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Published on: October 21, 2017
Dietary n-3 PUFA Protects Mice from Con A Induced Liver Injury by Modulating Regulatory T Cells and PPAR-γ Expression
Min Lian1, Wenjing Luo1, Yongheng Sui1
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Background:
Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) exert anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects through down-regulating the innate and adoptive immune response. However, the effect of dietary n-3 PUFA on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) is unclear.
Aims:
The current study was to examine the relationship between n-3 PUFA and Tregs as well as their immunoregulatory effect in immune-mediated liver injury.
Methods:
The mice model feeding with n-3 PUFA-enriched diet was established and Tregs were analyzed. Effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on Tregs proliferation and induction was determined in vitro. The potential immunotherapeutic effect of dietary n-3 PUFA was investigated through Con A-induced hepatitis model.
Results:
Long-term administration of dietary n-3 PUFA significantly increased hepatic Tregs and modulated their phenotype. n-3 PUFA or DHA directly increased natural Tregs (nTreg) proliferation but didn't increase inducible Tregs (iTreg). In addition, the expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin (IL)-10 were significantly up-regulated in n-3 PUFA-enriched diet-fed mice. Finally, n-3 PUFA-enriched diet alleviated liver injury induced by Con A and down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines expression, accompanied by increased PPAR-γ expression.
Conclusion:
Dietary n-3 PUFA enhanced Tregs generation through up-regulating PPAR-γ and TGF-β expression, and protected mice from Con A-induced liver injury. This finding provides a promising potential therapeutic method in treating inflammatory and autoimmune disease.
