title: The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the inflammatory response of the amnion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of omega-3 PUFAs, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosohexanoic acid (DHA) on inflammatory cytokine production in the amnion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Amnion explants were obtained at elective caesarean sections and cultured in vitro with EPA and DHA. IL-8 and IL-6 secretion was determined by ELISA, the role of PPARγ was investigated using specific agonists and antagonists and activity of MMP assessed by gelatin zymography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A combination of EPA and DHA significantly reduced the concentration of IL-8 and IL-6 released into the supernatant compared to untreated controls (p<0.001). Stimulation of PPARγ with troglitazone reduced IL-8 production, and the PPARγ antagonist GW9662 partially reversed this effect. The activity of MMP-9 was also significantly reduced by treatment with EPA and DHA in combination compared to untreated control (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The omega-3 PUFAs EPA and DHA decrease the inflammatory response of the amnion, and this may be partially mediated through PPARγ.
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh/MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. Electronic address: L.Frew@sms.ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frew
authors.forename: N U
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Sugiarto
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leask
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Stock
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000813:Anilides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002839:Chromans / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D000077288:Troglitazone
chemical_list: C457499:2-chloro-5-nitrobenzanilide; D000813:Anilides; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002839:Chromans; D016207:Cytokines; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D047495:PPAR gamma; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; C579270:MMP9 protein, human; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D000077288:Troglitazone
keywords: Foetal membranes; Inflammation; PPARγ; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Pregnancy