title: A comparison of the effects of fish oil and flaxseed oil on cardiac allograft chronic rejection in rats.
abstract: Both fish and flaxseed oils are major sources of different n-3 fatty acids. Beneficial effects of fish oil on posttransplantation complications have been reported. The current study aimed to compare the effects of flaxseed and fish oils in a rat cardiac allograft model. Male Fischer and Lewis rats were used as donors and recipients, respectively, to generate a heterotopic cardiac allograft model. Animals were randomly assigned into three groups and fed a diet supplemented with 1) 5% (wt/wt) safflower oil (control, n = 7), 2) 5% (wt/wt) flaxseed oil (n = 8), or 3) 2% (wt/wt) fish oil (n = 7), and an intraperitoneal injection of cyclosporine A (CsA; 1.5 mg.kg(-1).day(-1)) over 12 wk. Body weight, blood pressure, plasma levels of lipids, CsA, select cytokines, as well as graft function and chronic rejection features were assessed. Body weight and blood CsA levels were similar among the groups. Relative to controls, both treated groups had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure and plasma levels of macrophage chemotactic protein-1. Treatment with fish oil significantly (P < 0.05) lowered plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol. HDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the flaxseed oil-treated group compared with the other two groups. Both flaxseed oil and fish oil may provide similar biochemical, hemodynamic, and inflammatory benefits after heart transplantation; however, neither of the oils was able to statistically significantly impact chronic rejection or histological evidence of apparent cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity in this model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba and Saint Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Rgia A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Miyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Nazila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azordegan
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riediger
authors.forename: Khuong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Davinder S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jassal
authors.forename: Mohammed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Moghadasian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D008043:Linseed Oil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005395:Fish Oils; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008043:Linseed Oil; D016572:Cyclosporine; D002784:Cholesterol