title: Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids modulate purified murine T-cell subset activation.
abstract: Studies in humans and murine disease models have clearly shown dietary fish oil to possess anti-inflammatory properties, apparently mediated by the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). To determine the mechanisms by which dietary EPA and DHA modulate mouse T-cell activation, female C57BL/6 mice were fed diets containing either 2% safflower oil (SAF), 2% fish oil (FO), or a 2% purified EPA/DHA ethyl ester mixture for 14 days. Splenic CD4 T cells ( approximately 90% purity) or CD8 T cells ( approximately 85% purity) were incubated with agonists which act at the plasma membrane receptor level [anti(alpha)-CD3/anti(alpha)-CD28], the intracellular level (PMA/Ionomycin), or at both the receptor and intracellular levels (alphaCD3/PMA). CD4 T cells stimulated with alphaCD3/alphaCD28 or PMA/Ionomycin proliferated and produced principally IL-2 (i.e. a Th1 phenotype), whereas the proliferation of CD4 T cells stimulated with alphaCD3/PMA was apparently driven principally by IL-4 (i.e. a Th2 phenotype). The IL-4 driven proliferation of putative Th2 CD4 cells was enhanced by dietary n-3 fatty acids (P = 0.02). Conversely, IL-2 production by alphaCD3/alpha CD28-stimulated CD4 T cells was reduced in FO-fed animals (P < 0.0001). The alphaCD3/alphaCD28-stimulated CD8 cells cultured from FO-fed animals exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in proliferation. There were no dietary effects seen in alphaCD3/PMA-stimulated CD8 cells, which produced both IL-2 and IL-4, or in PMA/Ionomycin-stimulated CD8 cells, which produced principally IL-2. These data suggest that dietary n-3 fatty acids down-regulated IL-2 driven CD4 and CD8 activation, while up-regulating the activation of the Th2 CD4 T-cell subset. Thus, the anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 fatty acids may result in both the direct suppression of IL-2-induced Th1 cell activation and the indirect suppression of Th1 cells by the enhanced cross-regulatory function of Th2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nutrition, Texas A & M University, College Station 77843-1114, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Arrington
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chapkin
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Switzer
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: McMurray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000819:agonists; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015847:Interleukin-4; D015759:Ionomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate