ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF UNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS - EFFECTS ON HUMAN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD T-LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATION

Oils enriched in certain polyunsaturated fatty acids suppress joint pa in and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, Because T lymph ocyte activation is important to propagation of joint tissue injury in patients with RA, we examined the effects of fatty acids administered by mouth in vivo on proliferation of human lymphocytes activated thro ugh the T cell receptor complex. T cell proliferation was reduced afte r oral administration of 2.4 g gammalinolenic acid in capsules of bora ge seed oil, Oral administration of coils enriched in Linoleic acid, t he parent n-6 fatty acid, and alpha linolenic acid, the parent n-3 fat ty acid, did not influence grwth of stimulated cells, Fatty acid analy ses indicated that suppression of lynmphocyte proliferation after gamm alinolenic acid administration was associated with increased plasma an d peripheral blood mononuclear cell concentrations of gammalinolenic a cid and dihomogammalinolenic acid.