Effects of dietary supplementation with marine fish oil on leukocyte lipid mediator generation and function in rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: Arthritis and rheumatism Vol. 30; no. 9; p. 988
• Main Authors: Sperling, R I, Weinblatt, M, Robin, J L, Ravalese, 3rd, J, Hoover, R L, House, F, Coblyn, J S, Fraser, P A, Spur, B W, Robinson, D R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.1987
• Subjects: Adult; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diet therapy; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; Chronic Disease; Female; Fish Oils - therapeutic use; Food, Fortified; Humans; Leukocytes - metabolism; Lipids - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Monocytes - metabolism; Neutrophils - metabolism; Platelet Activating Factor - analysis; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780300905

Twelve patients with active rheumatoid arthritis supplemented their usual diet with 20 gm of Max-EPA fish oil, daily, for 6 weeks. Following this supplementation, the ratio of arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid in the patients' neutrophil cellular lipids decreased from 81:1 to 2.7:1, and the mean generation of leukotriene B4 (with calcium ionophore stimulation) significantly declined by 33%. The mean neutrophil chemotaxis to both leukotriene B4 and FMLP significantly increased toward the normal range at week 6. The generation of 5-lipoxygenase products by calcium ionophore-stimulated monocytes was not significantly suppressed, but a significant decline (37%) in platelet-activating factor generation was noted at week 6. The modulation of these measures of leukocyte inflammatory potential suggests that fish oil supplementation may have an antiinflammatory effect.