title: Prostaglandin E₂ production in mice is reduced by consumption of range-fed sources of red meat.
abstract: Many view bison as a healthful alternative to other red meat sources, and as a way to decrease health risks, they associate it with meat consumption. Using mice as a model for immune function, we hypothesized that consumption of meat from range-fed bison would decrease prostaglandin (PG) E₂ and alter prostacyclin (PGI₂) release upon immune challenge when compared with mice fed meat from grain-finished bison, range-fed beef, feedlot steers, free-ranging elk, or chicken breast. After 2 weeks on an experimental diet and inflammatory stimulation, mouse peritoneal macrophage was isolated and analyzed in 12 animals per diet. Peritoneal cell arachidonic acid increased in response to a chicken-based diet (P < .05), which was likely attributable to higher arachidonic acid intake. Release of PGE₂ was lowest in mice consuming meat of range-fed beef, range-fed bison, and elk but was highest with meat of grain-finished beef and intermediate in mice fed chicken (P < .05). Mice fed elk meat had the greatest PGI₂, whereas PGI₂ was decreased in mice fed meat of either range bison, range beef, or chicken (P < .05) and intermediate in mice fed meat of steers or bison finished in a feedlot. We conclude that consumption of meats characteristic of range-fed ruminants or wild ungulates supports reduced PGE₂ and greater PGI₂ synthesis, indicating potentially greater immune health and lower blood clotting potential than meat from grain-finished cattle or bison in this model system.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition/Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3354, USA. broughto@uwyo.edu
authors.forename: K Shane
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Broughton
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rule
authors.forename: Eldon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Handrich
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002523:Edible Grain; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010537:Peritoneum; D006109:Poaceae; D015054:Zymosan
chemical_list: D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015054:Zymosan; D011464:Epoprostenol; D015232:Dinoprostone