II cell density in the fish oil group did not differ significantly from rats supplemented with safflower oil (1.48 +/- 0.68 vs 1.48 +/- 0.65 cells per mm2, p = 0.995). In conclusion, fish oil did not exert any beneficial effect over safflower oil in terms of graft coronary arteriosclerosis, histologic rejection, or plasma lipids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Calif.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Michie
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Fann
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Billingham
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012450:Safflower Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012450:Safflower Oil