title: Effect of docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil supplementation on human leukocyte function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich fish oil (FO) supplementation on human leukocyte function was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten male volunteers were supplemented with 3g/day FO containing 26% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5, n-3) and 54% DHA (22:6, n-3) for 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FO supplementation changed the fatty acid (FA) composition of leukocytes resulting in an increase of n-3/n-6 ratio from 0.18 to 0.62 in lymphocytes and from 0.15 to 0.70 in neutrophils. DHA-rich FO stimulated an increase in phagocytic activity by 62% and 145% in neutrophils and monocytes, respectively. Neutrophil chemotactic response was increased by 128%. The rate of production of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils was also increased, as it was with lymphocyte proliferation. These changes were partially reversed after a 2-month wash out period. With respect to cytokine production by lymphocytes, interleukin (IL)-4 release was not altered, whereas secretions of IL-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were raised. These results are in contrast to those described by others using EPA-rich FO supplementation. Lymphocyte pleiotropic gene expression was analyzed by a macroarray technique. Of the analyzed genes (588 in total), 77 were modified by the supplementation. FO supplementation resulted in up-regulation of 6 genes (GATA binding protein 2, IL-6 signal transducer, transforming growth factor alpha, TNF, heat shock 90kDa protein 1-alpha and heat shock protein 70kDa 1A) and a down regulation of 71 genes (92.2% of total genes changed). The largest functional group of altered genes was that related to signaling pathways (22% of the total modified genes).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, although EPA and DHA are members of n-3 FA family, changes in the proportion of DHA and EPA exert different effects on neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte function, which may be a result of specific changes in gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, 05508-900, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. renatag@icb.usp.br
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorjão
authors.forename: Rozangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verlengia
authors.forename: Thais Martins de
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Francisco Garcia
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Cury
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Boaventura
authors.forename: Carla Christine
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kanunfre
authors.forename: Carmem Maldonado
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.forename: Sandra Concuzzo
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Rosemari
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otton
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Folador
authors.forename: Edgair Fernandes
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Tania Cristina Pithon
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.forename: Erica Paula
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Portiolli
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Newsholme
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Curi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005395:Fish Oils; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D016209:Interleukin-8; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol