title: A high alpha-linolenate diet suppresses antigen-induced immunoglobulin E response and anaphylactic shock in mice.
abstract: Mice were fed for 2 mo diets having ratios of alpha-linolenate [18:3 (n-3)] to linoleate [18:2(n-6)] of < 0.01, 0.36, 1.0 and 3.9. Proportions of safflower seed oil and perilla seed oil were adjusted to obtain these ratios. The dietary alpha-linolenate to linoleate balance was reflected in the proportion of (n-3) and (n-6) highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20- and 22-carbon chains in spleen phospholipids, but the ratio did not affect the proportion of T lymphocyte subsets expressing CD4 and CD8 antigens in splenic leukocytes. The immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM responses against sheep red blood cells when estimated as plaque-forming cells present in spleen, were not affected significantly by the diets. However, the serum hemagglutinin titer was slightly but significantly higher in the high alpha-linolenate diet group [18:3(n-3)/18:2(n-6) = 3.9] than in the dietary group with 18:3(n-3) to 18:2(n-6) ratios of 0.36 and < 0.01. In contrast, the IgE antibody response against egg albumin, as well as the mortality from anaphylactic shock induced by a second challenge with antigen, was significantly lower in the high alpha-linolenate diet group [18:3(n-3)/18:2(n-6) = 3.9] than in the high linoleate diet [18:3(n-3)/18:2(n-6) < 0.01] group. These results, together with the reported suppressive effects of a high alpha-linolenate diet on the formation of lipid-derived allergic mediators, support the hypothesis that raising the (n-3) to (n-6) ratios of diets would be effective in reducing the severity of immediate-type allergic hypersensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okuyama
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000032:analysis; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D019787:Linoleic Acid