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Increased tissue levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevents pathological preterm birth

Aki Yamashita1, Kei Kawana, Kensuke Tomio

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.

Scientific Reports
|November 2, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Omega-3 fatty acids, like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), reduce preterm birth by decreasing inflammation. Resolvin E3 (RvE3), derived from EPA, shows potential as a new therapeutic to prevent preterm birth.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Inflammation research
  • Nutritional science

Background:

  • Preterm birth is a significant obstetric complication often linked to inflammation.
  • Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) possess known anti-inflammatory properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced preterm birth.
  • To explore the potential of resolvin E3 (RvE3) as a therapeutic agent for preterm birth prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized fat-1 transgenic mice, which convert omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, to study preterm birth incidence.
  • Analyzed uterine gene expression (IL-6, IL-1β) and cervical macrophage infiltration.
  • Performed lipid metabolomics to identify key metabolites, including 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoate and RvE3.
  • Administered RvE3 to LPS-exposed pregnant wild-type mice to assess its efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Abundance of omega-3 fatty acids in fat-1 mice reduced LPS-induced preterm birth.
  • Fat-1 mice exhibited decreased uterine IL-6 and IL-1β gene expression and fewer cervical macrophages.
  • Elevated levels of 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoate, metabolized to RvE3, were observed in fat-1 mice.
  • RvE3 administration significantly lowered preterm birth incidence in LPS-exposed wild-type mice.

Conclusions:

  • Increased omega-3 fatty acid levels can mitigate inflammation-driven preterm birth.
  • Resolvin E3 (RvE3) is identified as a key anti-inflammatory metabolite derived from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
  • RvE3 demonstrates therapeutic potential for preventing preterm birth.

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