Potential for daily supplementation of n-3 fatty acids to reverse symptoms of dry eye in mice.
The purpose of this study was to determine the change in tear volume, as a predominant symptom of dry eye syndrome, in dietary n-3 fatty acid deficient mice compared with n-3 fatty acid adequate mice. The tear volume in n-3 fatty acid deficient mice was significantly lower than that in n-3 fatty acid adequate mice. In addition, the concentration of n-3 fatty acid in the lacrimal and meibomian glands, which affects the production of tears, was markedly decreased compared with n-3 fatty acid adequate mice. However, the tear volume recovered almost completely after one week of continuous administration of fish oil containing EPA and DHA in n-3 fatty acid deficient mice. Also, the concentration of DHA in the meibomian gland of n-3 fatty acid deficient group recovered to approximately 80% more than that of n-3 fatty acid adequate group. These results suggested that dietary n-3 fatty acids deficiency showed reversible dry eye syndrome, and that n-3 fatty acids have an important role in the production of tears.
School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan; Human Life Science Research and Development Center, Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd., 2-6-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8686, Japan.
Akiko
A
Harauma
School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
Junpei
J
Saito
School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
Yoshitake
Y
Watanabe
School of Life and Environmental Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71, Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan. Electronic address: moriguchi@azabu-u.ac.jp.
Toru
T
Moriguchi
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008537:Meibomian Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils
Dry eye syndrome; Fish oil; Mice; n-3 Fatty acid