THE EFFECT OF N-3 PUFA RICH DIET UPON MACROPHAGE AND LYMPHOCYTE METABOLISM AND FUNCTION

A large body of evidence from experimental studies has documented that n-3 fatty acids can modify a variety of cell functions and disease st ates. As lymphocytes and macrophages are important cells for the devel opment of the inflammatory and noninflammatory immune response and are known to utilize high rates of glucose and glutamine, we have evaluat ed the effect of n-3 PUFA rich diet on the metabolisation of glucose a nd glutamine these cells, as well as the effect of one such diet upon the proliferative response of lymphocytes and the phagocytic capacity and hydrogen peroxide production by macrophages. The diet provoked an increase in the nux of glucose through the Krebs cycle in macrophages as well as a reduction in G6PDh and glutaminase activity in these cell s. Lymphocytes from n-3 PUFA rich diet-fed rats showed a reduction in glucose and glutamine decarboxylation. Taken together the data show th at, at least in part, the functional changes observed in macrophages a nd lymphocytes from n-3 PUFA-rich diet fed rats are related to the eff ect of this diet upon glucose and glutamine metabolism, leading to imm unosupression