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Lack of effect of foods enriched with plant- or marine-derived n-3 fatty acids on human immune function

Lack of effect of foods enriched with plant- or marine-derived n-3 fatty acids on human immune function
Lack of effect of foods enriched with plant- or marine-derived n-3 fatty acids on human immune function
Background: Greatly increasing dietary flaxseed oil [rich in the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ?-linolenic acid (ALA)] or fish oil [rich in the long-chain n-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids] can reduce markers of immune cell function. The effects of more modest doses are unclear, and it is not known whether ALA has the same effects as its long-chain derivatives.
Objective: The objective was to determine the effects of enriching the diet with ALA or EPA+DHA on immune outcomes representing key functions of human neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes.
Design: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel study, 150 healthy men and women aged 25–72 y were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 interventions: placebo (no additional n-3 PUFAs), 4.5 or 9.5 g ALA/d, and 0.77 or 1.7 g EPA+DHA/d for 6 mo. The n-3 PUFAs were provided in 25 g fat spread plus 3 oil capsules. Blood samples were taken at 0, 3, and 6 mo.
Results: The fatty acid composition of peripheral blood mononuclear cell phospholipids was significantly different in the groups with higher intakes of ALA or EPA+DHA. The interventions did not alter the percentages of neutrophils or monocytes engaged in phagocytosis of Escherichia coli or in phagocytic activity, the percentages of neutrophils or monocytes undergoing oxidative burst in response to E. coli or phorbol ester, the proliferation of lymphocytes in response to a T cell mitogen, the production of numerous cytokines by monocytes and lymphocytes, or the in vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity response.
Conclusion: An intake of 9.5 g ALA/d or 1.7 g EPA+DHA/d does not alter the functional activity of neutrophils, monocytes, or lymphocytes, but it changes the fatty acid composition of mononuclear cells.
fish oil, ?-linolenic acid, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, immunity, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil, cytokine, phagocytosis, oxidative burst
0002-9165
1287-1295
Kew, Samantha
0388d70a-7691-4660-9896-95a45099a5db
Banerjee, Tapati
268e92f6-7802-44b4-a916-746c2433fa71
Minihane, Anne M.
323fcab6-215c-4c13-b8d4-2ad242a31900
Finnegan, Yvonne E.
55946247-9cb4-4562-b11b-30e410669aac
Muggli, Reto
f23e2520-28a7-4bbd-a027-472c2a2e0bd5
Albers, Ruud
88e85543-503d-4f70-80a7-025ddbeabc33
Williams, Christine M.
4cf5b7be-8973-4ed3-9150-5caf74999670
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Kew, Samantha
0388d70a-7691-4660-9896-95a45099a5db
Banerjee, Tapati
268e92f6-7802-44b4-a916-746c2433fa71
Minihane, Anne M.
323fcab6-215c-4c13-b8d4-2ad242a31900
Finnegan, Yvonne E.
55946247-9cb4-4562-b11b-30e410669aac
Muggli, Reto
f23e2520-28a7-4bbd-a027-472c2a2e0bd5
Albers, Ruud
88e85543-503d-4f70-80a7-025ddbeabc33
Williams, Christine M.
4cf5b7be-8973-4ed3-9150-5caf74999670
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6

Kew, Samantha, Banerjee, Tapati, Minihane, Anne M., Finnegan, Yvonne E., Muggli, Reto, Albers, Ruud, Williams, Christine M. and Calder, Philip C. (2003) Lack of effect of foods enriched with plant- or marine-derived n-3 fatty acids on human immune function. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77 (5), 1287-1295.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Greatly increasing dietary flaxseed oil [rich in the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ?-linolenic acid (ALA)] or fish oil [rich in the long-chain n-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids] can reduce markers of immune cell function. The effects of more modest doses are unclear, and it is not known whether ALA has the same effects as its long-chain derivatives.
Objective: The objective was to determine the effects of enriching the diet with ALA or EPA+DHA on immune outcomes representing key functions of human neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes.
Design: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel study, 150 healthy men and women aged 25–72 y were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 interventions: placebo (no additional n-3 PUFAs), 4.5 or 9.5 g ALA/d, and 0.77 or 1.7 g EPA+DHA/d for 6 mo. The n-3 PUFAs were provided in 25 g fat spread plus 3 oil capsules. Blood samples were taken at 0, 3, and 6 mo.
Results: The fatty acid composition of peripheral blood mononuclear cell phospholipids was significantly different in the groups with higher intakes of ALA or EPA+DHA. The interventions did not alter the percentages of neutrophils or monocytes engaged in phagocytosis of Escherichia coli or in phagocytic activity, the percentages of neutrophils or monocytes undergoing oxidative burst in response to E. coli or phorbol ester, the proliferation of lymphocytes in response to a T cell mitogen, the production of numerous cytokines by monocytes and lymphocytes, or the in vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity response.
Conclusion: An intake of 9.5 g ALA/d or 1.7 g EPA+DHA/d does not alter the functional activity of neutrophils, monocytes, or lymphocytes, but it changes the fatty acid composition of mononuclear cells.

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Published date: 1 May 2003
Additional Information: Original research communication
Keywords: fish oil, ?-linolenic acid, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, immunity, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil, cytokine, phagocytosis, oxidative burst

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 25714
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/25714
ISSN: 0002-9165
PURE UUID: 7cce0872-3cd1-458b-b9e4-31ed20ed7abd
ORCID for Philip C. Calder: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-710X

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Date deposited: 24 Apr 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:51

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Contributors

Author: Samantha Kew
Author: Tapati Banerjee
Author: Anne M. Minihane
Author: Yvonne E. Finnegan
Author: Reto Muggli
Author: Ruud Albers
Author: Christine M. Williams

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