title: Inhibition of natural killer cell activity by eicosapentaenoic acid in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: To examine the effects of in vivo eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on natural killer (NK) cell activity, C3H/He mice each received a single intraperitoneal bolus of an emulsion of trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol (EPA-TG). Spleen cells were tested for NK activity using 51Chromium-release assays against YAC-1 target cells. Forty eight hours after injection, NK activity was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. EPA-TG emulsion also inhibited the NK activity of NK-enriched effector cells. Decreased cytotoxicity was first noted 24 hr after injection; it resumed the baseline by 7 days. The addition of EPA-TG emulsion to a cytotoxicity assay system resulted in moderate depression of NK activity. These results demonstrate that EPA has significant immunomodulatory effects on NK activity.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamazaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D004655:Emulsions; D014280:Triglycerides; C051339:1,2,3-trieicosapentaenoyl glycerol; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid