A novel long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, beta-oxa 21 : 3n-3, inhibits T lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and carrageenan-induced paw reaction and selectively targets intracellular signals

A novel polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), beta -oxa 21:3n-3, containing an oxygen atom in the beta position, was chemically synthesized, and found to have more selective biological activity than the n-3 PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) on cells of the immune system. Although beta -oxa 21:3n-3 w as very poor compared with 22:6n-3 at stimulating oxygen radical production in neutrophils, it was more effective at inhibiting human T lymphocyte pro liferation (IC50 of 1.9 vs 5.2 muM, respectively). beta -Oxa 21:3n-3 also i nhibited the production of TNF-beta, IFN-gamma, and IL-2 by purified human T lymphocytes stimulated with PHA plus PMA, anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 mAbs, o r PMA plus A23187. Metabolism of beta -oxa 21:3n-3 via the cyclooxygenase a nd lipoxygenase pathways was not required for its inhibitory effects. Consi stent with its ability to suppress T lymphocyte function, beta -oxa 21:3n-3 significantly inhibited the delayed-type hypersensitivity response and car rageenan-induced paw edema in mice. In T lymphocytes, beta -oxa 21:3n-3 inh ibited the agonist-stimulated translocation of protein kinase C-betaI and - epsilon, but not -alpha, -beta II, or -theta to a particulate fraction, and also inhibited the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated protei n kinase, but not c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase and p38. In contrast, 22:6n-3 h ad no effects on these protein kinase C isozymes. The increase in antiinfla mmatory activity and loss of unwanted bioaction through the generation of a novel synthetic 22:6n-3 analogue provides evidence for a novel strategy in the development of anti-inflammatory agents by chemically engineering PUFA .