Dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids suppresses interleukin-2 production and mononuclear cell proliferation.
We studied the in vitro production of interleukin-2 in nine healthy volunteers who added 18 g/day of fish-oil concentrate rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to their normal Western diet for a period of 6 weeks. Interleukin-2 synthesis from stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was suppressed from 6.2 ng/ml at baseline to 2.2 ng/ml 10 weeks after the end of n-3 fatty acid supplementation (65% decrease; P = .04). At the same time phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation of mononuclear cells was suppressed by 70% from the presupplement level. Interleukin-2 production returned to the premedication level at the end of the studies. The results suggest that the effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids in some diseases may be mediated in part by decreased production of interleukin-2 and decreased mononuclear cell proliferation.
Endres
S
S
Department of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Meydani
S N
SN
Ghorbani
R
R
Schindler
R
R
Dinarello
C A
CA
D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha