title: Effect of a dietary n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement on distinct immune functions of goats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate whether dietary n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) alter immune functions as lymphocyte blastogenesis, expression of lymphocyte and monocyte markers, and cell adhesion molecules of the integrin family in goats. Dutch White castrated male goats received a diet either rich in olive oil (control group, n = 4) or rich in corn oil (test group, n = 4) over a period of 3 weeks. The animals in the test group had significantly higher linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) levels in plasma on days 7, 14 and 21 of the diet than control animals. This was also true for washed erythrocyte membranes at day 21. A significant reduction in the percentage of alpha-4 integrin (CD49d) expressing lymphocytes was observed in goats fed LA rich corn oil at day 21. However, no changes were observed in either lymphocyte proliferative responses to ConA and PHA or the expression of other lymphocyte/monocyte markers. In conclusion, feeding corn oil rich in LA caused significant increases in the proportion of LA in the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes and was accompanied by a significant decrease of the adhesion molecule alpha-4 integrin (CD49d) on lymphocytes but not on monocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.thanasak@vet.uu.nl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thanasak
authors.forename: V P M G
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.forename: J Th
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Schonewille
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoek
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Beynen
authors.forename: J P T M
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Noordhuizen
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000494:pharmacology; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D006041:Goats / Q000276:immunology*; D039441:Integrin alpha4 / Q000276:immunology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D008055:Lipids; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D039441:Integrin alpha4; D003314:Corn Oil