Dietary Fish Oil Enhances Circulating Interferon-γ in Mice During Listeriosis Without Altering In Vitro Production of This Cytokine

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of feeding mice a diet rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from fish oil on the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) response during an active infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Weanling female C3H/Hen mice were fed experimental diets containing 20% by weight one of the following fats: soybean oil, lard, or a mixture of menhaden fish oil and corn oil (17:3, w/w). After 4 weeks, mice were injected with 10(5) live L. monocytogenes, and the concentration of IFN-gamma in serum and spleen was determined 0, 2, 4, and 7 days postinfection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Fish oil-fed mice showed significantly higher IFN-gamma in their blood at 2 and 4 days postchallenge compared with mice fed the soybean oil-containing or lard-containing diets (p < 0.001). A higher concentration of IFN-gamma was also found in the spleen homogenate of fish oil-fed mice on day 4 postchallenge (p < 0.005). To examine in vitro IFN-gamma production, splenocytes were isolated from fish oil-fed and soybean oil-fed mice on day 4 postchallenge and cultured with concanavalin A (1 microgram/ml and 10 micrograms/ml) for 24 and 48 h. There were no significant differences in the IFN-gamma concentration in cell culture supernatants between these diet treatments. This study demonstrated that the elevation in the concentration of IFN-gamma in blood and spleen during murine listeriosis is accentuated and prolonged by dietary n-3 PUFA, and these effects may not be due to changes in IFN-gamma production.

Broylerlerde Diyetteki Yağ Kaynaklarının Performans, Serum Kortikosteron Düzeyi, Antikor Titresi ve IFN-γ Gen Ekspresyonu Üzerine Etkileri

“…Prostaglandin E 2 inhibits activity of lymphocytes. While these results were inconsistent with studies, that reported splenic IFN-γ mRNA were lower in mice fed a n-3-PUFAenriched diet compared with low n-3-PUFA diet, indicating shift from T-helper-1 to T-helper-2 of immune response [15] . Based on these studies, we concluded that the increase of IFN-γ mRNA expression in the chickens fed fish oil diet may be attributed to enhance of innate immune cells such as T-helper-1 with reducing production of eicosanoids such as prostaglandin E 2 by peripheral macrophages [7] .…”

“…John et al [12] , Miles et al [13] and Korver et al [14] reported that addition of fish oil (as a source of omega-3 fatty acids) to diet could increase production of cytokines such as IFN-γ. In another study, Fritsche et al [15] reported that spleen IFN-γ mRNA were lower in mice fed an omega-3 fatty acid-enriched diet compared with mice fed diets low in omega-3 fatty acid diet. Reports concerning the effects of oils on performance and immune responses are very contradictious.…”

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promote activation-induced cell death in Th1-polarized murine CD4+ T-cells

“…Specifically, Fritsche, Byrge, and Feng (39) reported decreased serum IFN␥ and splenic IFN␥ mRNA levels in mice fed FO compared with n-6 PUFA control diets. In contrast, other studies indicate that n-3 PUFAs increase IFN␥ production (41)(42)(43). There are several reasons for these apparent discrepancies.…”

Effect of dietary supplementation of fish oil for lactating sows and weaned piglets on piglet Th polarization

“…One of potential reason for these apparent discrepancies was the physical condition of experimental animals. Investigations in healthy subjects exhibited higher Th1 cytokine production after (n-3) PUFA administration (Fritsche et al, 1997;Sijben et al, 2001;Lauritzen et al, 2005). Whereas, opposite results were shown in pathological animals, especially in the conditions primarily inducing cellular immunity (Kleemann et al, 1998;Fritsche et al, 1999;Khan et al, 2006).…”

“…Collectively, the increases of IL-12b, IL-12Rβ2, IFN-γ and IL-2 genes expression in spleen of piglets after fish oil feeding indicated that (n-3) PUFA supplementation for piglets could promote Th1 differentiation and polarization. Previous researches showed inconsistent results of fish oil influenced Th1 cytokines expression and secretion (Fritsche et al, 1997(Fritsche et al, , 1999Kleemann et al, 1998;Sijben et al, 2001;Switzer et al, 2004;Khan et al, 2006). There are several reasons for these apparent discrepancies.…”