Cytokines polyunsaturated fatty acid effects

Nutrients have a profound effect upon the production and actions of cytokines. Protein-energy malnutrition, dietary (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin E suppress the production of specific cytokines. The synthesis of acute-phase proteins and glutathione is dependent on the adequacy of dietary sulfur-containing amino acids. The consequences of the modulatory effects of previous and concurrent nutrient intake on cytokine biology are the depletion of resources and damage to the host, which ranges from mild and temporary to severe, chronic, or lethal. 

One group of molecules in particular, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), seems to play an important role in each of these three systems. Previous studies by us and others have shown that PUFA has a profound effect in all three systems, such as altering neuronal membrane fluidity (Yehuda, et al., 1993) and the production and function of neurotransmitters (Yehuda, et al., 1997). PUFA also was shown to modify the production and activity of releasing factors and certain hormones and the activity of certain cytokines (Yehuda, et al., 2000). 

Maes M. The immunoregulatory effects of antidepressants. Hum Psychophar Clin Exp 2001 16(1) 95—103. Maes M, Christophe A, Eugene, Bosmas E, Lin A, Neels H. In humans, serum polyunsaturated fatty acid levels predict the response of proinflammatory cytokines to psychological stress. Biol Psychiatry 2000 ... 

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 5n-3) and docosahex-aenoic acid (DHA, 22 6n-3) are n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish oil. Supplementation of fish oil or n-3 PUFA such as EPA has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of a series of inflammatory, autoimmune, and atherosclerotic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (5-8). The blocking of the production of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and eicosanoids has been suggested as one of the mechanisms that contribute to the beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids (5-12). The n-3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease TNF-a production in animal and human stodies (8-12), yet the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. 

Meydani, S.N. (1996) Effect of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cytokine Production and Their Biologic Function, Nutrition 12, S8-S14. 

Immunologic Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, enzymes, cytokines, nucleotides Immunological, inflammatory effects... 

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