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In vivo formation of leukotriene E5 by murine peritoneal cells

J Whelan1, K S Broughton, B Lokesh

  • 1Lipids Research Laboratory, Institute of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Prostaglandins
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Dietary fish oil supplementation in mice alters leukotriene production. Mice on fish oil diets produced novel pentaenyl sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (SP-LT), like leukotriene E5 (LTE5), impacting inflammatory responses.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Resident mouse peritoneal cells produce leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and E4 (LTE4) upon stimulation.
  • LTE4 is the predominant sulfidopeptide leukotriene (SP-LT) produced under normal dietary conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of dietary fish oil, rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), on SP-LT production in mice.
  • To identify and characterize novel SP-LTs generated in response to fish oil-enriched diets.

Main Methods:

  • Mice were fed diets with varying amounts of fish oil.
  • Peritoneal cells were stimulated in vivo with opsonized zymosan and in vitro with A23187.
  • Leukotriene production was analyzed using spectrophotometric, chromatographic, and enzymatic methods.

Main Results:

  • Fish oil diets led to the identification of four new SP-LTs, including leukotriene E5 (LTE5).
  • LTE5 became a major SP-LT, with quantities exceeding LTE4 in stimulated peritoneal cells from mice on n-3 PUFA-rich diets.
  • In vitro studies showed reduced LTC4 and increased LTC5 production in macrophages from fish oil-fed mice.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary fish oil significantly alters the profile of SP-LTs produced by peritoneal cells.
  • The formation of pentaenyl SP-LTs, particularly LTE5, contributes to the endogenous SP-LT pool during inflammatory stimuli in mice fed fish oil.
  • This highlights a mechanism by which dietary n-3 PUFA can modulate inflammatory pathways.

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